Lessons from a life lived under uncertainty.
Welcome to the first page to explore my Substack.
About
Welcome. I am Julian.
I am a former poker professional and sports bettor. Today I work as an entrepreneur, investor, and deal-maker.
Most of what I know about decision-making did not come from books or classrooms. It came from environments where mistakes were expensive, feedback was immediate, and uncertainty was unavoidable. Poker and high-stakes gambling were my training grounds. They forced me to think in probabilities, manage risk, accept variance, and strictly separate process from outcome.
On this Substack, I translate those lessons into the worlds of business, investing, performance, and life. These are not metaphors. They are practical frameworks for making better decisions under uncertainty.
I write primarily for my kids. My goal is to leave them a clear record of how I think, how I reason about risk, and how I approach long-term games in a noisy world. Others are welcome to read along.
This page is your entry point. It explains what I write about, how this Substack is organized, and how to navigate the ideas that shape my thinking.
My Story
If you want context before diving into individual articles, start with my journey.
I have written a series of pieces that explain where I come from, the mistakes I made, the lessons I paid for, and the experiences that shaped my worldview.
Life is Poker, Not Chess
Substack Structure
This publication is built around one central premise: most meaningful decisions are made under uncertainty.
Poker and gambling are not the subjects here. They are the laboratory. The lessons learned there are applied to business, investing, and personal growth. Here is how the content is organized:
Main Articles: long-form essays on strategy, risk management, and long-term thinking. These pieces connect theory with lived experience.
Seeking Edge: practical lessons drawn from high-stakes environments. The focus is on gaining durable advantages rather than chasing short-term wins.
Mental Frameworks: models and tools for thinking clearly when information is incomplete and incentives are misaligned.
My Approach To: a tactical series explaining how I personally approach specific domains such as money, fitness, parenting, and career choices. These are not prescriptions. They are explanations of my process.
Training Talks: notes from my journey as a hybrid athlete. This section explores discipline, recovery, and the intersection between physical performance, business, and family life.
Table Talks: reflections from the table. Hands, decisions, and mistakes that offer insights far beyond the game of poker.
Monthly Brew: a curated monthly selection of books, podcasts, and ideas that influenced my thinking. Always filtered, never exhaustive.
Substack Map
This section is designed to help you navigate the archive.
If you are new, start with:
Life is Poker, Not Chess
From there, follow the topics that resonate most. Each category is designed to be explored sequentially.
Thank you for investing your time here. If you find these ideas valuable, feel free to share them with someone who thinks in bets.
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