[Skallagrim]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
does chance determine the result over 50% of the time? How about you mendacious, have over 50% of your results been the product of chance (the distribution of cards) or have most been determined by the actions of the players, yourself included?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not sure what this question means. Define "chance" and "results".

For a winning player, chance becomes less and less of a factor over time. A player who wins 1 BB/hr and has a standard deviation of 10 BB/hr will be ahead after 100 hours unless he is running at -1 SD or worse. After 400 hours, he will be ahead unless he is running at -2 SD or worse. Over time, he has to be more and more unlucky to lose.

[/ QUOTE ]

"chance" is the random distribution of the cards.
"results" are who wins and how much.

PS - sorry mendacious, I misread your post (it was late) I thought for once you were agreeing with me and I was, I should have known, wrong about that.

I think if you look at the majority of hands you will find that the players actions easily determine more results than chance. First, every hand that does not go to showdown was the result of player actions, not the cards (there is no rule that saye you HAVE to fold 2-7 or call/raise with A-A). Second, when hands do go to showdown, that is a choice of the players. Third, who is at the showdown is detemined by player decisions, not the cards. Fourth, even at the showdown the more skilled player will be in the advantage (he who has the best pre-river hand is there usually because his skills -math AND psychology- tell him he has that hand). And even at the showdown, the underdog only wins less than half the time because, of course, thats why he is the underdog! And finally, the amount of the win (especially significant in tournament poker) has been determined by the players, not the cards.

Refute that, you poker is more chance than skill believers!

Skallagrim