Maria Konnikova earned a PhD in psychology at Columbia studying human decision-making. She then took her research into the most unforgiving laboratory there is: the poker table. From playing her first hand of poker in 2017, to training under the legendary Erik Seidel, and becoming a poker champion, Maria sits down with Michael the day before playing in the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, to share the secrets to making winning decisions. 

They break down why the best hand wins only 12% of the time and what that means for skill and luck in your own life. Maria explains the illusion of control, winner's tilt, and how to actually read tells (watch the hands, not the face). She also covers why a 1% edge matters more than you think, how to avoid the risk of ruin, and when to walk away from a bad investment, a bad job, or a bad friendship.

Maria is the author of “The Biggest Bluff: How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win.” Her other books include The Confidence Game and Mastermind. 

She also writes The Leap, a weekly Substack about decision making.

Two Percent is hosted by Michael Easter. Today’s episode was produced by Joey Fischground, Robbie Hiser, Dana Brawer and Julia Nutter. From Kaleidoscope, our executive producers are Mangesh Hattikudur and Kate Osborn and Julia Nutter. From iHeart, our executive producers are Katrina Norvell and Nikki Ettore. Our Head of Video is Maria Paz Mendez Hodes. This episode was edited by Ryan Mulhern. Our theme music is by the Heater Manager.

Maria Konnikova earned a PhD in psychology at Columbia studying human decision-making. She then took her research into the most unforgiving laboratory there is: the poker table. From playing her first hand of poker in 2017, to training under the legendary Erik Seidel, and becoming a poker champion, Maria sits down with Michael the day before playing in the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, to share the secrets to making winning decisions.&nbsp;
They break down why the best hand wins only 12% of the time and what that means for skill and luck in your own life. Maria explains the illusion of control, winner's tilt, and how to actually read tells (watch the hands, not the face). She also covers why a 1% edge matters more than you think, how to avoid the risk of ruin, and when to walk away from a bad investment, a bad job, or a bad friendship.
Maria is the author of &ldquo;<a href="https://amzn.to/3Th8LKh">The Biggest Bluff: How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win.</a>&rdquo; Her other books include <a href="https://amzn.to/4vt0joO">The Confidence Game</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mastermind-Maria-Konnikova-audiobook/dp/B00AZ9EW0U/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1WORGXRRH775G&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.pZh5xfIlES4tzuTizJv-N8pnENO_DAKFJI9BgNPEC9LR6q68RGGHgqNQtnrKiDQ-lzcsXh0Rwx9Tj5g1uzfbIlaXz-gDQxMgfZcGz5Pe_t8D7anLkgqzURHb4AnSqv1nJ5X_Ljl9bLkkwozC-g7y-U21LuG-CTwhSmpaU8YPmidAJrBR_GWWKoZUtilDeE0IzOTPaVYSmVbuDkgJ7vpzZCMFgoemK94C-KhKQO9yUDs.suwgHSXEYC_TOJhZP7WQkBpIZQu508FJ6PveJGVKKSs&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=maria+konnikova+books&amp;qid=1783973593&amp;sprefix=maria+konni%2Caps%2C189&amp;sr=8-3">Mastermind</a>. She also writes <a href="https://mariakonnikova.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips">The Leap</a>, a weekly Substack about decision making. Two Percent is hosted by Michael Easter. Today&rsquo;s episode was produced by Joey Fischground, Robbie Hiser, Dana Brawer and Julia Nutter. From Kaleidoscope, our executive producers are Mangesh Hattikudur and Kate Osborn and Julia Nutter. From iHeart, our executive producers are Katrina Norvell and Nikki Ettore. Our Head of Video is Maria Paz Mendez Hodes. This episode was edited by Ryan Mulhern. Our theme music is by the Heater Manager.

From New York Times bestselling author and journalist Michael Easter comes a twice-weekly deep dive into the science of living better by doing things the hard way. Building on the insights of his #1 Substack and acclaimed books, Easter balances rigorous evidence with a healthy dose of skepticism to cut through the noise of the modern wellness industry. Whether he’s interviewing elite explorers and Harvard biologists or deconstructing the truth about longevity and metabolic health, this isn't a show for "biohacking" perfectionists—it’s a grounded, often humorous guide for real people looking to build resilience and agency in an increasingly comfortable world. From ancient wisdom to cutting-edge research, listen to Two Percent to discover why the antidote to modern malaise is often found in the challenges we’ve been taught to avoid.

From&nbsp;New York Times&nbsp;bestselling author and journalist Michael Easter comes a twice-weekly deep dive into the science of living better by doing things the hard way. Building on the insights of his #1 Substack and acclaimed books, Easter balances rigorous evidence with a healthy dose of skepticism to cut through the noise of the modern wellness industry. Whether he&rsquo;s interviewing elite explorers and Harvard biologists or deconstructing the truth about longevity and metabolic health, this isn't a show for "biohacking" perfectionists&mdash;it&rsquo;s a grounded, often humorous guide for real people looking to build resilience and agency in an increasingly comfortable world. From ancient wisdom to cutting-edge research, listen to Two Percent to discover why the antidote to modern malaise is often found in the challenges we&rsquo;ve been taught to avoid.

Join Michael Easter as he covers the information from the 2% with Michael Easter (TWOPCT.com), the internet's best source for practical and useful health, performance, and mindset information. www.twopct.com

Two Percent with Michael Easter

From&nbsp;New York Times&nbsp;bestselling author and journalist Michael Easter comes a twice-weekly deep dive into the science of living better by doing things the hard way. Building on the insights of his #1 Substack and acclaimed books, Easter balances rigorous evidence with a healthy dose of skepticism to cut through the noise of the modern wellness industry. Whether he&rsquo;s interviewing elite explorers and Harvard biologists or deconstructing the truth about longevity and metabolic health, this isn't a show for "biohacking" perfectionists&mdash;it&rsquo;s a grounded, often humorous guide for real people looking to build resilience and agency in an increasingly comfortable world. From ancient wisdom to cutting-edge research, listen to Two Percent to discover why the antidote to modern malaise is often found in the challenges we&rsquo;ve been taught to avoid.

The Best Hand Loses 88% of the Time: What Poker Reveals About All Our Decisions

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/407a2c25-6def-4811-9ecf-b4860113ef65/transcript