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  • The Biggest Bluff

  • How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win
  • Written by: Maria Konnikova
  • Narrated by: Maria Konnikova
  • Length: 11 hrs and 13 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (179 ratings)

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The Biggest Bluff

Written by: Maria Konnikova
Narrated by: Maria Konnikova
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Publisher's Summary

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

What the critics say

“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.

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What listeners say about The Biggest Bluff

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    5 out of 5 stars

Changed my life

Thank you, Maria. Your book changed my life. I bought it when it first came out and promptly placed it on my poker shelf. Then when I saw it referenced in the documentary, I was like, ‘Hey, I have that book here somewhere!’ I didn’t find it at first and promptly grabbed it on Audible. You a brilliant (seriously, so damn smart)! I loved it and didn’t want it the Audible to end. I found the book and have highlighted so many ‘quote-worthy’ lines! I’m a more seasoned player but your journey walked me through everything I know PLUS more. You’ve contributed to my poker life and my real life, and changed me. Thank you!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Interesting story, irritating narration

I enjoyed this story, with its insights into chance, skill, and deception as they apply to poker and life, but the author/narrator’s vocal (glottal) fry irritated me so much that I almost gave up listening to it after the first hour. Fortunately, she improved her delivery in the second half of the book, probably through some speech coaching or therapy. If you’re sensitive to vocal fry, though, give the audiobook a pass and read the print version.

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    5 out of 5 stars

good listen while scrapping glue off old steps

very interesting and fun book to read. Kept me intrigued the whole time. Made doing relentless work enjoyable as I was working in house doing tedious job most of time I listened to book . I like poker. will probably keep playing it when I have time forsever

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Weak delivery

The read is terrible. It’s a whispered, millennial, vocal fry delivery that has no punch or presence. I get she’s the author and not a professional announcer, but it can be hard to listen to

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Yawn

Fluffier than your favourite pancakes. Author drags on for ages on seemingly irrelevant anecdotes and observations.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Really compelling book about risk perception

This was a really compelling read - both exciting and informative. I learned a lot about the human psychology behind our perception of risk, chance and skill. (In case you didn't realize, this isn't a book about how to play poker). It was written in a very colloquial, friendly way - this took some getting used to and contrasted to other non-fiction books, but I enjoyed the style within about 25 pages.

My only criticism is that it felt a bit rushed at the end. I would have liked some summary on what the author learned through her journey. In addition, it felt like the story wasn't completely finished - obviously that's no fault of the author... she's still living her life!

Anyway, I would strongly recommend this book if you enjoy books about human psychology and our perception of risk.

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Love this thoughtful book

this is a great reflection on certainty, chance, the human condition and decision making. I enjoyed it immensely and will return to it again

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    3 out of 5 stars
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  • DJ
  • 2021-02-15

A book with valuable lessons - poker player or not

The most wondrous thing about this book is that it almost feels like fiction, except its not. The author is exceptional at story telling, and is able to convey lessons she learned on this journey in a beautiful way. Definitely a book you will enjoy regardless of whether you play poker or not.

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all about the author

way to much "let me tell you about how great I am". it gets boring pretty quickly

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Excellent Book!!

I heard the author in an interview on Freakonomics talking about this book and I was interested immediately. I know nothing about poker or gambling TBH and yet the book was an interesting story and perspective on the game.
I loved listening to her read - her voice is interesting and a little raspy. I’m actually surprised others disliked the narration so much.
I am not a huge audio book person - I tend to listen to a bunch of things and cycle through, but I was interested and finished the book in a short period of time because I wanted to hear more about her project.
This is not a ‘how to play poker’ book and although there was insight into decision making, what I enjoyed most was the story of her journey with Erik working towards her ultimate goal.

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