Man, you won't believe it! Maria Konnikova, that super-smart writer that hit the New York Times bestseller list, just pocketed a cool $84,600 for acing the $1,650 PCA National in poker. Talk about a jackpot, right?
""It's freakin' awesome! I've been busting my butt off at this, and it's super rewarding to see all that grind pay off,"" Maria gushed after her epic win.
And get this—she's also scooping up a Platinum Pass to the swanky 2019 PokerStars Players No Limit Hold'em Championship, which is like a golden ticket worth $30,000!
So Maria, starting off in second place and even trailing a bit as a short stack, absolutely crushed it against 230 other players. Big names like Harrison Gimbel and Chris Moorman were left in the dust. Then came the final showdown with Alexander Ziskin. It was all nail-biting stuff, folks https://toponlinecasinos.co.at/! His last-ditch effort couldn't stand up to her flush draw. And bam! The river card was a king, sealing the deal in Maria's favor.
She may have just a year of poking at poker, but she's playing like a total boss—a boss who's been through the academic wringer at Harvard and Columbia bbc, no less.
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Maria Konnikova: A Brainy Mission at the Poker Table
So Maria snagged poker legend Erik Seidel as her mentor for her latest book project. She's got a Ph.D. in psychology, and she's all about the brain—figuring out the dance between chance and control. She's using poker to keep diving deep into how our noggins tick.
Back in 2017, she told PokerStars, ""You know, the crazy part about poker is that it's all about learning from what you do, right? It's about getting it right from your own hands-on stuff, not just someone yapping at you or from studying some dusty book gamblinginsider.""
Let's not forget, Maria's pen game is strong. She's written for:
Before becoming this writing and poker sensation, she was behind the scenes, producing for Charlie Rose. She's also been the star speaker at fancy gigs, chatting about legends like J.D. Salinger and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Her style? It's like a fresh take on that Malcolm Gladwell vibe.
And yeah, she's not new to the winner's circle—she's got two New York Times bestsellers to her name, all about psychology, science, and now—poker.
Mind Over Cards: How Konnikova Takes the Pot
The books Maria's written aren't just for show—they've got serious street cred that's helping her at the poker table. Her first big hit, ""Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes"", is all about how to sharpen your mind, be more observant, and crack problems like the legendary detective.
That brainy book even got a shoutout as a nominee for the Agatha Award for Best Nonfiction. Plus, it's been translated into a whopping 17 languages.
Her second book, ""The Confidence Game: Why We Fall for It…Every Time"", takes a deep dive into the world of cons and the slick folks who pull them off. It's all about understanding the tricks of the trade and why we sometimes fall hook, line, and sinker for them casinoreviewbank.com.
Zero to Hero: Konnikova's Poker Journey
Starting from scratch, Maria knew zip about poker. But now, she's planning to use her freshly minted poker smarts nytimes to teach us all a thing or two about the game in her upcoming book. She's all about helping people and showing them how to make smarter decisions in life through poker.
For Maria, poker's not just a game—it's her 9 to 5. And boy, is it paying off! She's cashed in big time in Monaco, made a splash at the WSOP last year, and this latest haul? It's her biggest yet. Her total winnings? Almost $140,000 and counting. Now that's playing your cards right!
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