Now that 2026 is underway, we’re catching up with some of the biggest names in poker to reflect on the biggest stories and moments of 2025.
Dara O’Kearney is an author of seven best-selling poker books, pro, coach, commentator, and the co-host of the GPI award-winning podcast The Chip Race.
What’s the best thing that happened to you in poker in 2025?
This year I broke my drought and won a live tournament, and I had another profitable year online, but honestly the best thing that happened to me was the Simplify Poker Academy that I and Barry Carter started.
At the tables poker is a zero-sum game, but away from the tables a rising tide lifts all ships. Knowing what to study and how to study is one part of the equation. Finding a group of like-minded peers to study with is the final piece of the puzzle.
The reason why having your own mastermind group of players to learn from is so effective is because nobody knows what they don’t know. Having a community of poker students to bounce ideas off means you will be exposed to your blind spots in the game as well as other viewpoints you would not have considered.
Learning from others also doesn’t feel like hard work. The social aspect of a learning community makes poker study energizing rather than draining. Especially when you get to share your successes with others who have been following your progress.
This ties in with the philosophy I’ve always had about coaching: teach a man to fish rather than give him one. So it warms my heart that we have attracted so many like-minded members, who all post their own strategic insights, and it’s been incredible to see so many of them develop to the point that the concepts and insights they’re posting are as high-level as anything you’ll read anywhere.
Another thing that gave me a lot of pleasure was how many of my students crushed both live and online this year.
I’m also very proud of the two courses we put out at Simplify Poker: 'Postflop ICM' and 'Multiway Pots.' I really feel that both are at the cutting edge of poker strategy right now and can make a massive difference to the bottom line of recreational players.
And the worst?
Nothing stands out, but overall there’s a sort of creeping frustration that as consistent as I’ve been live (41 cashes, 8 final tables, one second, one heads-up chop, one outright win), the big result has unfortunately eluded me. The closest one was when I was in good shape with 24 left in a WSOP event, but I ultimately fizzled out.
Did you fulfill your New Year’s resolutions?
No (play less live), no (play more online), and yes (study more).
What are your resolutions for 2026?
Pretty much the same, plus get a new book out, create more courses, and keep building the academy.
What are you most looking forward to in poker in 2026?
As you’ve probably guessed by now, the Simplify Poker academy is my passion project right now, and I’m looking forward to how much further we can develop it in 2026.
What’s your wish for poker in 2026?
More freezeouts, or at least limited re-entries live. I really think the unlimited bullets thing has gone too far and really annoys recreational players.
What advice would you give players in 2026?
Back when I started, we were all flying by the seat of our pants. There was little or no good content, and we had to just kinda learn by doing, and talking about it with others.
Nowadays there’s almost too much content, much of it bad, and the challenge is finding the best content and training path for you. But if you’re not studying these days, even a little, you’re pretty much drawing dead as far as being a winning player goes.
Dara is sponsored by WPTGlobal and has his own training site, SimplifyPoker.com. Follow Dara on X. You can listen to Dara and David Lappin’s award-winning podcast - The Chip Race - on Spotify, Apple, and SoundCloud.
