Hi. I am a newbie and i have one question to ask. Is playing poker for money a talent or based on luck? I have seen a few poker games on tv and the same guys seem to be on the final table and i hear stories how somebody makes 20 thousand per month playing poker. It just seems a bit weird for me to think that its about talent since, when the stakes get high enough every player probably knows what they are doing and have read all the books etc. In other words does winning in poker require newbies that play for fun? And if it does are there enough newbies to go around so that the good players get paid?

Originally Posted by Loz

I see what you are asking. If the world was filled, or better yet if there was a scenario with the 10 best players in the world at a table who would win. Part of poker is waiting on your opponet to make a mistake. Whoever makes the least mistakes wins. Newbs make more mistakes of course.

The 10 greatest players are going to make way fewer mistakes all at the same table. So it would be a combination of a good run of cards, and knowing how to play them.

In the long run skill/good deision making wins. In the short run luck is very helpful. Make the field big enough like the WSOP main event it takes more luck than skill IMO. If skill was the main factor in something that big then champions would repeat. Back when it was smaller skill played a bigger part, but now its just about a good run of cards IMO.

Playing online or regularly live, skill will improve your BR in the long run.

So with practice its possible to make a living or at least earn some extra playing poker online? I think i need to start practicing

The best thing I ever heard said about this was by Chris Fergeson. He said that it's 90% luck 10% skill per table. 50% luck and 50% skill over a tournament. 90% skill 10% luck over a lifetime.


Something like that anyway.

I completely agree with the thought that it is a lot of luck in a big MTT like the WSOP ME, I mean, just look at, uh...whatshisname there, the guy who won last year lol. He hasn't done shit since and I doubt we'll ever see him win again. So yeah, practice is defiantley going to help but it never hurts to be lucky as well.