In this episode of Mindclickers, we sit down with Dr. Mitchell Nicholson - Accredited Exercise Physiologist, Esports researcher, and former Australian National Hockey Team Athlete to break down the future of Esports performance and research.

Mitch completed his PhD at Queensland University of Technology, exploring the physiological demands of competitive esports, mental health, cognitive fatigue, and how structured exercise can transform long-term player wellbeing. His mission is to build the first evidence-based physical activity guidelines for esports athletes.

In this episode of Mindclickers, I’m joined by Radu “Radu C” Casapu, the current top-ranked geoguessr player globally and champion 2025 Americas Major.

As a pre 2025 World Cup insight, we unpack his rise to the top, dissecting the mindset, tactics, and consistency behind his success including strategies like journalling, flow states, and risk management. Radu also shares how he navigates high-pressure duels, optimizes his practice routines, and stays mentally resilient in competitive play.

Whether you're an aspiring Duelist, GeoGuessr fan, or performance mindset enthusiast, you’ll find powerful insights in every minute.

Timestamps 0:50 – Intro into Radu’s Journey

2:40 – Winning a School Geography Competition

5:30 – Balancing Expectations as a Player

6:20 – Mindset Changes Since the 1st World Cup

8:00 – How the GeoGuessr Community Helps Each Other Improve

10:40 – Sharing Knowledge Without Losing Advantage

11:10 – Is GeoGuessr a Mental Sport or Strategy Game?

11:45 – The Importance of Hedging Guesses

12:50 – No-Move vs Move Playstyles

14:10 – Dealing with RNG in GeoGuessr

15:50 – Mindset Before a Game

18:10 – Using Music for Focus & Repetition

19:15 – Visualisation & Reflecting on Games 2

20:10 – Rarely Making the Same Mistake Twice

20:40 – What Practice Looks Like for Radu

24:00 – A Methodical Approach to Games

24:20 – Memory Palace & Journaling

25:45 – Colour Coding Maps for Memory

26:50 – Screen Recording & Self-Review

29:10 – Studying Opponents’ Games

31:00 – Allocating Time to Learning

32:30 – Handling Emotions After a Bad Guess

34:20 – Balancing Risk vs Reward in Guesses

35:15 – Insta-Lock Strategy Explained

37:05 – Should Players Have a Coach Timeout?

38:50 – Insights from America’s Major Finals

40:25 – Developing Flow State in Competition

41:10 – Building Confidence for the World Championship

41:50 – Competing in Andorra

44:00 – Caffeine, Coffee & Energy Drinks

45:45 – Exercise & Walks for Performance

46:50 – Monitor Settings for GeoGuessr

48:30 – Placebo Effects in Esports

49:25 – The Future of Competitive GeoGuessr

52:15 – Pick/Ban System in GeoGuessr

53:50 – Insights on NMPZ (No Move, Pan, Zoom) Mode

56:45 – Organisations in GeoGuessr Esports

59:00 – Rapid Fire Questions (Deep Dive)

1:15:20 – Reddit Community Questions

1:21:00 – Advice for Players & Final Words ❤️

In this episode of Mindclickers, I’m joined by ProjectBloom, one of the biggest voices in the world of GeoGuessr Esports. We dive into Bloom’s journey from player to caster, his reflections on the first GeoGuessr World Cup, and what it takes to prepare for LAN events. Bloom shares insights on the evolving GeoGuessr meta, the differences between EU and NA playstyles, and the challenges of casting under pressure.

0:50 – Intro

1:15 – Bloom's journey so far, the origin of Geoguessr Esports

7:20 – Gotta get Bloom ft Rainbolt

8:00 – Feeling of having a pivotal impact on Geoguessr Esports

9:05 – First World Cup reflection

10:10 – First LAN setting – Will players perform the same as online?

15:00 – Preparation for a LAN environment

16:10 – Monitor in Geoguessr settings

18:00 – Previously couldn’t use own mouse and keyboard

19:30 – Going into first cast from a commentator perspective

23:50 – Playing the role of an esports caster

25:00 – Breaking down a cast – Stats and information

26:30 – Freezing during a cast/stage

31:35 – Underlying anxiety prior to a cast?

33:35 – Casting in different game modes

36:00 – Updating metas as a caster

36:45 – Secret study

37:30 – Regional differences – EU vs NA

41:45 – LAN formats – different order = different results?

45:45 – Insight into different systems in other games

48:10 – Favourite country to cast

50:40 – Is there an end towards metas?

53:20 – Country that you'd want on Geoguessr?

54:40 – What does the future of Geoguessr look like – Orgs?

1:01:20 – Sustainable to do Geoguessr full-time?

1:04:00 – Rapid fire questions

1:10:45 – Final advice for Geoguessr up-and-comers

Twitch - https://www.twitch.tv/projectbloom

Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@ProjectBloomtv

X - https://x.com/ProjectBloomtv