The Biggest Bluff

Maria Konnikova, a New York Times bestselling author, embarked on an unexpected journey into the world of poker. Despite having no prior experience or knowledge of the game, she persuaded Erik Seidel, a Poker Hall of Fame inductee with millions in earnings, to mentor her. Konnikova, who holds a Ph.D. in psychology and has a growing body of work on human behavior, was not interested in the monetary aspect of poker but rather in its life lessons. After a period of personal misfortune, she was directed towards poker as a way to understand the balance between control and chance. Under Seidel’s tutelage, she entered the intense, male-dominated world of high-stakes Texas Hold’em, aiming for the World Series of Poker. However, her journey took an unexpected turn. She started winning, earning hundreds of thousands of dollars from tournaments, securing a sponsor, and even enjoying Las Vegas. But more importantly, she gained invaluable insights about herself and life. Despite her success, she realized that skill alone is not enough. As a writer and student of human behavior, her ultimate goal was to share these lessons from her extraordinary journey.