Biography

Nicknamed "The Mathematician" for advocating a mathematical approach to poker in the 1970s, won two World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets in 1982 and in 1983.

His 1976 book Hold'em Poker was the first book widely available on the subject of hold'em poker. 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.

David Sklansky was an American professional poker player and author. His key work The Theory of Poker presents fundamental principles on which much later analysis is based.

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.

He graduated from Teaneck High School in 1966. Later Sklansky 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.