Mason Malmuth
Mason Malmuth isn't the most well known name in the video poker world, mainly because his major accomplishments are more focused on poker and blackjack. However, he has contributed quite a bit to video poker theory and strategy, and has even released a basic video poker book titled Fundamentals of Video Poker.
Gambling Beginnings
Mason Malmuth never really had much interest or even knowledge in gambling at the beginning of his life, as his grew up in Coral Gables, Florida and graduated from Virginia Tech in 1975. After completing school he took a job with the United States Census Bureau, and in 1978 he was assigned a new case in California. Fortunately for Malmuth and many other gamblers, his route lead him through Las Vegas where he stopped to rest.
Upon entering his first casino, Malmuth became obsessed with the games and odds, and gambling became his new passion. However, he still had to go to California so he wasn't able to play for long. Luckily though, Malmuth realized that he could play poker legally in California and also supplemented his gambling interest with occasional trips to Vegas.
Poker and Blackjack
During these early days Malmuth focused exclusively on poker and blackjack, as he was easily able to beat the poker games in California and also enjoyed figuring out how to achieve an advantage at the blackjack tables in Vegas.
After continuing to grind poker in California and make weekend trips to Vegas for blackjack, Malmuth finally decided to pursue his dream, leave his job, and become a full time gambler. He moved to Las Vegas in 1987 and never looked back.
Video Poker
Malmuth never really was a huge video poker fanatic like many other video poker authors, but he still had an interest in the game because he realized it could be +EV. Video poker was more of a side game for Mason, but he still was able to write an excellent book titled Fundamentals of Video Poker.
The book is fairly basic, but is an excellent primer for new video poker players to introduce them to the game and explain the basic concepts needed to become advanced.
Other Publications
Mason's real work in the publication field has dealt with poker. He has published over 500 articles and over two dozen books, almost exclusively focusing on poker strategy and theory. If you're a poker player, we highly recommend reading Malmuth's work.
Two Plus Two
Malmuth is also involved with a publishing company named Two Plus Two Publishing. The company publishes countless gambling strategy books focused mainly on Texas Hold'em, Omaha, and Seven Card Stud poker. To learn more about Two Plus Two, head over to www.twoplustwo.com.
