Luck is a factor, but a skilled player will come out on top over time. The thing about poker is that it's not always about the cards. One of Doyle Brunson's most famous quotes is that he doesn't need the cards to win a tournament, and it's very true.

The house ALWAYS wins in the long run... but without skill, you're screwed.

id say a bit of both

There is no house except for a small rake. I always love the way in every GFY thread, especially political threads, someone ALWAYS chimes in with this cynical world weary definitive statement that is utterly fucked up lol

Not you in particular Dag, it's just a GFY phenomenon.

I play in the casinos a LOT since I live in LV. I usually get in with the best hand and get sucked out about half the time. It goes in cycles. You've got to know what you're doing, but luck is a big, big part of it.

What?

I must be missing something. What does the house win other than the rake?

Thank you. I felt incredibly stupid there for a minute, haha.

good thread

then it isn't 50/50

it's somewhat close. You see a lot of people that just started playing the game at final tables in tournaments. I think ytcracker will probably agree with me that aggression is more important than luck, good or bad. And you have to know where the fine line is between very aggressive and foolhardy. It's a tricky game.

More skill then luck
thats what i think..

50 poker players.......... :glugglug

Poker is a combination of a number of skills. Very few things in life are achieved with luck.

If there weren't luck involved you wouldn't be able to get bad players to put up their money to play.
However, it's still much more skill than luck.

On a good night (when you're catching good cards) a good player will win 3 racks of chips. With the same cards a bad (average) player would only win 2 racks of chips.

On a bad night (catching shitty cards, draws not filling up etc) a good player will lose 1 rack of chips but with the same cards a bad player will lose 2 racks of chips.

Luck can play a factor in how you do on any given session, but in the long run the money goes to the players with a solid understanding of the math and psychology of the game.

it takes skill to identify luck

both.........

Obviously, in the short term luck can prevail. But mathematics and probability always win out in the long run. If you play long enough, skill far outweighs luck when it comes to poker.

No matter how skillful you are, there are going to be bad beats, and you are going to get your pocket aces cracked. But, if you understand the game, and the odds, in the long run skilled players will always make money.

Like Mike said in Rounders, "Why do the same 8 guys make it to the final table at the World Series of Poker every year? What are they, the luckiest guys in the world? It's a skill game!"

poker is all about skill, brain and experience... :winkwink:

agreed !

I'll say is 60% skills/knowledge and 40% luck

:2 cents: :2 cents: :2 cents:
80% LUCK: on any given single hand
80% SKILL: Over the course of an entire year of play

I think I heard Chris Ferguson say that once too :thumbsup