Lessons from poker on decision
making & risk
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Who is Alec Torelli?
Alec Torelli is a professional poker player, investor, coach, and keynote speaker.
For over 20 years, he’s competed in the biggest games around the world, from high-stakes cash to the World Series of Poker, where he’s earned more than $2.7M in tournaments. His recent highlights include finishing 11th out of 10,000+ players in the 2023 WSOP Main Event and 3rd in the 2024 WSOP Mid Stakes Championship.
Beyond the felt, Alec shares the decision-making principles he’s learned under pressure to help people think clearer, manage risk, and act with confidence in high-stakes moments.
Poker & Decision Making
Poker has been my greatest teacher. Each session reveals life’s core challenges: risk, uncertainty, and decisions with incomplete information. After millions of hands, I’ve learned success doesn’t come from any one hand, but the systems and habits that guide choices over time.
Today, I use poker as a lens to explore:
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Making clear decisions under pressure
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Managing risk and thinking in probabilities
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Separating signal from noise in a distracted world
I share lessons from 20+ years in high stakes poker that apply beyond the felt.
The Poker Coach
Alec is the founder of Conscious Poker, a training platform that helps players move beyond guesswork and play with confidence. Thousands of players have used his systems to sharpen their fundamentals, master hand reading, and win consistently.
He is also the author of The Poker Coach: Practical Strategies to Manage Your Bankroll and Outsmart Your Opponents.
On his Conscious Poker YouTube channel — with more than 15 million views — Alec shares hand breakdowns, strategy insights, and mindset lessons that give players the edge they need at the table.
Investing & Partnerships
Alec brings the same principles he’s honed in poker — managing risk, spotting asymmetric opportunities, and staying composed under pressure — to his work as an investor and partner.
Through his WHealthier syndicate on AngelList, he backs early-stage startups in wellness, Web3, and technology, while also advising founders on strategy and growth.
Alec is also an ambassador and investor in Phenom Poker, the world’s first community-owned poker platform — combining his roots in the game with his passion for building ventures at the intersection of poker and innovation.
Alec has been featured in
