If poker is a skill, why do recreational players win tournaments?

[ZenonBR]

I believe that luck is an important factor in the game.

 

[Mag_P1e]

You have to pray that the weak players win something. After all, if the room consists of 90% regulars with software, GTO and solvers, you will quit poker in a month, I assure you. And of course, there is a twist from the room, because they need to give the fish a taste of victory in order to then take away a prize x3-4 from him, this is also no secret to anyone, I think.

 

[Goggelheimer]

I believe that luck is an important factor in the game.

That is one point.
The other is this category recreational player.
I think there are quite a few of recreational players that are spending a lot of time and dedication into poker studies.
So they know what they do in the game.
Saying this is a recreational player because you can't find information on sharkscope or any other database,
or you could not find out if this guy is multitabling (or playing only 4 tournaments due to legislation regulations) with 4+ tables and so on,
may only be the half-truth.
So my advice,
don't give too much on the saying this or that player is recreational from the guys that claim to be professional players.

 

[Poker Orifice]

I believe that luck is an important factor in the game.

Tell that to CDarwin

 

[Pokerpoet2]

The odds dictate that because you play with 52 different cards, Shuffled and cut, there is no logical way you can predict what cards are going to be dealt to you in any particular order. Unless you are a "Card mechanic" and dealing the cards yourself.
I recently watched a guy on Youtube who was, and he was registered blind, he lost his eyesight at a young age and trained himself to cheat at dealing cards, for entertainment, never using his talent to make money from playing Poker but he had an uncanny knack to deal whatever cards you asked for, If you asked for 2 Aces he would ask What suits you wanted, he was that good.
As On-line Poker has a computer that deals for you there is really very little chance of this happening. but Luck can hit anyone, I have seen some amazing outcomes from poker games, Players winning against all the odds because they have never played before, but Skill will undoubtably win more over time.
I tried teaching 2 Grandson's how to play Poker and the first game we played together they beat me, Now there is no way they won by being skillful players, as they had never played before, So Luck was the only way they won. However they Couldn't beat me in many more games we played together so Yes! Luck is a factor in playing Poker, But Skill will always outshine Luck.

 

[Debi]

Because skill is not the only factor. Nobody can predict the random outcome of the cards so there is also a luck factor involved. But pros win more tournaments than recreational players do.

 

[Sopt]

You can't look at a single game and draw conclusions from that to be honest. Skilled player will earn more in the long run. If you compare recreational player to a pro in the span of let's say 1000 tournaments, you will see that skill has a lot of effect on actual results. Getting lucky and run really good in a single tournament happens all the time. It can happen to me today and to you tomorrow, but a pro would outplay both of us 9 out of 10 times if we play that many tournaments together.

 

[serj537]

Nobody canceled Fortune

 

[LaNimmer]

I am sure there are many players who consider themselves recreational players but are very skillful. Not every non professional player is a fish. Not everybody wishes to be a poker pro.

 

[AndyFio]

Of course, poker is not only about skill, luck also plays a large part, but the more skill you have, the more it neutralizes the luck factor in the long run.
A strong argument that luck plays a significant part in poker is Moneymaker's victory at the World Championship.

 

[fernandofcp]

Recreational players win tournaments because they also study poker. Not everyone wins, but those who study win. Training is mental intelligence and intelligence. Neurons were made to be exercised and even playing poker recreationally it is possible to train logical reasoning. Training and repetition make perfect in any sport and poker is a mental sport.

 

[NDRWTRLGC]

because of a thing called short term variance

 

[G0930]

I am sure there are many players who consider themselves recreational players but are very skillful. Not every non professional player is a fish. Not everybody wishes to be a poker pro.

Everyone who isn't a poker pro should consider themselves recreational players....cause we all are

 

[CataRouillet]

When we talk about recreational players winning tournaments, we are talking about micro tournaments. If you start looking at High Stakes tournaments, most of them, and if not all, are won by professionals.
In micro tournaments it makes sense because they play too recreationally, so it's normal for them to win too.

 

[G0930]

If you start looking at High Stakes tournaments, most of them, and if not all, are won by professionals.

Many certainly. But also many examples of recreational players cashing big

 

[ShaDoWGuarD]

Amateur players don't win tournaments as often as professionals. Poker is designed in such a way that every player at the beginning of the tournament has a chance to win it, just someone more, someone less. An amateur usually relies more on luck and sometimes gets lucky and ranks high, but this happens less often than a professional who, in turn, relies on his knowledge. After all, professionals also win tournaments, and they manage to do it more often than amateurs.

 

[ZenonBR]

Because skill is not the only factor. Nobody can predict the random outcome of the cards so there is also a luck factor involved. But pros win more tournaments than recreational players do.

Yes, that's what I think too, luck has its relevance, there are many studies to have the best level of assertiveness, which helps a lot to increase the winning potential, but luck will always play some tricks, and that's what makes the interesting game.

 

[Goggelheimer]

Everyone who isn't a poker pro should consider themselves recreational players....cause we all are
View attachment 346410

Nice dictionary explanation.
I consider some peeps here are at least semi pro's. Selling shares is a business habit, and I think those people that advertise their shares on GG Poker don't play only for pleasure.
The borders between recreational and pro are not fixed into a stone basement.
But I see it as a general problem with doing things into drawers, or better said, categorizing.

 

[Nintendo]

Sometimes it is just that persons day where the luck finds them. Good players overall due better in the long run. But the luck factor anyone can win a tournament eventually.

 

[Zorba]

If poker is a skill, why do recreational players win tournaments?​

Simple, many recreational poker players have skills.

What makes you think rec players don't have skills??

 

[amonlima]

This is a limiting belief! Bad players will never be profitable! What happens is that they take a sequence of forming good games and get a good result. However, they can win a tournament, but lose 500.

 

[ZenonBR]

Simple, many recreational poker players have skills.

What makes you think rec players don't have skills??

Yes now I understand, thank you.

 

[romerim]

Over time, skill wins over luck.

 

[Peteski84]

Luck being the main factor above all no matter how skillful you are you are nothing in front of luck.
At the end of the day your cards coming out is down to luck not skill, as you have no control over the pack.
When 4,9 off suit call and beat A,A in hand, it proves it.

 

[MK_]

I mean even a broken clock is right twice a day... look at final tables and tell me if you don't see the same names over and over, there's a reason for that👍