Poker Gaming Life

The 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 Ph.D. 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.

This volume is a collection of articles written by David Sklansky that have appeared in various publications including "Card Player and "Poker World magazines. A few have never before appeared in print. Most of the articles are about poker or gambling. However, David has branched out into other areas that lend themselves to his unique style of analysis. "Poker and Gaming" topics include Being a Favorite, Are Great Players Born?, Talent Versus Discipline, Will Power, The Importance of Position, Never Go Broke, When Time is Not of the Essence, and Is Your Wallet Fat Enough? "Life" topics include What It Is that Makes an Issue Controversial, Coincidences, Some Thoughts on Dying, Legitimate Grievances, and Crime and Punishment.

The rules of poker are a lot like life--and who better to deal the winning hand than a dedicated player who has learned many of life's most important lessons at the poker table?

This volume is a collection of recent articles written by David Sklansky that have appeared in various publications including Card Player, Poker World and the Two Plus Two Poker Strategy Magazine. A few have never before appeared in print. Most of the articles are about poker or gambling. However, David has recently branched out into other areas that lend themselves to his unique style of analysis and some of these essays are contained in this book. From the original book, Poker and gaming topics include Being a Favorite, Are Great Players Born? Talent Versus Discipline, The Importance of Position, Never Go Broke, When Time is Not of the Essence, and Is Your Wallet Fat Enough? Life topics include What It Is that Makes an Issue Controversial, Coincidences, Some Thoughts on Dying, Legitimate Grievances, and Crime and Punishment. This expanded addition also contains 32 additional essays, many of which address no-limit hold 'em. Essays for the Expanded Edition include Pros Versu

Life Is a Game of Poker is a fictional/philosophy book and is popular with self-help students and poker players of all professions. It uses the principles of poker to teach some of the facts of life and uses a fictional story to communicate philosophies. It is written with a sense of humor about our human frailties and conditions in life. Life Is a Game of Poker will appeal not only to card players but to anyone interested in success in any field and in personal growth as well. With all due respect to the more humanitarian pursuits, make the main characters doctors or lawyers, and the value of the lessons remains the same.

Andy Bellin is a pretty good poker player. Over the ten years he's been playing semi-pro, millions of dollars have passed through his hands. He's the kind of guy who can walk away from the table $5000 up. He's also the kind of guy who can drop $9000 - on a single hand. On his way to a master's in astrophysics, Andy Bellin made the fatal mistake of falling in love with poker. Too many years down the line, he's resurfaced from a life spent in high-rolling casinos and low-rent dives to tell us the tale. Part memoir, part expos-, Poker Nation is a mesmerising journey through the ups and downs of being a gambler, a trip to a world where the only thing 'weirder than a poker player is the guy sitting next to him'. -At once a witty history of the world's most popular card game, a how-to manual that really will make you a better player, and the story of one man's obsession, Poker Nation will leave you sharper, wiser, and maybe even a little richer.

Poker is more than just a card game - it can also help you become a winner away from the gaming tables! By blending the life lessons of a time-honored spiritual practice with the strategy of this popular card game, you can create a powerful approach to successful play - and successful living. In The Tao of Poker, prize-winning poker player Larry Phillips offers more than 280 rules to bring you to new levels of personal achievement, just when and where you need them most. Here are some of The Tao of Poker’s rules for success: Take the long view Once you commit to a hand, play it strong Don’t throw in good money after bad If you think you’re beat, get out Try out these rules and watch your game, and your life, improve. Now you can be a winner at home, at work, and at the casino - wherever the stakes for success are high!