Geoff Graber says he was four years old when his grandfather taught him how to play poker. I read this little fact when I opened the book to its beginning, and I was immediately hooked.
The first two tenets of Graber’s Poker Night Lessons are: being prepared, that is knowing all the rules, and getting to know your rivals. Knowledge is power is not a cliché here; it is a must. As such, Graber puts the No-Limits Hold’em game on the table and explains the different facets of it in relation to business, showing incidents from his own work from the time when he was with Bank of America to the events that made him a Yahoo executive.

The author’s insight into the different characters at the poker table can be considered a serious study in human psychology, since very rarely, within so few pages, so much is said about what makes different types of people tick. The tactics to use against each kind of player and against the table in general are eye-opening. The comparison between the Poker bully and the bully in business is a revelation, but then, there are quite a few other revelations in the book.

Being and acting cool and knowing when and how to bluff are important just as much as having a strategy for how you want to be seen by others. A general advice is not to be too slow. If anything, being bold and making the right move at the right time leads to success. In Graber’s words, “You never slow-play, unless you’ve got an extremely strong hand.”

On the contents page, the book’s chapters are stated as ten rules with an epilogue and acknowledgements at the end. Chapters contain drawings and charts to promote ease in understanding the tactics. The author’s language is direct, clear, and easily understood.

planning and furthering one's career or business.

the author' method of making his meaning clear.

learn Poker better.

Geoff Graber holds a B.A. in East Asian Studies and Business from UCLA. The second author, Matthew Robinson, is a screenwriter and novelist, living in Los Angeles, California.
Geoff Graber has had a highly successful career as a venture capitalist, an entrepreneur, and an executive in the interactive entertainment industry. He had also held an assortment of positions in Yahoo, one as director of Yahoo Games, before becoming a Yahoo executive. As of 2006, Double Fusion, a leader in the in-game advertising industry, appointed Geoff Graber as its chief executive officer.

Unlike some other lackluster business books, “All In: Poker Night Lessons for Winning Big at Your Career” entertains the reader by offering some Poker tips as well teaching business strategies.

The book is in hardcover with 224 pages. It's worth your time whether you are a gamer or not.

Interested in buying this? Support Writing.Com by making your purchase of All In: Poker Night Lessons for Winning Big at Your Career   from Amazon.Com!

Created Feb 19, 2007 at 3:51pm • Submit your own review...