Poker, Game of Luck or Skill?

[Rumme1]

This is the effective completion of all Poker Realities described. Poker is a game of luck and skill, but in the short term, luck runs, so in the short term the results will be extremely distorted. Combine this with the fact that the advantage of good players is very small, and the result is that the winning players will have almost as many losers as winners sessions! In fact, a winning player may have even more losing than winning sessions, if the player is willing to close your session when you lose a certain value.

Imagine players from $ 20- $ 40 limit hold'em described before, making an average of $ 40 per hour. In a 6-hour session, he can expect to about $ 240, which is about the average size of the pot! It is not difficult to see how the result of one or two pots can turn a winning session in a losing session and vice versa. Some losing sessions, and suddenly you find yourself in a downswing while some winning sessions indicate an upswing. Only after you play thousands and thousands of hands you can look at the aggregate result of all these upswings and downswings and analyze the long-term trend.

THIS IS A EXCELLENT ANAYLSIS BASED ON FACTS .

When you compare 10 players at a table, and lets say they all have the exact amount same of luck as each other { which is never the case} , but 5 of the players are very loose and 5 of the players are very tight. The loose players will win way more hands/ pots, then the loose players .

Now, same scenario , but the loose players have significanlty better luck then the tight players ..now they will also win way more money, then the tight players.

In the short run and medium run...this can happen constantly , where the loose players who have above average luck , win more pots, more hands and more money .It can even happen over the long term { 6 months or more} , but that is a bit less common.

I have always proved the power of luck, by the following claim :

give me a 4 average players, who have consistent above average luck and put them in a 6 hour poker game with 4 above average players who have consistent bad luck, and I will bet money that 1 of the average lucky players, will often end up as the BIG winner at the table.

THAT IS THE POWER OF GOOD LUCK OVER GOOD SKILL.

 

[Rumme1]

Different games have different amount of luck and skill. But knowing your odds, pot equity, and how your opposing player plays will help your game. So you can turn your game into a more skillful one. Obviously luck will stay play a part. Good luck.

Yes, knowing the math , odds, implied odds, betting skills, etc...are all great additional tactics to have in poker....but even if you have all those skills, you are still at the mercy of the luck factor . Many lucky donks will be the big winners at any given game that has solid , knowledgable poker players.

Lets face it, if skill was the only controlling factor, then the amount of people who play poker for real , significant money, would be much lower, because the fish/ donks and gamblers would lose all their money, every session and most of them would be forced to quit the gamed due to being broke all the time.

 

[Slav4obaby]

Of course you need skills for poker but you must be a little lucky to reach the final tables

 

[iosif18]

i need your opinion

I BELIEVE POKER IS 75 % SKILLS ...AND 25% LUCK ....what about your opinion and how may i gain some skill

 

[olfabiolo]

surely skill will always be skill.

 

[OLGATSE]

Most of the times is a game of luck especially when you have AA or KK and you see in the flop 3 9 5 and other palyers called with 3 3 or 4 6 etc. but of course always you have to know, how many chances you have to win the pot so after the flop is up to you and the experience you have.

 

[Lance Webster]

yes poker is a game of skill. But everyone that wins a tourney has to get lucky at least once to win

 

[meagain00]

luck or skill

Sometimes luck, sometimes skill. U decide when u play, how much u bet, when raise, call, fold, show or not ur cards. Because these factors I think skill counts a lot, but it's indeniable that luck takes place on the game.

meagain00

 

[JPainTrainSicko]

Poker is a blend.... it involves skill, luck and also Attitude or Mindset! This is the least talked about piece of what it takes to be a winning poker player, but in my opinion the most important to master. Without the right mindset you won't utilize all your knowledge and skills. Also with the wrong attitude it's hard to recall how lucky you are or were.

 

[TheWiseWeasel]

Skill or luck?

Both in my opinion...But the skill is the most important one.Think about big and important players like Daniel Negreanu,Phil Ivey or other good players,is not all about good luck,they can't get lucky everytime,and many times they are found at the final table so LUCK is not such an important feature at the poker table.Obviously LUCK is sometimes a decisive factor,let not forget when i get rivered or you get sameone riveredOr when a fish goes allin with 2,3 diffrent colours and u call with a AK same color and samehow he manage to win that hand So yes you need them both to win same money,but the ballance lean on Skill side!

 

[andreii955]

65% luck and 35 %science

 

[Simplex]

online poker is mostly luck. I believe online poker is rigged to protect weak players so they don't go broke as fast, which maximizes the poker site's profit thru rake.

Live poker is most definetly skill. Real world mathematics applies. As opposed to online poker, where mathematics is just a myth.

Variance my ass.

 

[MEJ]

There's luck involved, but at the highest levels luck is minimized and skill is maximized. At the highest levels, a lot of math is involved and then there's the ability of professionals (and some amateurs) to read their opponents. So the only luck involved at that point is what cards are dealt.

 

[dundo84]

and at the end you can divide teams and players, at least, in four categories
skilled/lucky, skilled/unlucky, unskilled/lucky and unskilled/unlucky

Well said.Is it just me or do u guys bust out in tourneys against unskilled/lucky players?
I tend to check players profiles via google when i bust, most of them(around 80%) have a very big minus profit.

 

[DjKniteX]

I believe it's a mix of both but I'm probably favored more towards skill. I seen a lot of pre flop play where they don't even see the flop and win money. But playing correctly and sometimes losing on the river just sucks lol

 

[madisonsdad]

I also agree it's a mix of both, leaning heavily towards the luck side because even the most skilled players with the most knowledge have to get lucky in some situations.

Poker tends to be a situational and circumstantial type of game, with the variants and variances being so wild it lends itself to luck, although a certain amount of skill does help in the end the cards decide.

 

[Mauno]

Skill keeps you in game but Luck takes You to top.

 

[bizarez]

With great pleasure to read this thread! I would like to add to all the above, that in my opinion poker - it is also a playable character. I've been playing recently, but the list of like to watch the finals of tournaments. A striking example of the victory of the nature, speed and luck - it Dwan, Negreanu and other monsters (lol). When they win with bad hands your opponent with a strong hand - but with a "weak spot" in character.

 

[xavantao08]

poker is a skill game!!!

 

[cessam]

poker is a game of skill there is no luck on it.

 

[Maxmustdie]

poker is luck 70%
and skills at 30%

 

[Bertochi]

Its a game of skill, but just in the long run

 

[Zacccpanec]

I think this is a game of skill with elements of luck

 

[mrDredlexa]

One day success - luck, distance luck - skill

 

[XChin]

Its a game of luck and the skill is made based on that luck