It is nearly impossible to keep up with all the new poker books on the market these days. With so many from which to choose, some books that are clearly worth a read are likely to get overlooked. I am writing this review with the objective that the book in question does not fall into that category, as I believe it provided considerable value to me.
The book, with a full title of
Oops! I Won Too Much Money: Winning Wisdom from the Boardroom to the Poker Table, was penned by Tom Schneider, a successful businessman turned successful high-limit professional poker player. Schneider has appeared on the
World Poker Tour, and came close to winning a bracelet at this year's
World Series of Poker. In addition, he plays in some of the biggest cash games in the world. In my opinion, anytime a high limit poker player is willing to share information, it is worth a listen. Couple that with Schneider's accomplishments as a businessman, including his key leadership position with Ping Golf as it rose from obscurity to become one of the global leaders in the industry, and it is apparent that his words carry much weight.
The book is an extremely easy read. It is divided into a series of brief anecdotes from either Tom's poker or business career. Each story is used to make a point, and is typically done in humorous fashion. At the conclusion of a chapter, you will find a heading titled "Winning Wisdom," which summarizes what you just read in a nice, compact phrase or two. Some of the themes that run throughout the book relate to relationships, money management, and making decisions that provide you with the best options for the future.
This is one of those books that I wish I had in my possession 10 years ago. As I read, I was reminded of many mistakes that I have been guilty of making. Had I thought through a situation (loaning money to another poker player, for instance) from Schneider's point of view, I probably could have avoided some of life's pitfalls. Of course, Schneider states up front that he is able to see some of these things clearly now in hindsight, due to his own choices in the past. For this reason, I really recommend this book to all young poker players, as it provides some good wisdom, based on experience, for both poker and life.
While not a poker-strategy book,
Oops! I Won Too Much Money is a valuable strategy book for making decisions in life. Probably my favorite chapter in the book is titled "Yesterday is the Most Important Day of Your Life." In this section, Schneider discusses that while you can't change the past, what you do today and tomorrow will soon become "yesterday." And many things in life, such as the ability to gain credit or get hired, plus key intangibles such as your reputation, are tied to your history of yesterdays.
As I read this book, I found that it reminded me of one of my all-time favorite poker books,
According to Doyle. Each features a similar format, in which the author shares a short story to make a point. While Doyle Brunson tends to focus more on poker-related themes in his book, Schneider draws considerably from his business experience. Both are immensely enjoyable reads due to the engaging writing styles of the authors, and the considerable wisdom each provides.
Oops! I Won Too Much Money covers a lot of ground in a short time, due to its brief, easily digestible chapters. I believe I emerged from the book a wiser person for having read it, so I can strongly recommend it to anyone who is looking to become more successful not just in poker, but in life.
To learn more about his book, or to order it online, visit Tom Schneider's website at www.winningwisdomfromtom.com.
