Dan Lubin Memorial -- 6/16/2017

While I previously touched on the subject of Dan Lubin, I believe it is worth revisiting. On June 8, I delivered a eulogy for Dan during his memorial service. This week, I’d like to share the written tribute I prepared. Although my spoken remarks diverged somewhat from my script, I believe the text captures my sentiments more accurately. Here’s what I penned:

First off, I want to express my gratitude for the opportunity to speak about Daniel Lubin. I’m Michael Shackleford, and like many, I crossed paths with Dan in the unique niche of new table game development. It was inevitable that our professional paths would intersect since our work involves aiding aspiring casino game inventors in navigating the challenging landscape of the casino industry. This is a field where a handful of individuals become quite wealthy while many others leave feeling discouraged and return to their regular jobs. I first became acquainted with Dan in February 2012 when I organized a group to create some instructional gambling videos. Dan was a member of my forum at WizardOfVegas.com, and when I reached out for volunteers to play the dealer in our videos, he readily stepped forward. I explained to him that the duration of the shoot was uncertain and that payment would depend on how long he worked. He seemed uneasy discussing compensation and mentioned that I could decide what I thought was reasonable.

The day of the filming was the first time I met Dan in person. He appeared a bit weary, having squeezed in this project between his casino shifts, yet his enthusiasm was evident as he embraced the role. In fact, he was so engaging that he quickly stole the show, overshadowing me, who was supposed to be in the spotlight. Even simple inquiries, such as explaining how a player should make a Hard Way bet, would lead to Dan launching into an elaborate 15-minute discussion covering the etiquette of various proposition bets. Dan was indeed a great conversationalist. My editor likely has heaps of unused footage featuring Dan elaborating on the intricacies of games like craps, pai gow poker, three card poker, and blackjack. His passion for guiding others in understanding virtually any casino game was remarkable. Not only was he generous with his time in person, but he was also extremely active online, contributing extensively on my forum at WizardOfVegas.com, where he shared insights on a wide array of gambling topics.

The forum served as a gathering place for both game developers and advantage players. Dan held a firm belief that gambling should be a fun and recreational experience for players, who ultimately pay a cost through the house edge. He viewed advanced tactics like card counting or hole carding as forms of cheating because they involved exploiting information that was meant to be inaccessible to players. Unsurprisingly, this opinion did not sit well with most forum members. It often made him a target for criticism, sometimes even harsher reactions. Despite the numerous debates, Dan maintained his composure, never making personal attacks and always listening to differing viewpoints, engaging in fair arguments. Out of his approximately 5,800 posts, he only once strayed from the rules with a borderline insult, and we closely monitor the forum for such violations.

Describing Dan simply as a loyal and good friend would be an understatement. Within the quirky realm of casino game inventors, he was on friendly terms with nearly everyone. He was always quick to offer assistance to newcomers, guiding them on how to translate their game ideas from rough sketches on a cocktail napkin to being playable in a casino. Interestingly, this theme reflects in the subtitle of his latest book, The Essentials of Casino Game Design. Dan likely recognized that interest in this specialized field would be limited, but that never discouraged him. His genuine desire to assist others and his appreciation for expertly crafted casino games defined him. I have no doubt that many individuals who started off as strangers to Dan became friends through his generosity. To my knowledge, he never demanded payment for his guidance and likely preferred not to discuss it at all. Those benefiting from his help were often potential rivals, as Dan continually pursued the development of new casino games himself, hoping for another successful venture after his breakthrough with EZ Pai Gow Poker.

Dan's boundless enthusiasm and energy often became a source of light-hearted jokes in his absence. People would tease about how he seemed to always wear the same shirt or how his hair appeared perpetually tousled and in need of a trim. They would jokingly mimic how he'd smile and tilt his head like Groucho Marx whenever he finally made his point and allowed others to speak. Despite his verbosity, Dan rarely shared details about his own life. For the benefit of his friends in Vegas, here are some notable aspects of Dan’s life before his relocation to Las Vegas in 2005. Born in 1960 in New York City, he was 56 years old when he passed away. He attended the esteemed New York School of Performing Arts, where he studied the oboe. As someone familiar with the challenges of mastering this instrument, I can attest to its difficulty. Nevertheless, Dan was always eager to tackle challenges, probably relishing the process of mastering such a unique instrument.

Following this, Dan graduated from the Metropolitan College of New York with degrees in accounting, business, and computer science. He briefly worked as a high school math teacher and also served in the army reserve, where his role involved mathematical tasks for long-range artillery targeting. Most of his work before moving to Vegas was devoted to being a mainframe programmer in a rather obscure programming language I was unfamiliar with. When his position was eventually outsourced to India, I wouldn’t be surprised if Dan saw it as a silver lining. Like myself, he didn't seem to fit the mold of a cubicle worker. Although I hadn’t met him at that point, I could envision Dan’s excitement about relocating to Las Vegas to follow his passion for designing new table games. Here, he transformed into a larger-than-life character among the vibrant personalities of the city, easy to mimic but truly irreplaceable. During his time in Vegas, Dan married his wife Prapaisri in 2008. In addition to his gaming pursuits, he and his wife also operated a Thai massage parlor. Interestingly, I knew Dan for many years before he mentioned being Catholic, and it appeared he hadn’t updated his Facebook information, as it listed him as an ‘infidel’ along with quotes from known skeptics.

Dan’s departure has left a profound void as we remember a truly unique individual who was taken from us far too soon. In closing, I’d like to share a quote attributed to Dan from his Facebook: 'The gaming industry is a remarkable and legitimate sector filled with wonderful individuals - albeit with its share of rudeness, foolishness, and cliques. Obey, but remain skeptical of what the floorman tells you.'

I posted on YouTube and my Wizard of Vegas blog This is the actual eulogy I delivered. It may not have been my finest moment, but it is what it is.

Until we meet again next week, may luck be in your favor.

Written by: Michael Shackleford