After winning $11.9 million in her 12-year poker career
Vanessa Selbst joined the world's largest hedge fund Bridgewater Associates.
But Vanessa's story is not unique. Several high-profile poker players have been recruited by established hedge funds.
Why is that?
Consider this: A 'good hand' in poker isn't equivalent to your A+ trade setup. Is there something more critical than just your setup or hand? You'll see in a minute. First?
Imagine this
Seven poker players of equal experience and skills sit down to compete. Who's going to win?
If we're discussing just one hand, luck plays a significant role. But delve into multiple rounds particularly during extended sessions - a clear pattern emerges. The victor is the one who waited for others to:
- lose patience.
- deviate from process.
- let ego play a role ('x' will happen).
- doubt themselves and make poor decisions.
Leading to bad bets. Consequently these poor bets become opportunities for the ultimate victor. After all succeeding in poker involves claiming winnings from fellow players. Right?
What will every seasoned pro poker player tell you?
• It's not about your hand.
• It's about other people at the table.
But what about trading?
While massive differences in skill and experience compete against each other in the market, it ultimately comes down to other people's bad bets paying you. Bad bets due to:
- Poor skill.
- Ego.
- No edge.
- Not understanding the game.
- Going on tilt - even soft tilt.
- Etc.
So:
If profiting from others' bad bets is your gain then understanding fellow traders and their 'tells' becomes paramount. Make sense?
For an example of profiting from other people's bad bets watch the 4-minute live trading illustration below.
Forex and derivatives trading is a highly competitive and often extremely fast-paced environment. It only rewards individuals who attain the required level of skill and expertise to compete. Past performance is not indicative of future results. There is a substantial risk of loss to unskilled and inexperienced players. The high degree of leverage can work against you as well as for you. Before deciding to trade any such leveraged products you should carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite. The possibility exists that you could sustain a loss of some or all of your initial investment and therefore you should not invest money that you cannot afford to lose. You should be aware of all the risks associated with trading on margin, and seek advice from an independent
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD flatlines below 1.1800 ahead of Fed Minutes
EUR/USD struggles to find direction and continues to move sideways below 1.1800 for the second consecutive day on Tuesday as markets remain in holiday mood. Later in the American session, the Federal Reserve will publish the minutes of the December policy meeting.
GBP/USD retreats to 1.3500 area following earlier climb
GBP/USD loses its traction and trades flat on the day near 1.3500 after rising to the 1.3530 area early Tuesday. Trading conditions remain thin ahead of the New Year holiday, limiting the pair's volatility. The Fed will publish December meeting minutes in the late American session.
USD/JPY declines as BoJ tightening supports Yen, Fed Minutes awaited
USD/JPY trades slightly lower on Tuesday, hovering around 155.80 at the time of writing, down 0.15% on the day. The pair’s decline reflects a modest strengthening of the Japanese Yen (JPY) following the release of the Bank of Japan (BoJ) Summary of Opinions from its December policy meeting.
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD flatlines below 1.1800 ahead of Fed Minutes
EUR/USD struggles to find direction and continues to move sideways below 1.1800 for the second consecutive day on Tuesday as markets remain in holiday mood. Later in the American session, the Federal Reserve will publish the minutes of the December policy meeting.
GBP/USD retreats to 1.3500 area following earlier climb
GBP/USD loses its traction and trades flat on the day near 1.3500 after rising to the 1.3530 area early Tuesday. Trading conditions remain thin ahead of the New Year holiday, limiting the pair's volatility. The Fed will publish December meeting minutes in the late American session.
Gold rebounds toward $4,400 following sharp correction
Gold gathers recovery momentum and advances toward $4,400 on Tuesday after losing more than 4% on Monday. Increased margin requirements on gold and silver futures by the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Group, one of the world’s largest trading floors for commodities, prompted widespread profit-taking and portfolio rebalancing.
Tron steadies as Justin Sun invests $18 million in Tron Inc.
Tron (TRX) trades above $0.2800 at press time on Monday, hovering below the 50-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) at $0.2859.
Bitcoin Price Annual Forecast: BTC holds long-term bullish structure heading into 2026
Bitcoin (BTC) is wrapping up 2025 as one of its most eventful years, defined by unprecedented institutional participation, major regulatory developments, and extreme price volatility.
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