Writers often turn to the Internet, libraries, and well-seasoned sources to make sure they understand the subject matter they are about to share their thoughts on. The exact same thing happened to author Maria Konnikova who decided to pen The Biggest Bluff, a book exploring how poker allows people to become better at making snap decisions.
Only, Ms Konnikova took her research to heart and soon managed to amass $200,000 in pure winnings, playing a mix of online and offline poker games, and gathering information for her book.
he Story Itself – Ms Konnikova on the Job
A best-selling author according to the New York Times, Ms Konnikova has been long working on books that focus on psychology and culture. Her latest undertaking, the Biggest Bluff, should be published in 2019. A PhD holder, Ms Konnikova has quickly turned her research into a rewarding (part-time) profession.
However, she may as well be a natural at what she does. After all, there are a plethora of players who slog through the intricacies of poker for decades before they can even distinguish a glimmer of working stratagem that allows them to turn poker into a meaningful income.
However, this may be explained by a reason other than fact that Ms Konnikova is a dab hand at the game. While some players may see poker as a gateway from a mundane existence to untold riches, the author has approached poker out of purely scientific interest. Results followed naturally.
Ms Konnikova in the Spotlight
Ms Konnikova took about one year to learn the ropes of the game and establish herself as a noteworthy opponent among players. She managed a decent feat by notching up $86,400 allocated for her first place in the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure at the beginning of the year.
The newly-fledged poker star has been quite open about her lack of experience at the onset of her research. Speaking to the Guardian, she was upfront about lacking some of the fundamentals of all card games. Nevertheless, she was satisfied with going from someone who had no prior knowledge to becoming a brilliant player.
Naturally, Ms Konnikova had proper training from one of the best players in the field. Erik Seidel, one of the most noteworthy names among gamblers, with winnings worth over $34 million, was by her side when she needed a tutor and unpicking poker from the grounds up.
The Future of a Promising Player
What the future may hold will be entirely of Ms Konnikova’s making. She is still bent on completing her book on poker. However, her writing may prove all the more valuable as she has turned to be a successful player as well.
She will continue to pursue her career as a writer while continuing to participate in tournaments and learn poker first hand. The question remains how much Ms Konnikova would be willing to share with her future readers. After all, she has turned out to be a poker star, and while she is yet to be inaugurated in the Women in Poker Hall of Fame, that still requires a certain degree of privacy.
