David Sklansky

For the American lawyer, see David Alan Sklansky.

David Sklansky
Sklansky at the World Series of Poker
Nickname	The Mathematician
Born	December 22, 1947 (1947-12-22) (age 77) Teaneck, New Jersey, U.S.
World Series of Poker
Bracelets	3
Money finishes	23
Highest WSOP Main Event finish	27th, 1988
World Poker Tour
Title	None
Final table	1
Money finishes	3

David Sklansky (born December 22, 1947) ^[1] is an American professional poker player and author. An early writer on poker strategy, he is known for his mathematical approach to the game. His key work The Theory of Poker presents fundamental principles on which much later analysis is based.

Early years

Sklansky was born and raised in Teaneck, New Jersey, where he graduated from Teaneck High School in 1966. ^[2] He attended the University of Pennsylvania, but dropped out before graduation. He returned to Teaneck and passed multiple Society of Actuaries exams by the age of 20, and worked for an actuarial firm. ^[3]

Poker career

Sklansky has written and contributed to fourteen books on poker, blackjack, and gambling in general. ^[4] He has won three World Series of Poker bracelets, two in 1982 ($800 Mixed Doubles with Dani Kelly, and $1,000 Draw Hi) and one in 1983 ($1,000 Limit Omaha Hi). He also won the Poker By The Book invitational event on the 2004 World Poker Tour, outlasting a table which included Phil Hellmuth, Mike Caro, T. J. Cloutier, and Mike Sexton, and then finally overcoming Doyle Brunson. ^[5]

As of 2015, his live tournament winnings exceeded $1,350,000. ^[6] He lives in Las Vegas, Nevada.

World Series of Poker bracelets

Year	Tournament	Prize (US$)
1982	$1,000 Draw High	$15,500
1982	$800 Mixed Doubles (with Dani Kelly)	$8,800
1983	$1,000 Limit Omaha	$25,500

Publications

Sklansky has authored or co-authored 14 books on gambling theory and poker. Most of his books are published by Two Plus Two Publishing. His book cover art often features hand guns. His 1976 book Hold'em Poker was the first book widely available on the subject of hold'em poker. ^[7] It's through these books that he popularized the concept of Sklansky Bucks (now often referred to as luck-adjusted winnings), which are used by professional poker players to this day. ^[8]

• Hold'em Poker . Gambler's Book Club. 1976. ISBN   978-0911996678.
• Brunson, Doyle; et al. (1979). "Seven-card stud high-low split". Super/System . ^[9]
• Sklansky on Razz . 1983. ISBN   0-87019-050-4.
• Sklansky on Poker: Including a Special Section on Tournament Play, and Sklansky on Razz. Two Plus Two Publishing LLC. 1994. ISBN   1-880685-06-X.
• Sklansky, David; Malmuth, Mason (1997). How to Make $100,000 a Year Gambling for a Living. Two Plus Two Publishing LLC. ISBN   1-880685-16-7.
• Getting the Best of It. Two Plus Two Publishing LLC. 1997. ISBN   1-880685-04-3.
• Poker, Gaming, & Life. Two Plus Two Pub. 1997. ISBN   1-880685-17-5. Collection of articles that have appeared in Card Player and similar specialist magazines during the 1990s
• Sklansky, David; Malmuth, Mason (1999). Hold'em Poker for Advanced Players, 21st Century Edition. ISBN   1-880685-22-1.
• Sklansky, David; Malmuth, Mason; Zee, Ray (1999). Seven Card Stud for Advanced Players. Two Plus Two Publishing LLC. ISBN   1-880685-23-X.
• Sklansky Talks Blackjack. Two Plus Two Pub. 1999. ISBN   1-880685-21-3.
• The Theory of Poker
• Tournament Poker for Advanced Players. Two Plus Two Pub. 2002. ISBN   1-880685-28-0.
• Miller, Ed; Sklansky, David; Malmuth, Mason (2004). Small Stakes Hold 'em: Winning Big with Expert Play. Two Plus Two Publishing LLC. ISBN   1-880685-32-9.
• Sklansky, David; Miller, Ed (2006). No Limit Hold 'em: Theory and Practice. Two Plus Two Publishing LLC. ISBN   1-880685-37-X.
• DUCY? Exploits, Advice, and Ideas of the Renowned Strategist. Two Plus Two Publishing LLC. 2010. ISBN   978-1880685488.

References

1. pokerolymp.de Interview, german
2. Staff. "David Sklansky", Current Biography Yearbook 2007, Volume 68. H. W. Wilson Co., 2007. Accessed August 31, 2011. "Sklansky attended Teaneck High School, graduating in 1966."
3. Schwarz, Marc. "He wrote the book on Hold 'em; Teaneck native a poker authority.", The Record (Bergen County) , July 12, 2005.
4. "David Sklansky, CardsChat Interview, Still Old School and Not Afraid to Own It". CardsChat.com. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
5. WPT Poker by the Book synopsis Archived November 10, 2006, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved September 11, 2006.
6. "David Sklansky's profile on The Hendon Mob". The Hendon Mob Poker Database. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
7. Colby, Ann (May 14, 2001). "Pythagoras, Pi and Poker". Los Angeles Times . Chris Ferguson is the new breed of player who uses math calculations, game theory and Internet resources to gain an edge over old-style, instinctive gamblers... "Hold 'Em Poker, written by Sklansky in 1976, was the first book on a type of poker that today dominates play in California card rooms..."
8. "David Sklansky's profile on Upswing Poker". Upswing Poker. May 13, 2019. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
9. "Doyle Brunson's Super System". PokerNews. Retrieved May 17, 2024.

External links

• Two Plus Two, publisher
• Card Player profile
• Hendon Mob profile
• WPT profile
• WSOP profile
• David Sklansky at Poker Listings
• "David Sklansky". Interview. Le Poker TV. Archived from the original on May 20, 2010.