Word has spread like wildfire that respected Two Plus Two poker author David Sklansky was recently the victim of a home invasion outside of Las Vegas on July 25th. According to reports, Sklansky was asleep when two men broke into his home near Wigwam and Bermuda shortly after 3:00am. It was one of several violent robberies that took place in the Las Vegas Metro area in July. Fortunately, Sklansky was not hurt during the break-in.
“The guy burst into the bedroom; it was very dark, but I did see what appeared to be a gun,” Sklansky told a local NBC affiliate. “This is something I have visualized over the years. I always knew this was a possibility. I actually played it over in my mind of what I would do if it happened. I realized the most important thing was to keep him calm.”
Sklansky, a three-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner and master game theorist, described how he used his skills at the poker table to stay composed during the terrifying ordeal: “During the time he was there, my main focus was to make sure that he didn’t think that I was panicking or that I would do something silly,” Sklansky explained. “The advice is the same as in a poker game; you try and figure out what the other guy is thinking and then act accordingly. I can imagine if he was doing this same robbery with someone who didn’t behave the way I did, it could have turned out terribly.”
Sklansky has authored or co-authored 13 books on gambling theory and poker and contributed a section to the first edition of Doyle Brunson’s “Super/System.” Two Plus Two publishes Sklansky’s books and he is also a moderator at the reputable Two Plus Two online poker forum. There, he commented about the July robbery:
“I have no personal animosity toward these guys. They used the absolute lowest level of force necessary to accomplish their purposes. In one of my books, I wrote that there is not enough difference in the punishment of criminals who harm victims and those who don’t, using Steve Wynn’s daughter’s kidnapping as an example. I’m not going to change my mind just because I am now one of those victims. In this case, I doubt they will be caught anyway since I never saw them and they let the other person in the house sleep through it! Meanwhile, if this is being read by the robbers or someone who knows them, I would request that they mail me those few things (photos, etc.) that are of no value to them, but are to me.”
During a two-week span, six incidences took place around the Metro Las Vegas area, many inside gated communities. A week before Sklansky’s home was robbed, three men tried to steal from a home near Fort Apache and Patrick, but were caught after the homeowner fought back. Not all of the victims were so fortunate, however. One couple was tied up and robbed in their home near Buffalo and Lake Mead. A day later, robbers stole cash and jewelry while two women and a number of children were asleep at their residence near Washington and Tenaya. Metro police are still on the lookout for suspects involved in each of those robberies, including Sklansky’s case.
