poker - is a gamble?
if so, why
if not, why
I would like to hear from each person plausible answer with an explanation
Your topic is poker-game of chance, but your post started off with poker-is a gamble? The cards are dealt randomly so, this is part of the game of chance as your original topic, but the gamble has many variables. People play a game of chance and gamble that mirrors each other as an example, why? Opponents I play against believe they will take a chance with the two cards they are holding pre flop and gamble with all the money in the middle, with other opponents, with all five cards guaranteed to be seen.
The variance of skill between each opponent is negated because of how they are putting their money in the middle in pre flop. The difference of skill that could be used as an advantage if they were to play their hands differently is now gone. Now it comes down the % that is attached to the hands, to hold up in this hand if ahead, and the % to come from behind. The true
odds of the two cards they see, that they hold, and the 50 unseen cards before the flop, then flop, turn, and river.
I prefer not to take this gamble but unfortunately no limit is what I play and this is part of the game. Acceptance of this, acceptance of the results keeps the emotion from winning and losing in check. However, I enjoy playing post flop as much as possible. This is where the evaluation of each opponent and how to approach them in a hand. This is where the difference of skill is evaluated. Then when deciding to play pre-flop with all the money in the middle, now I have a better definition of my opponent, and where their skill level is at, then I can adjust to what I put them on pre-flop, this helps with a better edge of gambling from my original two paragraphs because of the extra information. This helps with gathering as much proper information before attempting to gamble pre-flop.
Now post flop comes down how to tell a story, how to read a story, and what level is my opponents play? How do I tell them the right story? Will my story make sense to them? Will their level of play allow them to believe my story? Can I read their story? Does their story make sense? Does my level of play allow me to believe their story? Now a person can now gain an edge that decreases the gamble to the person who has more skill in how they play, understand, and know about their opponents. Now, does my opponent know I know this about them? Does my opponent think about me in the same way or do they have the ability to think above my level of play? Because of the variance of the game itself, the skill, the short term results, it is hard to give an empirical right or wrong, skill vs. skill in a clear answer?
The best explanation of this, if I know fourth grade math and my opponent knows only first grade math. I have to communicate with them using first grade math. Anything above this would only confuse my opponent. It comes down too, can I speak the language of my opponent properly, consistently, to convince them to do what I am relaying through my play, bets, folding, raising etc… in a random hand or for future play?
In conclusion, empirical information for your post will be hard to define or suggest information based on what we know. Because this is an opinion topic of discussion more than an empirical study. Just like my opinion about your questions from your post, each person can only relay what they know based on their own individual abilities, understanding, and knowing. Then to be analyzed by the author of the post or members reading any post; people then will be influenced by their own variance of skill, understanding, knowing; this will influence their reaction to each person who submits a response or the post they submit themselves, this will only allow for an opinion not true right or wrong? However, I am glad to meet you and I believe discussing, giving back, and people’s opinions will be interesting because of your choice of topic of discussion. Hope all is going well and have a great day.