“Paradis” is a chosen pseudonym for this project, layered deliberately: a nod to an intellectual inspiration, a symbol of hidden strengths, and a reminder that my pursuits run deeper than immediate success.

My personal mantra - mollitia exitium est, or “softness is ruin” - was forged when poker winnings determined whether rent got paid. In those years, emotional comfort was a luxury I couldn’t afford. Under pressure, mathematical precision and analytical clarity weren’t optional; they were survival skills.

I’m guided by the ancient Greek ideal of kalokagathia - the harmony of scholar and warrior. My professional life reflects that balance: disciplined self-study, becoming a senior-level data scientist through intense self-study and practical experience rather than conventional academia. Roles in consulting, telecommunications, and media have reinforced my commitment to understanding systems from first principles, grounded in my strict no black boxes philosophy. If someone tells me “it’s random,” I’ll tear it apart until I know why - like my ongoing work reverse-engineering the ShuffleMaster One2Six shuffler.

Poker taught me a truth I’d first glimpsed in Market Wizards: the biggest profits come from rare events that aren’t as rare as people think. My long-term results didn’t come from tidy, two-hour sessions - they came from the 12 hour marathon nights I doubled up, then doubled up again. The trick was staying in the game long enough for those streaks to happen, without blowing up in the meantime.

I live with my partner, who somehow puts up with my babbling about whatever odd problem I’m chasing, and Panda, a black German Shepherd with serious pandatude. Away from the desk or the table, you’ll usually find me in the kitchen, on a run, or lifting.

Everything I work on - poker, research, writing - follows the same pattern: survive the grind, recognise when the odds swing hard in my favour, and press it for all it’s worth. I like big, messy, interesting problems, and I like solving them so cleanly they look obvious in hindsight.