I think I have had just about enough of online poker players thinking they know everything about the game simply because it has become so popular and mainstream. I find a large proportion of poker players feel that a wealth of experience playing the game itself makes it ok for them to feel like they can tell everyone else at the table what to do all the time. People are having problems facing a bit of reality when it comes to the game of poker. Some people out there view poker and mastering the game a skill people can achieve by using a process similar to that of an athlete who plays baseball or football.

While it is true that practice makes perfect and that there is in fact an element of strategy in poker with the way players bet, a large portion of what determines the winner of a particular hand is luck and only luck. Not even two weeks ago, I was a participant in a poker tournament and called a player on a large bet. I had nothing but did not believe that my counter-part had much either. He ended up having a pair of Queens. I held King/Jack. Five cards and one King later on the last card drawn I was the winner and sent someone home packing who up to that point had been doing very well until one single card changed their fate.

I challenge anyone to convince me that poker is more about skill than pure luck. Poker is about taking risks not only on what we hope to draw but what we hope the other player doesn’t draw or more importantly does not hold in his/her hand. My original point was to make the point those players who constantly think they can tell other players at the table what to do or how to play because of their experience are out to lunch. Tell anyone that gives you a hard time that if they are so angry about the way you play, to please recommend which store to buy their crystal ball at.