Video poker strategist, author Frome dies at 71

Bob Shemeligian

Tuesday, March 24, 1998 | 10:19 a.m.

Lenny Frome, a mathematician and prolific writer of books on video poker strategies, died suddenly of heart failure at his Las Vegas home March 15. He was 71 years old.

Frome also wrote a column on video poker strategy in Gaming Today.

"He was just a whiz at numbers," said Ray Poirer, editor of the weekly gaming publication. "Lenny had a quite a following of readers who respected his expertise."

A native of New York City, Frome moved to Las Vegas in the 1980s after he retired from the Singer Co. While at Singer, Frome worked as a consultant for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration during the Apollo moon program.

"Most people today have no idea that Lenny helped put a man on the moon," Poirer said.

After Frome moved to Las Vegas, he forgot about rocket trajectories and started concentrating on video poker permutations.

In recent years Frome authored: "Winning Strategies for Video Poker"; "Expert Strategy for Five Deck Frenzy"; "America's National Game of Chance -- Video Poker," and "Expert Video Poker for Las Vegas."

"He was a very innovative, intelligent individual, who took his analytical skills and used them in a much-needed area for gamblers, in this case, video poker," said Howard Schwartz, marketing director of Gambler's Book Club.

Poirer said Frome's books have helped players feel less intimidated by new versions of video poker machines that dominate space in practically every casino today, and has helped players develop strategies to increase their winning percentages.

"He knew it all on strategy play," Poirer said.

"Without Lenny's contributions, I don't think video poker would be as popular as it has become," Schwartz said.

In addition to his wife, Rhoda, he is survived by two sons and two daughters who live in New York.

A funeral service was conducted in New York.