Interview: 2007 WSOP Player of the Year Tom Schneider

Alex Gonzales | June 4, 2009

Tom Schneider analyzes a hand in Monday's Event #3($1,500 Pot Limit Omaha) ready to bring his mix game skills and make another WSOP final table

When people run hot at the World Series of Poker they tend to fizzle out the next year they play and make a comeback in a few years or so, but that’s not the case for Tom Schneider.

Being a CPA and Chief Operating Officer, Schneider went into the 2007 WSOP hoping his love of poker would bring him some luck and fortune, but the fortune turned into more than he expected as he came out of the WSOP with two bracelets, another event cash and the WSOP Player of the Year.

He wasn’t done there. In 2008, the mixed-game specialist came into the WSOP with his hot streak still alive and managed to cash in 5 events, almost taking home WSOP Player of the Year honors a second time.

BluffMagazine.com caught up with Schneider and discussed his outlook on this year’s WSOP and what to expect.

You had a huge year in 07′ winning WSOP Player of the Year, and you came back strong with 5 cashes in 08′. What do you see happening for yourself this year?

Well, I hope to win two bracelets again this year. I know it’s very hard to do. But actually, I would just like to have a good showing. All you can do is make good decisions and hopefully the cards will behave for you in tournaments. If I feel I can make some final tables, then I’d consider it a success.

You seem to be very comfortable here when you’re playing. Do you feel you have a certain comfort level when you play at the WSOP?

I’m very comfortable at the WSOP because of the different variety of tournaments they offer. For me, I like to play a lot of mixed-games like Deuce to Seven Triple Draw Lowball.

You play and cash in many mixed events. What is it about your mixed-game technique that makes you successful in these events?

Probably because I play more aggressive than most people in tournaments. I might bust out early in some events, but I’m also able to accumulate chips. In a lot of split-pot tournaments, many players are too passive and only want to bet the nuts and things like that.

Do you feel with successes at the WSOP like yours and more recently, Thang Luu’s 2nd bracelet, that mixed events will someday be as popular as No-Limit?

Yeah. I noticed people are playing more mixed games as of late. Players like that you can’t go broke in one hand. No-Limit breaks their bankrolls unlike fixed limit games where you won’t see too much of that going on.

What would you like to see more of at the WSOP? Is there anything you were disappointed with this year?

Well, one thing I admire about the WSOP is Harrahs, the sponsors, and people like Jeffrey (Pollack). They really listen to players and I think the tournaments have improved dramatically along with the scheduling.

But I guess the one thing that I’m really disappointed in is the lack of TV coverage for some of the games that the average person might play. The only chance someone has at getting on TV is with the Main Event.

So you think the producers only want to show the big name players and that’s it?

Yeah. A lot of the average players play in these events to be seen on TV. When it’s not being televised the numbers are down. It used to be an option for a player to make more money being on TV, but nowadays it’s reserved for the Main Event. It certainly hasn’t done anything for me.

Now before you turned professional poker player, you came from a business background in money management. How has your bankroll evolved since you started out?

It’s probably not a whole lot different, but a lot of my bankroll has been invested into businesses, which can be a mistake at times. Most people lose their money by playing it, I do the opposite and invest it hoping one day it will pay off. My bankroll management is exactly the opposite of what you should be doing.

You’ve been playing a lot of big buy-in events online. When you play live and see a young online player at your table, are there any strategies you incorporate?

I think there’s things you can do to take advantage of online players. You know there’s going to be spots in their mentality when they feel they have to shove with any two cards they got, so you can do things to them to induce them to call the bet and be hopeful your two cards hold up.

Now that you’re an author, do people seek advice from you?

I get a reasonable number of players asking me for help whether it’s to help coach them or to just call them up and talk.

So now that we know what you expect for yourself during this WSOP, what do you want to accomplish for your own self in 2009?

I think I’d like to take better care of myself in 2009. I’ve gained a lot of weight and gotten out of shape. I want to take care more of my mental and physical health. As poker players, we have no excuse to be out of shape. We make our own schedules, play any tournaments we want. There should be no excuses.

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