Molly Bloom, former skier and underground poker host for the mega-rich, discussed integ- rity, resilience avoiding regret in a virtual talk Feb. 12.

Bloom began her career as a skier, but was injured in the Olympic qualifiers. She moved to Los Angeles, where she entered the world of poker.

Bloom began to help run underground pok- er games, often for high-profile celebrities. She eventually started her own event and ca- tering business to host games. This continued for several years, first in Los Angeles and then New York City.

She was charged in 2013 with 33 others as part of a money laundering and illegal sports gambling operation. But she said she wouldn’t change anything.

“Even if I changed one little thing, then the whole result would be different. If we had a time machine, I think we would all go back and change things,” she said. “But that would be kind of sad. Because then I would be a re- ally different person with a really different experience”

She plead guilty to lesser charges in 2014 and served a year of probation, in addition to forfeiting her earnings.

Bloom began the work of rewriting her narrative with the publication of her autobiogra- phy, Molly’s Game, which was made into a movie in 2017.

“I don’t know poker,” she said. “I know poker players”.

She said her time with the rich and famous poker players who flocked to her game gave her valuable insights into human nature.

“It was a very interesting education in so many ways,” she said. “What was shocking was that there were so few people at the top, in those rooms – the billionaires, the more fa- mous than God – that were happy, that were fulfilled.”