Psychological Leverage in Poker

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Psychology is inherent in any model are hidden assumptions. Psychohistory, i like, no one knows what one person is going to do. So all we can do is hope to approach some sort of understanding. As we receive new evidence, we're up dating our priors. This allows you to make predictions. And thiss psychological dimension has another element that i think is really interesting, and i think you'll like this term, its psychological leverage.

Chris says he isn’t the best poker player in the world, but he may be the most profitable.

Pro poker player Chris Sparks is training for the highest-stakes tournament he has ever played in after a long sabbatical. He says he has already decided he is going to win, and now he is doing the necessary things to create that outcome.

What is the dynamic amongst poker friends? Chris says “frenemies” – all bets are off when the cards are on the table. Chris only plays when he expects to make money, and elaborates on the role of recreational players, stating that if you can’t recognize the fish at the poker table, you are the fish.

In the poker world, the meta skill of finding good games, of getting invited, and staying invited are critical. A good example is how Chris got invited to a famous comedian’s poker parties multiple times. Chris recounts these parties that feature full sets of dealers, cocktail waitresses, and masseuses--and it all ends when the comedian gets tired.

We talk about Chris’s consulting agency, Forcing Function, travel, and living with one of the world’s best pianists. Currently, Chris is coming out of a sabbatical and is preparing to play his largest tournament to date, with the prize pool potentially reaching seven figures.

For Chris, everything is a bet. But with any bet, the decision should be weighed with the things surrounding it and you go in with eyes wide open.

Links

Chris’ Website - https://www.chrissparks.io/

Forcing Function - https://www.forcingfunction.com/

Chris Spark’s essay on Poker: Play to Win: Meta-Skills in High Stakes Poker

Rounders Movie - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r-K5dmt0Rc

Molly’s Game movie - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vu4UPet8Nyc

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron - https://amzn.to/3ljtOIh

Forcing Function Podcast - https://www.forcingfunction.com/podcast

Forcing Function Performance Library - https://www.forcingfunction.com/library

Experiment without limits workbook - https://www.forcingfunction.com/workbook

The Fifth Discipline Field Book by Peter Senge - https://amzn.to/3I5rrCU