Some of us imbue probability with emotion. It becomes luck: chance that has suddenly acquired a valence, positive or negative, fortuitous or unfortunate.

The hot hand and the gambler’s fallacy are actually opposite sides of the exact same coin: positive recency and negative recency. We overreact to chance events, but the exact nature of the event affects our perception in a way it rightly shouldn’t.

the planning fallacy, we tend to be overly optimistic when we map out timelines, goals, targets, and other horizons. We look at the best-case scenario instead of using the past to determine what a more realistic scenario would look like.

every passive decision leads to a slow but steady loss of chips.

embody the feeling you want to express, and your mind and body will often fall into alignment. Channel your outer warrior and your inner one may not be long in coming out.

The why behind the action. And as I come to understand, that’s often the truest tell you’ll ever pick up. I just have to be careful that it’s not used on me.

“But for its costliness and dangers, no better education for life among men could be devised than the gambling table—especially the poker table.” CLEMENS FRANCE, THE GAMBLING IMPULSE, 1902

“Oh, there is one thing. Charity tournaments are shove fests.” Shove fests? “They’re basically turbos. The blinds go up really quickly. You’re going to have to be aggressive. Really ramp it up.”

And here’s one thing I know for sure: no matter the decision, the why shouldn’t ever be for the simple glory of saying you’ve done something. At least to me, right now, that’s not good enough.