Best way to explain Poker is not just a casino game of pure luck (scratch-off/Roulette/Craps) ? - Page 5 - Poker News

I'd start with an easier task, like changing their religious beliefs or political affiliations. Then move onto explaining why it's possible to gamble with an edge.

04-26-2015 , 04:38 PM

#102

14756897412369

centurion

Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 102

Why does it matter what other people think? What do you have to prove to some idiot that can't understand basic math and probability?

04-26-2015 , 04:43 PM

#103

Thrust Toughington

enthusiast

Join Date: Oct 2013 Posts: 94

Why say poker is a game of skill? Its more accurate to say that it is (predominantly) a game of strategy with an element of short term luck/variance. As it's been pointed out in some previous posts, "skill" and "ability" are problematic and misleading terms because they imply that you have a sort of semi-concious mechanical function that allows you to play better, which is mostly true in games of physical skill (like darts), but is negligible in games of logic and strategy (like tic tac toe). In poker, the only "ability" of a strong player is being observant and gathering and analysing relevant information and formulating optimal strategies.

04-29-2015 , 04:20 PM

#104

Kelvis

banned

Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 8,737

Quote:

Originally Posted by dzapp

Maybe with cash games you can say their is a skill but with MTTs you cant. There might one or two hands you make someone fold but unless that deck is slapping you silly the whole game, you arent gonna get too far. Watch the training videos, people hitting sets left and right, turning night flushes left and right, and of course its much simplier to play those hands then when the deck doesnt hit you at all

Ive noticed that if you watch a lot of these trainers play, if the deck isnt going there way, they dont do much better than anyone else.

When people talk about having to run 10 mtts at a time to fade variance, isnt that the equivalent of finding the slot machine thats paying out

You have no clue about how variance works. That's not to bum you out but what you're saying is simply not true. Of course you have way way way more variance in tournaments in terms of buy ins, that doesn't mean you can't beat them. You're implying that whatever you do you need luck to win. That's an indication that you might actually not beat the games you play and you need to improve.

04-29-2015 , 06:53 PM

#105

AAmbass

journeyman

Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 226

If they understand the basic rules, just say: "you have pocket kings against a single opponent, and the flop comes AJJ. your opponent bets. what do you do and why? you can ask me any questions you want." then, when they give their answer, you can tell them all the other things they should have asked about (stacks, position, tendencies, pre-flop action, bet-sizing, tells, etc.).

04-30-2015 , 09:18 PM

#106

legionrainfall

grinder

Join Date: Feb 2015 Posts: 654

Quote:

Originally Posted by AAmbass

Finally, a good answser !!

Can we flesh this hand out a bit more?

Pretend you are talking to me, and trying to teach me about poker.
What are the types of things to consider when you have KK vs. XX on a AJJ
board?

Does the V have an A?
Does the V have an J?
Do you think he's bluffing?
What about value betting?

MOST people think the skill in poker is reading a bluff (or doing a bluff)
Obviously, this is not the Math/Stats aspect of poker, so I want to keep that out of the discussion, since it's a pseudo-science, at best, Caro be damned.

05-01-2015 , 10:18 AM

#107

NLBiddy

journeyman

Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 293

It is a good answer, but people who truly think poker is pure luck won't know what 'pocket kings' means, 'flop' means and the significance of 'AJJ' in that context.