This is Why We make Money- Poker is Gambling
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What is Poker? It's a game of incomplete information, and as any such phenomenon in the real world there's a luck aspect involved.
The respective player within this game will be dealt a hand; in the long run the luck of the hand portion will be evened out. The community cards that fall out are going to be indiscriminate of which players are on the tables. That in itself is the luck portion which in the long-run evens out itself.
Variance
This in itself is going to be something that will affect all players regardless of if you're Daniel Negreneau or Tom Dwan. This is merely a simple way of explaining and describing what happens when a negative result is unavoidable despite the assumption of optimal play.
You can and will lose money making good plays in the short-run.
But here's the Caveat. With the same respect, poor-players can subsequently "Make Money" whilst making unconsciously "bad-plays". "chasing draws, poor equity, poor range construction".
The Perspectives
To a winning player that's losing money; he knows that his long-run will be profitable and is able to distribute his results accordingly to variance or bad play. This is a result of of his/her experience and understanding of skill.
To a recreational player that's losing money; He's getting unlucky, when he's winning money he's getting lucky. A skill evaluation of himself is not present.
A winning player can evaluate his skill level, because he understands what a skill level is. Whether a play is good or bad in the long run.
A recreational player cannot evaluate his skill level since he either A) does not understand there is a such thing as skill-level in poker B) unable to determine whether a play is good or bad.
So Why Does this Matter?
Poker is gambling and luck.
If it was a game of 100% skill and it was transparent as such. Think to yourself:
Would a recreational player engage in a game that he has no skill advantage in?
Would a recreational player knowingly put money in a game that he has 0% in getting back?
The notion that Poker is Gambling is what keeps Professional Poker Players alive.
If the world is to accept Poker is a game of skill, this would drive the recreational players out. They would understand that in the long-run they're being taken in for a ride and hustled into bankruptcy.
If the world is to accept Poker is a game of skill, all those that would pursue it would actively increase their skill edge.
Consider This:
A Boxing tournament has a registration of 100$. 100 entrants. Top prize is $5500 Second $2000, Third $1500 Fourth $1000.
- If boxing were a game of luck; there's no money to be made or lost, and it's a break-even gamble in the long run.
-Given that boxing is not a game of "entirely luck". Do you think there would be a lot of "Recreational contestants".
Hopefully I've been able to clear up some things to the strangeness of this "profession". So the next time variance hits you hard; understand that it is Variance itself that keeps the games Profitable.
Embrace Variance, Embrace Tilt.
Love this aspect of the game.
So the next time someone comes up to you and say isn't Poker Gambling?
This is the most +EV reply:
It sure is! You have an equal chance as winning as me; Let's Play =).
11902.44 VPP left before I hit Supernova Elite.This month has been a very slow and relaxing month for me. Unlike my usual months that are filled with all-nighter and marathon sessions I've been relatively sticking to a very relaxed schedule with about 2-3 days off each week. I think this month will be the least amount of volume as I think I'll probably be cutting my grind off at about 200k or so hands; or when I hit SNE whichever one is sooner!
Not exactly the greatest day, actually I think had one of the worst sessions/days this month. . . which in itself is both brag as well as a beat =P. Thought Fridays were particularly . . . "soft" so decided to fire up 200nl-Zoom which didn't go too well. Also busted 900/2000 in a Big 55$ MTT ; AJ vs AT 12bb deep. What can you expect. . . 
Went to see the new "Hunger Games Trilogy" earlier on yesterday but it was most certainly not what I expected. . . I have no clue how it ended up making top 2 in box-office. Given that I've already read the series; I was upset that so much of the dystopian/imbalance and abuse of power/abuse of poor aspect was downplayed a ton. Then again "Sappy Love scenes and special effects" is probably more +ev to the general audience.
Initially we were just going to pig out on a massive amount of greasy and salty food. . . but given then Christmas Cheer around downtown she diverted our attention to the Christmas market!
Today was pretty normal day as usual. It snowed some more last
I had a really good slice of Apple Pie today at a Cafe near by. It was one of the Cafe's that's just been there and I knew about it. . but never really tried it.
