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 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.

Part autobiography, part history, part strategy guide. Combining years of personal experience and interviews with top women poker players, Susie Isaacs offers a behind-the-scenes look at the poker careers of women players past and present; insider's tips for winning (especially against men) in two of poker's top games (Texas Hold 'Em and Seven Card Stud) - and details her own personal journey, from playing when women were barely tolerated at tables, to becoming a top player and poker legend.

A women's guide to poker explains how competitive players can become experts at the game, with 125 annotated tips on strategy, bluffing, reading one's fellow players, and more, focusing on two popular games--Texas Hold'em and Seven-Card Stud--and including a helpful glossary of terms, expert advice, and a recommended reading list. Original.

The top-ranked female poker player in the world reveals an insider's view of the World Series of Poker. Annie Lederer grew up in a card-playing family, whose dual mantra was "Education is everything" and "win at all costs." At 26, when the Columbia alum suddenly developed a panic disorder just before finishing her doctorate, she freaked and fled to Montana. Months later, on a lark, she began to hone her poker skills and quickly started to win. Soon, she and her new husband upped the ante and moved to Las Vegas, and the rest is history. Highlighting strategic tips and keen analysis that will appeal to both the skilled player and the reader newly intrigued, Annie Duke shares a unique view of a game that's fast evolved into a subculture.--From publisher description.

Is the poker deck stacked against women? Why hasn't a woman ever won the World Series of Poker Main Event in nearly 50 years of competition? What would happen if a female poker pro played a major tournament disguised as a man? Would she improve her chances of making it to the final table? Female poker player and author Sia Layta will answer these questions and more in BLACK WIDOW Poker.More than a simple training manual, BLACK WIDOW Poker explores the gender inequality women experience in male dominated card rooms, and offers them way to win the game in spite of sexism. It is a method of play that earned her the poker nickname: BLACK WIDOW.Packed with new Texas Hold'em strategies anyone can use, and innovative gender-centric lines of attack, BLACK WIDOW Poker shows women how to beat men at their own game.