[Jimbo]

[ QUOTE ]
Jimbo, poker is undeniably a game that involves BOTH Skill and Luck/Chance.

Your example of AK being beat by AK is countered by the hand where some one bluffs AK out of the pot with 2-7. How can you say luck/chance determined the outcome of that hand?

The key question is whether the luck or the skill is the more important factor. Some hands are decided by luck, some by skill. Same with the amount of the win. But if you really believe MOST results are the product of chance, why do you read these forums? What would be the point of trying to "improve your game" if it was mostly the result of chance anyway?

That is what makes poker different and what makes being a poker pro possible: MOST results in poker are the product of the player's actions, not simply the cards dealt. In my opinion, and in what should be the opinion of anyone who believes poker is entitled to be treated differently from slots and craps, games where the play of the players determine (for the most part) the outcome of the game, are NOT "gambling."

Skallagrim

[/ QUOTE ]

Skallagrim, I appreciate your passion for getting online poker legalized. That does not excuse you for attempting to put words in my mouth then using a strawman arguement in a very weak effort to discredit my position that poker is gambling.

As others have said you can call a dog a cat but that doesn't make it true. If JP was honest with himself both you and he would simply admit that poker is gambling period without any doubt, it has nothing at all to do with skill overcoming luck in the long run, it is by it's very nature and definition gambling.

Jimbo

To clarify some of the words you tried to put into my mouth; I believe in the very very long term skill overcomes luck in poker. I do not believe the majority of the poker players advocating clarifying the legality of online poker are more skillful than lucky.