Poker - Luck vs. Skill from a different angle

[El_Hombre_Grande]

Boy did this thread go far afield. I think OP's original point was valid: that if poker is really skill, rather than luck, isn't it unusual that the very best in the world often have a very degenerate Lets GAAAMBOOOOL ! mentality, just like a family values politician who routinely enjoys the exquisite company of a whoore.

And 600 K is a lot of money to Negreanu. Not nearly as much as to me, but you can't blow it off by saying that its insignificant, like when it came out that Jordan was betting 20 K on a golf match. Negreanu I'm sure has plenty of money, but he does not have "Jordan money." 600 K matters. And that's my point. He is OK with, and can bet huge sums of money that are subject to huge swings of luck and still keep emotional and mental balance.

These guys can excel at a game of skill that has huge variance (READ: short term luck) precisely because they have mastered the skills of the game and in some weird and sick way enjoy riding through the variance.

Finally, don't forget that the first reason anyone is drawn to poker is the lure of huge, easy bucks. These guys are/ were no different. Its just that they were able to master the skills that it actually takes to excel. But there is at least a little gaambooler in any succesful poker player, even Lederer. Otherwise, they'd go crazy when the variance train leaves the building with half their stack.

And yeah, what the Hell does a prop bet have to do with Short Stack play? Please enlighten me.