If you can read this, either the style sheet didn't load or you have an older browser that doesn't support style sheets. Try clearing your browser cache and refreshing the page.
Fark SearchWeb Fark

         more options... Create account

(New Scientist) Cool Studies concluding that poker is a game of skill, not chance or "gambling", could affect laws making poker illegal. Submitter's favorite hole cards are still 2-10, nonsuited   (newscientist.com) divider line 91
More: Cool  

91 Comments   (+0 »)


Archived thread
First | « | 1 | 2 | » | Last | Show all
 
TripSixes 2009-04-04 12:05:34 PM  
My favorite hole cards are subby's mom and grandmother.

 
PacersJAM3s 2009-04-04 12:34:31 PM  
As someone who regularly wins money at the boat, let me say that in my opinion poker is about 75% skill and 25% luck.

I would say the skill involved doesn't have anything to do with poker per se, but rather having the ability to calculate probabilities instantly in relation to what cards you have and the cards on the table.

 
gimmeafuckinname 2009-04-04 12:52:35 PM  
..hole cards


BWAAAAHAAAHAAAHAAAA

 
strangeguitar 2009-04-04 01:22:56 PM  
i41.photobucket.com
That ace could not have helped you.

 
Tarl3k 2009-04-04 01:34:17 PM  
Wonder how many people will get the meaning behind 10-2o.

 
dave2198 2009-04-04 01:34:19 PM  
psst... the reason poker is treated like gambling has nothing to do with whether it is a game of skill or chance

 
phamwaa 2009-04-04 01:34:22 PM  
Liquor up front; poker in the rear.

/It's not much different from the stock market, y'all

 
Diesel645 2009-04-04 01:35:54 PM  
What, Doyle Brunson could be a farker, you never know.

 
zephyr_words 2009-04-04 01:36:48 PM  
Tarl3k: Wonder how many people will get the meaning behind 10-2o.

Almost anyone that knows all the names for starting hands will get that reference.

 
trancemission 2009-04-04 01:37:04 PM  
Isn't this affected by the stakes? I know a little about poker, and my understanding is that no-limit requires more skill and less luck than limit poker. Both require an understanding of the odds, but limit poker has much more to do with the cards you are dealt because there is less opportunity to bluff/read people. Is that correct?

Looks like the study the article refers to was done with no-limit hold 'em. My understanding is that it is considered the variant that requires the most skill and least luck. Is that correct?

 
Ryankenny 2009-04-04 01:37:37 PM  
Based on this logic, it might be time to illegalize home buying and legalize poker.

 
DannyJunior 2009-04-04 01:37:52 PM  
www1.istockphoto.com

I'm all in.

 
todangst 2009-04-04 01:38:29 PM  
TripSixes: My favorite hole cards are subby's mom and grandmother.

some may call this trite, predictable... yet, you still win

 
Kirby Muxloe 2009-04-04 01:40:01 PM  
images.poquer-red.com

The Poker Community calls your shennanigans

 
Midnight Rambler 2009-04-04 01:40:12 PM  
strangeguitar: That ace could not have helped you.

He beeit me. Pie heem. Pie theeat maen heese mahnee.

 
Jose628 2009-04-04 01:42:18 PM  
Studies concluding that poker is a game of skill, not chance or "gambling", do affect the minds of thousands of assholes who lose everything they have (and more) in Vegas everyday, while wearing stupid glasses and ridiculous hats that make they look ever more stupid than they really are.


FTFY!

 
oryx 2009-04-04 01:42:24 PM  
Well, it's skill when you're winning and luck when you're losing.

 
Fark_Guy_Rob 2009-04-04 01:43:03 PM  
In any given situation, there is a mathematically optimal move to make. If everyone plays optimally, it's purely a game of luck.

Beyond that, it's about 'reading' people and 'feeling them out' and taking advantage of people who play less than optimally.

 
PocketPair 2009-04-04 01:43:07 PM  
TripSixes: My favorite hole cards are subby's mom and grandmother.

Trite! Perdictable! All in!

 
badhatharry 2009-04-04 01:43:56 PM  
WTF does it matter if it is skill or luck? It is still gambling when you bet on a game of golf or bowling.

 
thepull 2009-04-04 01:44:04 PM  
trancemission: Isn't this affected by the stakes? I know a little about poker, and my understanding is that no-limit requires more skill and less luck than limit poker. Both require an understanding of the odds, but limit poker has much more to do with the cards you are dealt because there is less opportunity to bluff/read people. Is that correct?

Looks like the study the article refers to was done with no-limit hold 'em. My understanding is that it is considered the variant that requires the most skill and least luck. Is that correct?


You have a smaller edge in limit poker since you can't control the bet sizes. It takes different kinds of skills to be good in different poker games, but in the long run it comes down to making correct decisions.

 
Wrong_Intentions 2009-04-04 01:44:09 PM  
Gamble -verb (used without object)
1. to play at any game of chance for money or other stakes.
2. to stake or risk money, or anything of value, on the outcome of something involving chance: to gamble on a toss of the dice.

This is the key factor in what gambling is, not skill vs. chance.

 
Fark_Guy_Rob 2009-04-04 01:44:18 PM  
Besides which - even if poker is a game of skill - gambling on it is still gambling.

Basketball can be said to be a game of skill. Betting on the winner of a basketball game is still gambling.

 
Space_Fetus 2009-04-04 01:44:58 PM  
Seeing as how i just won 100 bucks last night playing, i'm getting a kick out of these replies.

/All skill baby
//Maybe a bit of luck on the pocket kings with two kings on the flop

 
Je5tEr 2009-04-04 01:46:11 PM  
Blackjack is a game of skill, the skill being card counting.

 
2chris2 2009-04-04 01:46:12 PM  
trancemission: Isn't this affected by the stakes? I know a little about poker, and my understanding is that no-limit requires more skill and less luck than limit poker. Both require an understanding of the odds, but limit poker has much more to do with the cards you are dealt because there is less opportunity to bluff/read people. Is that correct?

Looks like the study the article refers to was done with no-limit hold 'em. My understanding is that it is considered the variant that requires the most skill and least luck. Is that correct?


No limit is more a game of skill than limit, but this doesn't change the overall picture.

In the short run, poker is 90% luck, 10% skill. The biggest idiot will still win if he gets 4 aces or a royal flush. I've seen terrible, terrible players sit down for an hour and come away a winner, based on their "Never fold, always raise at every opportunity" strategy.

In the long run, poker is 90% skill, 10% luck (and the percentage for skill would go even higher if the long run were truly long).

 
tsferg 2009-04-04 01:46:24 PM  
Is there any way we can get a law banning televised poker on the sports channels? Play all you want, just dont film it please.

 
tortilla burger 2009-04-04 01:51:01 PM  
I'd say that luck is a greater influence if only a few hands are played; the more hands you play continuously, the more skill is involved. However, I'd imagine there is some basal level of luck that never goes away, no matter how long you play. Sometimes, even though you play a hand completely legit, you still lose.

 
Kirby Muxloe 2009-04-04 01:51:48 PM  
Hey, I like the televised poker. Lots of people come in and decide they can play like Phil Hell-mouth. They bring money to the table, I bring it home (and beautiful women line up to have sex with me too).

In the long run, poker is a grind. They skip all the boring bits on TV. Even a small tournament will last most of a day (although for some of us it will last maybe an hour). I hadn't realized when I started how much of the game is "look at yer cards, muck them".
Poker is as much a game of endurance as skill or luck.

 
badhatharry 2009-04-04 01:52:15 PM  
Wrong_Intentions: Gamble -verb (used without object)
1. to play at any game of chance for money or other stakes.
2. to stake or risk money, or anything of value, on the outcome of something involving chance: to gamble on a toss of the dice.

This is the key factor in what gambling is, not skill vs. chance.


Both definitions mention chance. According to this definition horse racing, sports betting, billiards, etc. are not gambling since they are not completely chance. Unless you bet on horses like me.

 
AppleOptionEsc 2009-04-04 01:52:24 PM  
I would like to take the time to parrot what has allready been said. If you are betting money, or some other such thing, on a win/lose on yourself or others, it's gambling. If you use money, or something with high value, the the Govt officially calls it gambling.

And if this ruling of "skill" makes it illegal, then I would like to take this opportunity to laugh at those obnoxious poker players who take poker way to seriously.

HEHEHAHAHAHOHOHOHEBITIVEHAO.

/only obnoxious poker players would be upset at my comment.

 
Devoid 2009-04-04 01:55:04 PM  
I think my favorite hole cards are J-10s. Least favorite are either pocket 9s or AJ. They never work out.

Time before last at the casino I made enough for a digital camcorder and other yummies, so I'm getting a kick....

 
Sique 2009-04-04 01:55:25 PM  
Kirby Muxloe:
In the long run, poker is a grind. They skip all the boring bits on TV. Even a small tournament will last most of a day (although for some of us it will last maybe an hour). I hadn't realized when I started how much of the game is "look at yer cards, muck them".
Poker is as much a game of endurance as skill or luck.


That's the toughest part for me. I enjoy playing, but I can't do it hour after hour. I begin feeling impatient, push when I usually would not, and lose. I don't see how the professional players can continue doing it without going crazy.

 
Devoid 2009-04-04 01:57:36 PM  
AppleOptionEsc: And if this ruling of "skill" makes it illegal, then I would like to take this opportunity to laugh at those obnoxious poker players who take poker way to seriously.

I'm not upset, just want to clarify that it's already illegal (if it's not in a casino where they can make money off you), and ruling it a game of skill might swing it the other direction.

/TMYK

 
notyoucoach 2009-04-04 01:57:40 PM  
PocketPair: TripSixes: My favorite hole cards are subby's mom and grandmother.

Trite! Perdictable! All in!


THIS! Perdictably outtrited ya

 
The_Sponge [TotalFark] 2009-04-04 01:58:26 PM  
My advice to you guys:

If you're playing Texas Hold 'Em at The Orleans and a lady in a wheelchair pulls up to the table, it's time to leave.

 
Negligible 2009-04-04 02:02:30 PM  
The_Sponge: My advice to you guys:

If you're playing Texas Hold 'Em at The Orleans and a lady in a wheelchair pulls up to the table, it's time to leave.


Good. I'm not the only one.

 
blueknight 2009-04-04 02:02:54 PM  
i play poker all the time. ive played in the WSOP 5 times and have 3 cahes. having said that, tournament poker is 75% luck. the longer you are in the tourny, the luckier you have to get. blinds going up, antes, etc. now, i much prefer a cash game, where the luck is still a factor, but not nearly so much

 
2chris2 2009-04-04 02:02:55 PM  
Sique:

That's the toughest part for me. I enjoy playing, but I can't do it hour after hour. I begin feeling impatient, push when I usually would not, and lose. I don't see how the professional players can continue doing it without going crazy.


Play online, and play multiple tables at once.

There are people online who play as many as 12 tables at the same time. No time to get bored if you're doing that.

 
Noam Chimpsky 2009-04-04 02:04:41 PM  
PacersJAM3s: As someone who regularly wins money at the boat, let me say that in my opinion poker is about 75% skill and 25% luck.

Even if it was 99% luck and 1% skill, the guy with the most skill will own all the chips after thousands of hands.

I have a 13% ROI after 800+ sit and goes at Full Tilt and 15% ROI after 2000 sit and goes at Poker Stars. There probably isn't a string of 150 games within those thousands of games that gave me a negative ROI. Other players with similar ROI will tell you the same thing.

That should in itself statistcally prove that poker is not a game of luck.

 
kenryoku_one 2009-04-04 02:04:46 PM  
Wrong_Intentions: Gamble -verb (used without object)
1. to play at any game of chance for money or other stakes.
2. to stake or risk money, or anything of value, on the outcome of something involving chance: to gamble on a toss of the dice.

This is the key factor in what gambling is, not skill vs. chance.



Want to rethink that?

 
tenhigh 2009-04-04 02:08:22 PM  
Poker is for simple-minded, easily amused, gambling addicts.

 
Benevolent Misanthrope [TotalFark] 2009-04-04 02:08:40 PM  
If you put money on it, it's gambling. Jeez.

 
Midnight Rambler 2009-04-04 02:12:08 PM  
Benevolent Misanthrope: If you put money on it, it's gambling. Jeez.

So your mom's ass is gambling?

 
Sique 2009-04-04 02:12:16 PM  
2chris2: Sique:

That's the toughest part for me. I enjoy playing, but I can't do it hour after hour. I begin feeling impatient, push when I usually would not, and lose. I don't see how the professional players can continue doing it without going crazy.

Play online, and play multiple tables at once.

There are people online who play as many as 12 tables at the same time. No time to get bored if you're doing that.


That's a good suggestion, but they made it a Class C felony in my state to gamble online. I highly doubt they're going to come after a guy playing low limit tables but I'm not keen on finding out.

 
MikeFallopian 2009-04-04 02:13:31 PM  
Benevolent Misanthrope: If you put money on it, it's gambling. Jeez.

I'm pretty sure your mom's g-string isn't gambling.

 
CrispFlows 2009-04-04 02:13:45 PM  
PacersJAM3s: As someone who regularly wins money at the boat, let me say that in my opinion poker is about 75% skill and 25% luck.

I would say the skill involved doesn't have anything to do with poker per se, but rather having the ability to calculate probabilities instantly in relation to what cards you have and the cards on the table.


I find calculating probability statistics very relaxing and gaining money from that skill is just a perquisite.

 
Desmo 2009-04-04 02:17:32 PM  
Well, frankly I believe it is skill and not luck that decides the outcome of a poker game.
I can prove this because I cheat and I've won every poker game where I've cheated. That's skill, not chance.

 
JuicyJ 2009-04-04 02:20:09 PM  
It's gambling because you are gambling that your hand is better than your opponents. Yes, it takes skill to do that but it's kinda how sports betting takes skill or knowledge and not just random luck. Even blackjack takes some skills. I guess the only true gambling would be the lottery and slot machines.

 
Great Janitor 2009-04-04 02:20:41 PM  
www.notentirelystable.com

/it's all I've got on the subject

 
Displayed 50 of 91 comments

First | « | 1 | 2 | » | Last | Show all


[Continue Farking]