#34 - Igor Kurganov - Liv's World Series Poker Win and Fixing Social Media
Jan 9, 2025
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Igor Kurganov, a professional poker player and partner of Liv Boeree, joins her to celebrate her recent $2.8 million World Series Poker win. They discuss the significance of her victory and their shared commitment to charity. The duo delves into the complexities of social media algorithms and how they could be improved to prioritize user experience over profit. They also touch on Magnus Carlsen's recent chess dress code controversy, blending humor with deep insights into media manipulation and personal insecurities.
Liv's record-breaking World Series Poker win exemplifies how personal success can be leveraged for charitable contributions to animal welfare.
The discussion highlights the need for social media algorithms to promote nuanced content to foster healthier public discourse and emotional well-being.
Deep dives
Playing for Personal Assistant Time
The podcast discusses a unique poker game where the stakes involve 'personal assistant time,' a concept humorously dubbed 'slave time' by one of the hosts. This game emphasizes the value of time among friends over monetary stakes, suggesting that personal relationships often equate time with friendship rather than cash. The hosts point out how this shift in perspective can create stronger bonds and make games more engaging, particularly when the outcome is not strictly financial. The playful banter during the discussion illustrates the competitive spirit among friends, highlighting how informal stakes can lead to exciting interactions.
The Stress of Watching vs. Playing
The emotional dynamics of watching poker games are highlighted, with one host expressing that observing a friend play can be much more stressful than actually being at the table. This stress stems from the lack of control a spectator feels, making them vulnerable to the ups and downs of the game's outcome. In contrast, a player engages in focused decision-making, which allows for a different mental state that can alleviate stress during the game. This idea resonates with how active participation in tasks often helps individuals manage anxiety, as they are preoccupied with the challenges at hand.
Impacts of Unplanned Charitable Donations
One host shares a fascinating commitment to donate a significant portion of poker winnings to animal welfare charities, triggered by newfound awareness of factory farming practices. This decision, made during a major tournament, resulted in a pledge of over half a million dollars, showcasing the potential for poker to fund significant charitable efforts. This pre-pledging strategy connects personal success with altruistic goals, illustrating how poker, often seen as a zero-sum game, can create positive outcomes beyond just the winnings for individuals. It emphasizes that engagement in such practices can transform traditional gaming into a platform for social betterment.
Critique of Media's Influence on Society
A significant portion of the discussion revolves around the influence of social media on public discourse and the emotional well-being of its users. The hosts explore how sensationalist content captures attention at the expense of nuance, which can lead to increased anger and divisiveness among audiences. They propose that algorithms should prioritize helpful, nuanced content instead of inflammatory posts, which often dominate feeds. Ultimately, they reflect on the responsibility of media platforms to cultivate healthier consumption habits by prioritizing content that enriches rather than distorts societal conversations.
n case you missed it, Liv just won a record-breaking $2,800,000 in the World Series of Poker last month In this episode, she and Igor discuss her victory, why it represents a win-win for both her and animals... how to fix social media... Magnus Carlsen's jeans drama, a drunken game of backgammon and much more.
Chapters:
0:00 - Intro and Backgammon
2:45 - Liv’s World Series of Poker Win
10:19 - Liv’s Charity Pledge & Cultivating Win-Wins
14:15 - The Physics of Women’s Feet
17:06 - Addressing Insecurities
19:30 - The H1B Visa Debate
20:16 - How to Fix Social Media Algorithms
39:26 - Elon Musk and X.com
44:55 - Magnus Carlsen Jeans Chess Drama
49:15 - The Multiverse Poker Tour
Credits
♾️ Hosted by Liv Boeree
♾️ Edited and Mixed by Jackson
♾️ Produced by Luca DeVico
The Win-Win Podcast:
Poker champion Liv Boeree takes to the interview chair to tease apart the complexities of one of the most fundamental parts of human nature: competition. Liv is joined by top philosophers, gamers, artists, technologists, CEOs, scientists, athletes and more to understand how competition manifests in their world, and how to change seemingly win-lose games into Win-Wins.
#winwinpodcast#poker#backgammon
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