Poker Digest: Top 50 Movers & Shapers

Poker Digest's cover story in their most recent issue is a 9-page article about the most influential people in poker. It is not until half way through the 9th page that this selection is made.


David Sklansky (strategist) with his partner Mason Malmuth


They moderate a newsgroup forum that focuses primarily on game theory and poker strategies, often a level above other usenet sites. David and Mason's long collaboration has produced numerous poker books, now seen in circulation in major bookstores.


However, Mason seems to think otherwise.


This a quote from one of Mason's posts in the Internet Gambling Forum. Although it is taken from the context of a discussion on a specific topic, I believe it can stand alone without losing any of it's meaning. Note: "we" is not specifically clear and I have assumed it means S&M&Z or 2+2 Publishing in general.


Mason Malmuth: I now believe, and this is just my opinion, that we are now the most influential people in all of poker. Since we don't surround ouselves with a lot of hype, not everyone realizes this yet.


So what do we think?


And I thought David and Ray worked for Mason. What's with this "partner" business? [img]/images/smile.gif[/img]

Dynasty,


Here's my list in order:


1) Mason Malmuth--because he responded to the first post I put up on this forum on "AA Cracked" and explained how to properly play them a few years ago when this forum was one forum. Futhermore, he continues to provide examples in his "Hand To Talk About" posts that illustrate the theory in his books. Who else would provide this stuff for free. It's like finding a pot-of-gold.


2) Ray Zee--provides the best one liners that make you think.


3) David Sklansky--asks questions and gives answers, but you have to figure out why his answers are correct.


Enough said.


Good Luck


Mark

If they aren't #1, I can't imagine them being out of the top 3. The availability of their books in major chains and through sites such as Amazon.com have without a doubt had significant impact on the broadening of the base of poker players. Every major "name" in poker has read their books.


Bringing knowlege to the masses for absurdly cheap prices is, I think, the most important thing to happen to poker. Ever.

that would be paradise poker (and its imitators).


it's always a contest each month to decide which rag is least worthy to wipe my ass with: poker digest or card player.

HEY- PokerBabe(aka) has the best "shaper" in poker, IMO. Why is she not on the list?

perhaps they didn't read these forums well enough when they were making the list. you're on my list of top 2+2 posters.

First, I wrote the above about us before I saw the Poker Digest artice.


One of the problems that we at Two Plus Two have in this world of poker is that many of the people involved with these magazines and writing the articles are in my opinion extremely unknowledgeable. A good example is a previous article by the same author where she was discussing recent developments in poker. She was aware of the Internet but was completely unaware of this site even though she mentioned RGP. Now I can't prove it, but I believe that we have more traffic than RGP, and certainly the quality of serious poker discussion is better.


But the bottom line is the books. We now have 26 titles in our family and this includes not only how to play very well, but a book for total beginners, a book for dealers, and much information on how cardrooms should be run. I don't believe that there is any aspect of poker that we haven't influenced, and I also strongly believe that we have done this in a very positive way.

As I stated below, the writers and management affiliated with many of these gambling magazines are just not very knowledgeable of what is happening in Two Plus Two land. If they were, you, PokerBabe, would have certainly been on the list.

he is now. when i first met him he wasnt, but thru my get direction he has become quite wealthy. he will never catch up with me though even though he has demoted me to his assitant.