Psychologist Maria Konnikova Learns Poker from Erik Seidel

Maria Konnikova, a psychologist and author, was born in 1984 in Moscow. Her family moved to the USA in 1988. Konnikova graduated from Harvard, where she studied psychology and creative writing, and received a PhD in psychology from Columbia University. She has published two books and is a regular contributor to The New Yorker. Her book The Confidence Game explores why people fall for con artists, and Mastermind teaches readers to think like Sherlock Holmes.

Konnikova is currently working on a book about the psychology of poker and is being taught by Erik Seidel. She has won prizes in three tournaments at the PokerStars Championship in Monte-Carlo. Konnikova met journalists from PokerListings at the championship, where she discussed her new project and her approach to poker. She chose Seidel as her trainer because of his psychological approach to the game and believes that poker can teach people to make better decisions in life.

During her time in Monte-Carlo, Konnikova met regular opponents of Erik Seidel, including Fedor Holz, Steve O’Dwyer, Dan Colman, Jason Koon, and Phil Galfond. She believes that her experiences in poker will help her understand the complexities of decision-making and the interplay between skill and luck.