How my $10k win at poker changed the way I think

 How I changed my thinking after a $10k poker win

Philipp Kiefel, my coach in poker, asked me again to sign up for an online tournament. It offered a $10,000 first prize (PS7,000/EUR8,250), which he felt would be a good practice. I'm not a professional player but a science writer. After taking up the game as an interest, I started to seriously study it to find out how to improve my critical thinking.

But I was going to pick up my daughter from school.

"Picking Up Ava," I answered.

I felt guilty but had no desire to play that day.

He said, "You have 26 minutes before late registration closes."

"Will make it," I gave up and surrendered.

Ava and her friend, Ava, decided to take a taxi home as walking home was not an option. We arrived home in just a few minutes. I joined her in her bedroom to play Lego with her, while she sat at the kitchen table with strangers to see how it would impact my life.

I defeated 1,666 players on that day and won the tournament to take home the $10,000 prize.

My surprise victory was only the start. Over the next few months, I would be matched against a controversial poker player I had never seen, known for his outrageous Instagram lifestyle and sexist comments about women. I would have 15 minutes fame in poker media, and then be drawn into the wider issue about sexism in the sport. I would be trained by some of the best poker coaches in the world - people who are my idols and have earned millions through their abilities. They would also offer me training. I learned a lot about myself and the game. It changed my perspective and made me see the world differently. All of this began on a December afternoon at my kitchen table.

Over the last few years, I have been researching a book on the mental advantages of playing poker. As I was writing, I realized I would have to include my own experiences and show the reader that I understand how to win. But I'm just an amateur player. I enjoy playing the game like people love running or yoga. Like many other people, I also got a coach: Kiefel, a German-based online poker pro.

His online tournament, which he encouraged me to participate in, was known as a "freeroll" and that was the reason I hesitated to sign up. There is no entry fee for a freeroll. This means that players are more likely to underestimate their chips and play recklessly, thereby wasting their money. They display human psychology at its best: give someone something free and they'll value it less than what they paid. I did not want to waste time in what I thought would be a game. Kiefel had a different perspective. Kiefel stated that it was good to play with people who are less invested. I crushed them. 6 Reasons Why You Lose at Online Poker And How to Become a Winning Poker Player