The Biggest Bluff

How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win

By: Maria Konnikova

Narrated by: Maria Konnikova

A New York Times bestseller • A New York Times Notable Book

“The tale of how Konnikova followed a story about poker players and wound up becoming a story herself will have you riveted, first as you learn about her big winnings, and then as she conveys the lessons she learned both about human nature and herself.” (The Washington Post)

It's true that Maria Konnikova had never actually played poker before and didn't even know the rules when she approached Erik Seidel, Poker Hall of Fame inductee and winner of tens of millions of dollars in earnings, and convinced him to be her mentor. But she knew her man: a famously thoughtful and broad-minded player, he was intrigued by her pitch that she wasn't interested in making money so much as learning about life. She had faced a stretch of personal bad luck, and her reflections on the role of chance had led her to a giant of game theory, who pointed her to poker as the ultimate master class in learning to distinguish between what can be controlled and what can't. And she certainly brought something to the table, including a PhD in psychology and an acclaimed and growing body of work on human behavior and how to hack it. So Seidel was in, and soon she was down the rabbit hole with him, into the wild, fiercely competitive, overwhelmingly masculine world of high-stakes Texas Hold'em, their initial end point the following year's World Series of Poker.

But then something extraordinary happened. Under Seidel's guidance, Konnikova did have many epiphanies about life that derived from her new pursuit, including how to better read not just her opponents but far more importantly herself; how to identify what tilted her into an emotional state that got in the way of good decisions; and how to get to a place where she could accept luck for what it was, and what it wasn't. But she also began to win. And win. In a little over a year, she began making earnest money from tournaments, ultimately totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars. She won a major title, got a sponsor, and got used to being on television, and to headlines like "How one writer's book deal turned her into a professional poker player." She even learned to like Las Vegas.

But in the end, Maria Konnikova is a writer and student of human behavior, and ultimately the point was to render her incredible journey into a container for its invaluable lessons. The biggest bluff of all, she learned, is that skill is enough. Bad cards will come our way, but keeping our focus on how we play them and not on the outcome will keep us moving through many a dark patch, until the luck once again breaks our way.

©2020 Maria Konnikova (P)2020 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“Fascinating. . . . Konnikova is like your smart friend who instantly contextualizes everything by sharing the latest data and sharpest insight, whom you come to quote too often. . . . Konnikova keeps the lines so clean and even, so steady and unshowy that she might be the Charlie Watts of prose: While the backbeat never ceases and the narrative propels along, it’s her curiosity that proliferates. In fact, one of the biggest bluffs of The Biggest Bluff may be that Konnikova hasn’t written a book about her success with cards and chips exactly, but bet the house on the power of her mind to synthesize big philosophical ideas and psychological insights at a time when we, too, find ourselves questioning our fortunes, hoping to master our fates and playing much bigger odds than ever before.”—New York Times Book Review

“There has never been a more pressing need for digestible and coherent literature on rational decision-making. Enter The Biggest Bluff, psychologist Maria Konnikova’s depiction of her journey into professional poker. What at first seems a light-hearted story about a curious academic dipping her toe into shark-infested waters delivers a crucial lesson in how to thrive in an increasingly misleading world. . . . As someone who has read almost every piece of literature on poker, I can say that The Biggest Bluff is the best depiction yet of the game I love, and the invaluable thinking skills it teaches. . . . Konnikova’s is an uplifting zero-to-hero journey that will raise a smile in these trying times.”—Nature

“The Biggest Bluff is a great read if you play poker. But it's also a great read for those, like me, who don't play poker. For us, the game provides the backdrop for a fascinating look at human nature, at attention and focus, at game theory (applied much more broadly than just to games), and at making better decisions. And how to better deal with the outcomes of those decisions—and not just learn, but keep moving forward. . . . [A] must-read for most entrepreneurs.”—Inc.

Great read that compliments Theory Of Poker

First I want to compliment the Author on doing an excellent job reading the book. It was professionally done.

This book does not go deeply into poker theory, but instead explains much about poker outside of theory that is necessary to know. I am amazed that the author did so well so quickly. Very impressive.

Unlike most poker books this was a real page turner. It was very enjoyable to read.

excellent!

I found this book to be insightful, engaging, and applicable. Konnikova does a wonderful job weaving psychological content into an engaging narrative.

Read this book, it will change your life

The author, Maria Konnikova, details her experience diving into the world of poker to better understand probability, chance, luck, and our measure of control with all these elements. She utilizes her background in Psychology as well, adding levels of understanding that I had never before considered. It is such a valuable book for learning how you can effectively manage the things you can control, and realistically understanding the things you cannot control. Her story is witty, humbling, and enlightening. It is by far the best book I've read in quite some time, and has lessons that are applicable to every day life that are proving to be a life changer for me.

Great book

This is a great book. Very well written and read by the author. Teaches a lot of psychology through interesting stories. Very interesting personal story of learning poker. Highly recommend

Dear Mrs. Konnikova,

Please give us more. Also, please continue to narrate your books.
I love this book. I have the audible edition and a hard copy is on its way.

I finished this book moments ago, and now I’m starting over from the beginning.

incredible story written and read by the author.

like psychology, like poker, like game theory, like female strong figures?

this book has it all. a great nonfiction. true to its title, you will be rooting for Maria as she fights off competitors. through skill knowledge and luck she makes it to the top.

excellent book

Good book for people who want to learn how to improve thought process and control of their thoughts.

excellent book with even better applications

"Regardless of rather you win or lose you must analyze your thinking. Did you think about the situation correctly? What should you do differently in the future?"

this book is chaulk full of helpful and insightful lessons that help you sharpen an edge in a very competitive world.

Crazy Story!!

I binged this 11 hour book in 2 days. I'm looking forward to actually reading future books after such a mindset change. You can tell poker really changed her mindset and outlook and it's really entertaining to hear her chronicle her journey to being a pro poker player. Recommended!!

So much more than poker!

Did not want this book to end. Brilliant study of the mind, skill, and luck.