Dr. Konstantinos Palamourdas, otherwise known as Duncan, is a UCLA instructor, author, columnist and researcher who gained international acclaim through his innovative contributions on the mathematics of poker and education. He is one of the first academics to successfully bring such a unique subject into academia. Duncan holds two master's degrees (one in pure math and one in Computer Science) and a PhD in Mathematical Logic. His versatile mathematical background and love for teaching has helped him offer classes on a variety of math-based subjects over the years. These range from the basics (Calculus, Algebra, Statistics) all the way to Machine Learning, Measure Theory, Differential Equations and, of course, Advanced Poker Game Theory. His signature style of communicating otherwise complicated concepts using relevant metaphors and accessible visuals has made him increasingly popular with his students who typically form large waiting lists for his classes. Duncan has also been awarded the Robert Sorgenfrey Distinguished Teaching Award in recognition for his teaching contributions.
Why Alex Beats Bobbie at Poker is a must read for all NL-holdem players of any level. It teaches the game from a very entertaining, yet analytic and mathematical point of view. It has practical applications for how the reader can improve their own game through real life examples. Duncan has transformed the very fundamentals I approach NL-holdem with and has taken my game to another level! Daniel Shuman, amateur poker player