Search the web for "Is Poker a Game of Skill?" You'll find hundreds of different sources. It is a subjective issue. There is ample evidence that poker, the classic casino game, is different from other favorites in terms of skill. Poker players can be successful even when their luck is bad. While keno, roulette and other casino games are largely based on luck, poker requires unique skills and experience.
Doyle Brunson and Chris Ferguson are among the great poker pros who have spent years calculating odds and reading opponents' tendencies. Most of these poker pros believe that 90% of success in poker comes down to skill, and 10% is luck. Some experts estimate that skill contributes anywhere between 60% and 80% to poker success, while luck makes up the rest.
Newscientist.com is the website for the international weekly science magazine New Scientist. It is evident that it is very difficult, if not even impossible, to answer the question whether poker is a mathematically-based game. However, new studies show that poker success is more dependent on skill than previously believed. The game is still regulated, just like other games of luck such as roulette and keno.
Two researchers in Germany tracked the play by more than 50,000 poker players to try and answer the question of skill. The researchers found that after monitoring 13 hours of online poker, skill did indeed lead to greater results in terms of win/loss ratios and the average amount of money won or loss. The question remains: is poker a skill-based game?
A study of over 100 million hands revealed that 75% of hands were decided before the showdown. This observation supports the idea that skill is the most important factor. One player was able, by manipulating the betting process, to make the other player fold read more here. The fact that the real value of both hands was never considered would appear to be a clear indication of the importance of poker skill.
Amarillo Slim is one of the most famous poker pros who doesn't believe at all in luck. Some experts believe that while some players have streaks in which the cards appear to be flowing their way, skill still accounts for at least 90%. Most experts agree that skill and luck can influence the outcome of the game. However, they also believe that skill and experience are the most important factors when playing over a long period of time. The people who have the most poker experience still call it a game of skills.
The final word in this short look at whether poker is a skill game should probably be left to the academics. Michael DeDonno, a professor at Case Western Reserve University, writes in Science Daily, a news site that features news and articles from universities and other research institutes, that evidence for skill is powerful enough to affect the gaming industry and legal cases. His research shows that poker players who have a sound strategy, and even just a basic understanding of a good hand in poker, will be successful the vast majority of time.
The debate over whether poker is a skill game will continue wherever players gather. You can only answer this question if you play the game for a long time.
