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365 reviews for:
The Biggest Bluff: How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win
Maria Konnikova
4.0 AVERAGE
365 reviews for:
The Biggest Bluff: How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win
Maria Konnikova
4.0 AVERAGE
So much fun to read and a pretty wild story. I love Vegas and blackjack but this book made me want to dig into poker more. I’ve always been too intimidated to play poker in Vegas. The author explains this fear well and I related to it a lot as a female reader/blackjack player. I found myself reading a lot of passages aloud to my fiancé.
Rating: 3.5/5 rounded down
I stumbled upon Maria Konnikova on YouTube, in a documentary about con artists, and decided to look into her work. The Biggest Bluff is a fascinating concept. Konnikova, a journalist and doctor of psychology who has never played poker before, embarks on a journey to become a professional poker player under the tutelage of Power Hall of Fame inductee Erik Seidel. She is not in it for the poker money but to see if she could do it and to analyse the psychological aspects of gambling and wrap it all up in a book - the one here. Throughout the book she covers topics such as how poker players think and make decisions, gambling behaviour, perception of luck and the lessons she learns about herself and her behaviour as she learns to play. You don't have to be a poker player to appreciate and understand the contents.
Unfortunately the book rambles and lacks structure. Many interesting and good points are made but arguments are then not developed fully and they get lost or forgotten about. As I write this review less than a week after I finished the book, details are already starting to fade from memory. I also feel that instead of narrating the audio book herself, Konnikova should have got a voice actress onboard. I was starting to struggle around the halfway point, but kept at it.
I stumbled upon Maria Konnikova on YouTube, in a documentary about con artists, and decided to look into her work. The Biggest Bluff is a fascinating concept. Konnikova, a journalist and doctor of psychology who has never played poker before, embarks on a journey to become a professional poker player under the tutelage of Power Hall of Fame inductee Erik Seidel. She is not in it for the poker money but to see if she could do it and to analyse the psychological aspects of gambling and wrap it all up in a book - the one here. Throughout the book she covers topics such as how poker players think and make decisions, gambling behaviour, perception of luck and the lessons she learns about herself and her behaviour as she learns to play. You don't have to be a poker player to appreciate and understand the contents.
Unfortunately the book rambles and lacks structure. Many interesting and good points are made but arguments are then not developed fully and they get lost or forgotten about. As I write this review less than a week after I finished the book, details are already starting to fade from memory. I also feel that instead of narrating the audio book herself, Konnikova should have got a voice actress onboard. I was starting to struggle around the halfway point, but kept at it.
I’ve never been interested in poker, but this book offers really interesting insights on human behavior.
Maria Konnikova has been amazing and charming as a regular guest on "The Gist" for years, and it was a bit frustrating waiting for this book. But it's absolutely worth it, especially because the journey made the book richer and better.
It helps to know a little bit about poker going in -- which I do. But you do not have to play or want to become a regular player -- which I don't.
Folks who follow me on Goodreads know I read a lot about how our minds work, logical fallacies, etc. "Bluff" shows some practical applications about how those flaws can hold us back, which apply in many areas of life. She's explicit about that, but also weaves in a great tale about her life and her abilities, her journey through poker. That's her path, but it really could be anything someone wants to master, or anyone facing trials and disappointments.
Plus, she's funny without trying too hard, smart without hiding behind academic writing, and generally elevates her facts into understandable truths.
It helps to know a little bit about poker going in -- which I do. But you do not have to play or want to become a regular player -- which I don't.
Folks who follow me on Goodreads know I read a lot about how our minds work, logical fallacies, etc. "Bluff" shows some practical applications about how those flaws can hold us back, which apply in many areas of life. She's explicit about that, but also weaves in a great tale about her life and her abilities, her journey through poker. That's her path, but it really could be anything someone wants to master, or anyone facing trials and disappointments.
Plus, she's funny without trying too hard, smart without hiding behind academic writing, and generally elevates her facts into understandable truths.
I am the very specific audience for this book because I love random memoirs mixed with general psychology. Buying a copy to save some bookmarks because there were so many nuggets good for the work we do at school!
I'm not usually a fan of memoirs. But this book was really good. Well written, smart, an incredible story as well as some pretty useful observations and strategies for thinking better.
I'm going all in on this book. Konnikova's ambition to learn poker, and quickly achieve such a high level of play from expert coaching and the application of psychological research, makes for a great read. What sets it apart for me was her candid confessions of her own insecurities & growth triggered from playing against hostile players and how the skill of playing poker well can help people navigate life a little more successfully too.
informative
medium-paced