Gambling or Poker?

[Butcho22]

You say the post is foolish? You know what's funny about this? 4 different people have replied so far....I bet at least 3/4 of you are losing players.

Now MAYBE you three are the exception....if so, fine. But you probably know the number of players that actually turn a profit are EXTREMELY low....making my post exactly the opposite of foolish

[vikefan24]

By the title I thought you meant if you only had $200 left and you had to either play poker or gamble on table games/sports what would you do.. THAT would have been a good question, yours just confused me.

[headturner1]

youre right, i am a losing player. i am actually losing right now as a matter of fact.

albeit, your post is still confusing.

[d-baggery]

I am not a losing player, I will destroy you if you need proof.

[headturner1]

[ QUOTE ]
I am not a losing player, I will destroy you if you need proof.

[/ QUOTE ]

yes, yes, YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111111111

an e-pissing contest!!!!

i would like to see this destroying.

[Fabian]

Some (harsh) considerations for you Butcho,

You've stated what everyone (except perhaps new posters like yourself) here already knows and talks about daily. Do note that "knows" doesn't necessarily mean "follows".

Second, poker is gambling. Yes we have all read the long run speeches (except perhaps new posters like yourself), but it does not change the nature of the game. Ask yourself the following question: Are you guaranteed to always be a winning player? Do note that a guarantee is not the same thing as a 95% shot, nor the same thing as a 99.9% shot or any other number. Also, even while playing winning poker there are no guarantees to finish above zero after you've been playing your whole life. That's the nature of the game and that's why it's gambling.

"So you're trying to say that all professionals realize that poker is gambling but nothing more?" Yep. There you go. There's some interesting and scaring stuff about standard deviation and the nature of downswings/losses on this forum. Make sure to read it when you come across it.

Also, another reason you didn't get the responses you wanted is because besides just stating the obvious you also didn't ask any questions or encourage any discussion. Also, you were very quick to turn into a douchebag in your replies. Not always a good strategy.

Hope this helps.

[headturner1]

some real sane words from fabian here for you OP.

you should call him a douchebag too.

simply put, POKER IS GAMBLING!!!!!!

[OrangeKing]

[ QUOTE ]
simply put, POKER IS GAMBLING!!!!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

I think the OP might have the misconception that gambling with a positive EV isn't gambling because you have an expectation to win in the long run. Which, of course, he's wrong about. We're still wagering on uncertain outcomes...we're just betting with the best of it.

[Butcho22]

My entire point of the post was to say that I think there are many more winning players out there who are losing so far overall.

When I say poker is not gambling, I look at it like this....

Poker is a game that some play for a living. Nobody plays craps, slots or other actual casino games for as a career. So if Chip Reese has made his living playing poker for over thirty years; how can you call that gambling?

I would agree that for most it is gambling. For a good player to allow for variance, and actually figure out they are a winning player, they must have a proper bankroll. Most likely there is a large group of players out there, who if they had better patience, would be on the plus side of the balance sheet.

Also, sorry if I sounded like a dick, I realize this post is pretty weak, but I was bored as hell so.....

[headturner1]

[ QUOTE ]
Nobody plays craps, slots or other actual casino games for as a career.

[/ QUOTE ]

not to beat a dead horse here, but i dont know about that. something tells me that there are people who play blackjack as a career, isnt that what raymer did when he was in college, or some such thing?

doesnt sklansky have a book on gambling for a living? i havent looked at it, but i am sure this covers all forms of gambling.