# Dirty Pool Podcast - Ep28 - Jason Zahler - The World’s Best Pinball Player

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/dirtypool-pinball-podcast-an-exploration-of-the-pinball-industry-7329087/dirty-pool-podcast-ep28-jason-zahler-the-world-s-best-pinball-player
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/dirtypool-pinball-podcast-an-exploration-of-the-pinball-industry-7329087/dirty-pool-podcast-ep28-jason-zahler-the-world-s-best-pinball-player.md
Podcast: [Dirtypool Pinball - PODCAST - An Exploration Of The Pinball Industry](https://stenobird.com/podcast/dirtypool-pinball-podcast-an-exploration-of-the-pinball-industry-7329087)
Published: 2026-03-17T23:30:35+00:00
Episode link: https://Dirtypoolpinball.podbean.com/e/dirty-pool-podcast-ep28-jason-zahler-the-world-s-best-pinball-player/
Audio file: https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/02f8k8gu92b64h01/yt_video_gZYS5MUtqzE_jymfwk.mp3
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/dirtypool-pinball-podcast-an-exploration-of-the-pinball-industry-7329087/episodes/dirty-pool-podcast-ep28-jason-zahler-the-world-s-best-pinball-player
Duration seconds: 4362

## Resource

▶ Full Dirty Pool Podcast Playlisthttps://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9lWVjGsygallsiz2_TJ_oxIlhl29fLC&si=iLC8oBnZfl_U7pJjI sit down with the highest ranked pinball player in the world, Jason Zahler, to get into what competitive pinball actually looks like at that level. We get into his early start, climbing to number one, how he approaches tournaments, what separates top players from everyone else, and how he keeps his edge when every event matters. What's it like inside the mind of a prodigy pinball player... Also does Zahler speak???🔺 Praise the Great Pyramid:📡 Twitch http://www.twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball📺 YouTube http://www.youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball📷 Instagram http://www.instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball📘 Facebook http://www.facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball00:00:00 - Intro and bringing on the world number one00:02:00 - Starting young and early competitive path00:04:00 - Early tournaments and realizing competitive potential00:06:00 - Talent vs work ethic and what actually matters00:08:00 - Building real skill rules knowledge vs raw play00:10:30 - Favorite games and why strategy depth matters00:12:30 - Classic games risk reward and scoring pressure00:15:00 - Keith Elwin design discussion and what makes his games different00:17:30 - Modern games and adapting to deeper rule sets00:20:00 - Practice habits and balancing school life00:22:30 - Playing less but staying sharp and efficient00:25:00 - Physical side of pinball and tournament endurance00:27:30 - Mental game and controlling tilt under pressure00:30:00 - Staying positive and avoiding bad mindset traps00:32:30 - Adjusting quickly to tournament machines00:35:00 - Risk management and avoiding costly mistakes00:37:00 - Recovering after bad balls and staying focused00:39:30 - Fatigue and surviving long multi day even…

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## Transcript

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