Maria Konnikova: Poker and the Psychology of Uncertainty | Human Behavior | E89

Embrace your inner poker mastermind! On this week’s episode, we are chatting with Maria Konnikova, New York Times best-selling author, journalist and professional poker player. After years of solely focusing on her writing, Maria picked up poker while using her background in psychology to assist her in mastering the game. Today, we’ll talk about how Maria got interested in poker and how she was able to become a poker champion. We’ll also discuss different psychological mindsets, how to make the best decisions, the importance of failure and more. Social Media: Follow YAP on IG: www.instagram.com/youngandprofiting Reach out to Hala directly at Hala@YoungandProfiting.com Follow Hala on Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/htaha/ Follow Hala on Instagram: www.instagram.com/yapwithhala Check out our website to meet the team, view show notes and transcripts: www.youngandprofiting.com Timestamps: 03:36 - How Maria First Got Interested in Poker 06:20 - Explanation of Game Theory 08:29 - Story Behind Maria’s Poker Coaching 12:23 - How Psychology Lends Itself to Poker 14:13 - Maria’s Fascination with Sherlock Holmes and His Message 19:51 - System Watson vs. System Holmes 22:15 - The Brain Attic Metaphor 27:15 - Memory Training Tips 30:05 - Why Maria Decided to Write a Book About Luck 32:33 - Reason to Separate the Decision Process From the Outcome 36:23 - Illusion of Control and How it Affects our Outcomes 38:33 - Importance of Skill in the Long Term 40:50 - How Maria Learned to Embrace Failure 43:37 - Concept of Tilting and How to Stay Calm 46:13 - Tips on How to Read People’s Emotions 50:35 - Overcoming Social Stereotypes on the Poker Table 53:14 - Maria’s Secret to Profiting in Life Mentioned in the Show: Maria’s Newest Book, The Biggest Bluff: https://www.mariakonnikova.com/books/the-biggest-bluff/ Maria’s Website: mariakonnikova.com Maria’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/mkonnikova Maria’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grlnamedmaria/