“The Biggest Bluff” – What it can teach you about poker and psychology

No stranger to producing exceptional psychological studies – such as “Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes” – Konnikova applies the same deductive logic as she delves within the often misrepresented world of poker playing, learning there’s far more to this card game than meets the eye.

Anyone who is even vaguely familiar with the game and its players will be fascinated and enthralled, as the author explores the intricate nuances of poker and discovers that beyond being a game of skill and chance, becoming a professional player in the high-pressure world of tournaments can be an entirely life-changing experience.

Learning from the best in the business

Clearly, given that Konnikova is already a renowned author and journalist, she has an enviable network of contacts and resources available, which undoubtedly aided her while researching the content for this book. One huge plus was getting to know veteran poker legend Erik Seidel, a name which will be instantly recognisable to anyone who follows the professional circuit. Indeed, mentioning him will inevitably attract his fans to read about those interactions.

Seidel not only introduced Konnikova to other famed players - such as Dan Harrington or Andrew Lichtenberg - he also led her through a process of learning the game of poker from scratch, given she admits to not even knowing how many cards are in a deck. This took the author from studying the basics of poker via gameplay at online poker rooms, to exotic casino locations like Monte Carlo and Macau, as she progressed to high-stakes tournaments against top-quality opponents.

Of course, anyone looking to follow the initial footsteps of the author might want to do their own research, especially given the huge choice of online casinos operating around the world. This means looking at reviews for the different poker variations offered by sites, along with the other popular casino games like roulette and blackjack, while also becoming aware of trusted locations to play and where to get the best bonus offers.

Poker as a study of decision-making

When life began to deal a bad hand, she wanted to learn how to retake control. That’s when she discovered game theory. Konnikova tells readers of an encounter with her elderly grandmother, who took rather a dim view on her granddaughter’s change of career path. Why would she possibly want to squander such an honest and rewarding career in academia, questions the matriarchal figurehead of the family. There was further disdain from the elder, criticism and even a certain amount of disgust, surrounding the choice of poker and gambling as learning tool for her latest book.

Interestingly, in one excerpt from the book published recently, Konnikova compares the gambling element of the poker player to that of the stockbroker, with their own unique environments influencing what risks to take, pointing out that both are in fact betting on something. The irony here is that risk-taking and gambling of professional poker players is considered sinful in some eyes, such as those of her own grandmother. Meanwhile, she ponders if there’s really so much difference between a pro poker player and a stockbroker, after all. The conclusions she draws are both amusing and insightful.  

Such misconceptions and biased perceptions, as Konnikova highlights, are hardly surprising. However, what she also points out is that in her own particular field of expertise, using poker is a great way to explore the psychology of decision-making. As for the gambling aspect of the game, that too is another part of this voyage of discovery, because betting on the hands you hold is an intrinsic and essential skill that also requires mastering.

Using examples of renowned psychologists and their own studies which surround gambling or games of chance, Konnikova guides readers towards reaching their own conclusions, using herself as the guinea pig in this particular social experiment. She explains how the psychological understanding of poker not only influences her decisions at the table, as she judges the next move with the hand that’s been dealt, but also begins to shape life decisions away from the table.

Discovery of much more than just a card game

Winning the Caribbean Adventure poker tournament was undoubtedly a phenomenal achievement, doing so within just a year of learning how to play the game. Nevertheless, this achievement is actually just an anecdote and one of the final destinations towards which this book leads. The real enjoyment of the story is found along the journey taken to get there, as Konnikova explained recently, embracing the learning experience and all the unexpected twists and turns encountered along the way.

There are plenty of bumps along this path of discovery for Konnikova, who is unashamedly open to admitting her failures, dissecting how poor decisions were take even when she knew better. Meanwhile, the author soaks up every piece of advice and experience she can from the experienced poker professionals, guiding her journey with inquisitive interest that matches her own desire to become an exceptional player.

What you won’t find in this book are mind-boggling poker strategies, detailed explanations of what kind of hands to play and which to avoid. What you will find is a thoughtful and highly entertaining psychological exploration of thoughts and decisions, how personalities can change and be shaped by a simple game of cards, plus a thrilling first-person perspective of how a fascinating year at the tables unfolds.

Author's name: Benjamin Medison

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