Famed Poker Author David Sklansky Dies at 78

Poker author David Sklansky, who wrote or co-wrote at least 14 gambling books, died on Monday at the age of 78. The author of the famous poker book The Theory of Poker passed away in Las Vegas of heart failure, according to an obituary.

Sklansky was born in Teaneck, New Jersey, in 1947. He became known in the poker world in the 1970s through his mathematical approach to poker, which was revolutionary at the time. His background earned him the nickname “The Mathematician.”

“Sklansky’s influence extended far beyond the felt, shaping how generations of players understood and approached the complexities of card games,” the obituary said.

His most important contribution to the game was The Theory of Poker. There, he laid out several concepts that helped shape how players thought about poker. Concepts he explained in TOP included Sklansky bucks (expectation of a player’s hand relative to the size of the pot), pot odds, reverse implied odds, and what he called The Fundamental Theorem of Poker. The Fundamental Theorem of Poker stated that any time a player played their cards differently than they would have if they could see their opponent’s hand, the opponent gained. Every time a player played their cards the same as they could if they could see the opponent’s hand, the opponent lost.

Sklansky broke new ground writing about many of these concepts, as they had never before appeared in print.

However, several controversies marred his later years.

Sklansky’s Poker Books

Even today, as the game of poker has changed dramatically in recent decades, The Theory of Poker, which was published in 1978, remains an important book. One review states:

Yes. A lot of poker books are super outdated, but this book 100% changes the way you think about poker in a way that’s crucial for turning you into a winning player. I really suggest reading it, it’s a great foundation,

Another user on the Two Plus Two forums talked about how impactful the book was on their life in regards to poker:

Buying Sklansky’s TOP 23 years ago was a life-changing moment for me as I’m sure it was for many others here.

Beyond The Theory of Poker, Sklansky wrote a number of books that were more specific to certain variants of poker. These included books such as Sklansky on Razz and Hold’em Poker. Most recently, Sklansky and frequent collaborator Mason Malmuth co-wrote Small Stakes No-Limit Hold ’em: Help Them Give You Their Money. Last November, Malmuth announced the two were working on yet another book, No-Limit Hold ’em: Examining Hold ’em Concepts and Scenarios Other Writers Don’t Address. 

Sklansky also authored some more general gambling books, such as Geeking, Grifting, and Gambling.

David Sklansky’s Life in Poker

On the felt itself, he was a decorated player with three World Series of Poker bracelets. He won two in 1982 and one in 1983. He continued to play most of his life, with his best cash coming in 2006 at the WPT Borgata Poker Open at 58 years old. His most recent recorded cash came in 2024, after none since 2017.

Sklansky also appeared in a few poker shows during the 2000s, including the Poker SuperStars.

Most recently, Sklansky had been known to play cash games around Las Vegas. One poster on Two Plus Two reported seeing Sklansky playing $5-$10 no-limit hold’em at Bellagio earlier this year.

Sklansky also remained active on the Two Plus Two forums into December 2025.

On Two Plus Two, Malmuth provided a simple send-off for his longtime friend and colleague.

“We worked together for 40 years. RIP.”