Bob and Richard are joined by Maria Konnikova, a writer and psychologist who contracted with poker star Eric Seidel to teach her enough tournament poker so she could write a book about it. Turns out she was pretty good at poker. The book has been delayed as she pursues poker full time.
podcast
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Show Notes
[00:49] How Maria met Erik Seidel
[03:53] Deciding on the learning process?
[05:09] The initial vision of the book?
[05:56] How much time did Maria originally plan to practice? Was it a full-time commitment in the beginning?
[08:29] Did she move to Las Vegas?
[09:19] The arrangement at Aria
[11:50] Erik’s lessons and his book recommendations
[12:46] Maria’s poker experience prior to the project
[15:19] Low limit tournaments in Las Vegas that were different from online tournaments
[18:04] Angle shooters & women players
[21:59] Maria starting to play professionally
[22:49] The Poker News article on Maria
[24:17] Black Widow’s comment: advantage and disadvantages of playing as a woman
[27:13] The false dichotomy of approaching poker psychologically and mathematically
[32:57] Poker Star’s sponsorship of Maria’s project
[34:10] WSoP & satellites
[36:07] Tournament winnings & turning full-time poker player
[38:19] Did the book change along the writing process due to the unexpected developments with her poker experience?
[39:50] Will some chapters be published in different places before the publication of the book?
[41:54] Will she play poker 5-10 years later? Other immersive projects in the future?
[43:16] Is Erik comfortable with Maria writing about what he taught her?
[45:10] Maria’s previous books
[46:51] The Grift podcast
[49:04] Last thoughts
Maria Konnikova: https://www.
Best ways to reach Maria:
Twitter @mkonnikova and
Instagram @grlnamedmaria
Maria’s books:
The Confidence Game https://amzn.to/2xpjtUW
Mastermind https://amzn.to/2L7wPaq
The Biggest Bluff: https://www.
The Grift Podcast: http://
The Poker News article on Maria: https://www.pokernews.
Erik Seidel: https://en.wikipedia.
Jennifer Harman: https://en.wikipedia.
The Sia Lata episode: https://www.
Harrington on Hold’em vol.1: https://amzn.to/2LlMabG
Harrington on Hold’em vol.2: https://amzn.to/2uQHZdQ
Harrington on Hold’em vol.3: https://amzn.to/2LlMQ0I
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It seems like Seidel did a decent job training Maria especially if she didn’t even know how many cards were in a deck. 🙂 Being trained by one of the best in the game I wonder how Eric’s girl would handle herself in a poker game out of the casino under the stipulations of a fair and honest game. I’m glad this girls parents support her according to what she said but I would have to think that her parents must think she is crazy since she is so educated.
Good interview Bob and Richard. It would have been nice if you would have asked Maria if she would play poker with the President like you did with the other Ph. D psychologist you had on weeks ago, Dr. Alan Schoonmaker.
I wanted to hear if this would have made the second Ph. D poker player in a row that you guys interviewed who would be scared to play poker with the President, a man who probably doesn’t even play poker or very little.