poker and losers

[marcedo]

though there are a lot of good poker books nowadays, it is true that at least 80% of the poker players will lose their money.only 5% can make a living of poker.

that is what i dont understand. how is that possible with the knowledge which is written down, the dvd's, television programs?

is it because its a too complicated game for most of us, is it the emotional side of us who makes us lose or a combination of them?

2% is nothing. what do they have what most of us dont have??

[marcedo]

i mean 5% who can make a living from poker (instead of 2%)

[drj003]

I think it boils down to who has better situational awareness.

[drj003]

and the ability to act on superb situational awareness. And of course you have to know the game.

[NickMPK]

Poker is a zero-sum game (or, more accurately, a negative-sum game). I'm sure it's true that the skill level of the average poker player has increased as so many resources have become available. But no matter how good people get, there will always be winners and losers. And because of rake, there will always be a lot more losers than winners.

[Mason Malmuth]

[ QUOTE ]
it is true that at least 80% of the poker players will lose their money.only 5% can make a living of poker

[/ QUOTE ]

My estimate is that at least 70 percent of the regular players win. When I play it is very typical to be in a game where one player, usually a tourist, looses at a high rate that not only pays the rake but theorectically turns everyone else into a winner.

Bet wishes,
Mason

[Chomp]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
it is true that at least 80% of the poker players will lose their money.only 5% can make a living of poker

[/ QUOTE ]

My estimate is that at least 70 percent of the regular players win. When I play it is very typical to be in a game where one player, usually a tourist, looses at a high rate that not only pays the rake but theorectically turns everyone else into a winner.

Bet wishes,
Mason

[/ QUOTE ]


Wow. Never heard this POV on it before.

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi Chomp:

I constantly see statement like "Only 2 percent of the people who play poker win" and it's flat out wrong.

Best wishes,
Mason

[thehun69]

The answer is very simple. The winners work at it, and I mean really work at it. You are making a huge assumption that simply because there is a TON of knowledge out there that more people should be winning. The reality is people may be buying the books, watching the DVD's, but not reading or watching them all the way through or, more likely, properly applying the knowledge. There is a statistic that less than 10% of people who buy a book actually read past the first chapter. Just because there is a ton of information out there, on poker, or on anything, doesn't mean that people will be experts and know what to do with that knowledge.

There is no secret to success. There is only one magic rule: WORK HARD. That's it and that is the reason why there is so few people that can make a living. For the professionals, poker is not a hobby, or a diversion, or a way to make an extra buck, it is their livelihood, and they treat it with the seriousness as such. If they lose, they don't eat. It is that simple and because of that, they work their ass off. Whether it is studying past hands, discussing it with other professionals, coming to great boards like twoplustwo, working out computer simulations, and thinking about poker and how to improve their play constantly, and how to stay disciplined and focused, all of this for many many many hours a day. However, most people are not willing to put in that kind of time and that is why most can't play poker for a living.

THE HUN.

[lucky_mf]

[ QUOTE ]
Hi Chomp:

I constantly see statement like "Only 2 percent of the people who play poker win" and it's flat out wrong.

Best wishes,
Mason

[/ QUOTE ]

Thank You. I've been making this case and nobody every buys it. I think most losers like feeling like they are part of a big group and winners like feeling like elites.

Lucky