kidfried 's review for:

The Biggest Bluff: How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win by Maria Konnikova

5.0

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Ms. Konnikova has written a wonderful first-person account of her journey from newbie to tournament champion and professional in the world of poker. Her background in journalism and psychology are a perfect foundation for capturing the internal and external journey in a year of her life. It's amazing to follow her from random New Jersey coffee shops (online gambling is illegal in NY so she commuted to NJ and found places where she could park, grab internet and play) to Foxwoods, to Las Vegas, Montecarlo and Macau. She studied the technical elements of the game and also learned to understand risk, chance and the human components that go into understanding the game and the human condition. The elements on the psychology of deception are among the most interesting part, as are what it is like being a women playing in a sport largely of men. It was a lot of fun and a surprising introspection taking a dive into the world of poker through Konnikova.