Maria Konnikova / Psychologist / Pro Poker Player / Author - The Biggest Bluff

Maria Konnikova, psychologist, professional poker player and author of The Biggest Bluff, drops some wisdom about managing emotional energy and being psychologically resilient in poker. She has analyzed the biggest mistakes most poker players make and reveals the number one thing to observe when trying to figure out if someone is lying. Tune in to hear Maria reveal her greatest edge and biggest lessons – and learn the advice she’d give as a mentor.

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Time Stamped Show Notes:

• 00:00 – 20:00 – Maria’s background, how she got into poker, her thoughts on skill and chance, working with Erik Seidel, and how she got into game theory and poker.
• 20:00 – 36:30 - The value of understanding variance, and how to spend your emotional energy wisely, have psychological resilience, and analyze mistakes.
• 36:30 – 58:30 - The process of publishing a book, her study of con-artists and cheaters, why you can’t multi-task, common mistakes players make, and her greatest edge.
• 58:30 – 01:22:00 - On not having control, her book, her experience in the tournament, what her family thinks about her poker playing, and what she’d advise as a mentor.
• 01:22:00 – 01:34:30 - On tells, reading deception, what she loves and would change about the poker community, her favorite place to play, and why she likes to play live.
• 01:34:30 – Her favorite book and movie, more about the art on her site, her blog, another Erik story, and some poker lessons.

3 Key Points

• Understand variance and read players, not just hands.
• Read people’s hands, not their eyes.
• Don’t give unnecessary time and energy to bad beat stories.

Contact/Resources

• Partner - partypoker
• Website - Jeff Gross Poker
• Jeff’s Twitch
• Maria’s Website
• The Biggest Bluff – find it at your local independent bookstore
• Maria’s Instagram