At what point did you realize that poker is more than luck?

[Ana_Rezende]

At first I discovered that it was all about knowing how to bluff and being lucky in the river. But over time I saw that it's math, reading, and discipline . And you? When did you realize that the game is much deeper?

 

[4rrowwhy.1207]

When I was around 12 years old watching wsop and saw someone win by bluffing the whole table.

 

[pentazepam]

When I saw what some idiots called me down with.

 

[Ana_Rezende]

BOUAAAAAAAAAAAA

 

[Ana_Rezende]

Myth kkkk

 

[hardongear]

I learned very young that most card games are a game of math and skill more then luck. I learned and played card games with my grandmother for nickels and dimes when I was a young kid(under 10 years old). I learned actually how much math and skill when I started readying my poker books. Sure there's luck involved too that was obvious from the start.

Cheers!!!

 

[ch1r4q]

I guess after I started watching pro plays.

 

[Acechador]

I had that same mindset early on bluff here, pray on the river. But the real shift came when I started reviewing hands and noticing patterns. That’s when I saw it: poker’s a long-term strategy game. Once I understood ranges, EV, and tilt control, luck became just a small piece of the puzzle.

 

[TulasMoreno]

At the time I saw pro players win and win tournaments and realize that’s not a coincidence.

 

[sandy358]

At first I discovered that it was all about knowing how to bluff and being lucky in the river. But over time I saw that it's math, reading, and discipline . And you? When did you realize that the game is much deeper?

IDK, I came to poker already just because of the fact that when you can understand the game mechanics you can get an edge. I just love strategic games that have a component of luck, especially the games of incomplete information.

 

[passat1600]

I realized that poker is not just luck, when I played almost all the hands in a row, after losing a couple of bankrolls, I realized that poker is about cunning, stealth, and calculating the odds, and a little bit of luck.

 

[roberto51]

I never thought so. I always believed that skill and strategy play a much bigger role in the game than the element of chance. Chris Moneymaker inspired me to take poker seriously. As a completely unknown player, he won the WSOP in 2003 ($2.5 million) for an investment of $86. He won not thanks to luck but thanks to his skills, which surprised many renowned players (Phil Ivey, Dan Harrington).

 

[Dushka]

At first I discovered that it was all about knowing how to bluff and being lucky in the river. But over time I saw that it's math, reading, and discipline . And you? When did you realize that the game is much deeper?

When I drained my bankroll 😁

 

[hajaehyun]

I always realize~ but I also realize that patience is lacking

 

[martinoni]

Always knew that... and after some years I can say that patience with studies are making me a profitable non professional player

 

[Cozmin]

Hello, after a long time 😂😂😂 and when I had enough patience to look in tournaments for the first 50-100 players who were in the money, not just at a specific tournament 😀

 

[1Unknown1]

When you fold AA

 

[infonazar]

At first I discovered that it was all about knowing how to bluff and being lucky in the river. But over time I saw that it's math, reading, and discipline . And you? When did you realize that the game is much deeper?

I realized this a few months after I started playing. And when I realized that, that's when I really got into the game, that's when I realized that I wanted to play poker regularly.

 

[Kenzie 96]

The first time I set down at a table with a decent poker player.

 

[dreamer13]

In the short term, luck plays a significant role in determining the outcome of individual hands. However, in the long term, poker is a game of skill, where success depends on the ability to make mathematically correct decisions.

 

[Fallenglory]

Back in the moneymaker era, when you saw the big poker broadcasts on TV with pro's like Phil Ivey and Chris Hanson bluffing whales off better hands.

 

[renisundernet]

Recently...very recently.

 

[Stringy]

I realise it anytime I lose with All in AA

 

[dzsire]

When you watch final table replays on YT, you can see that it's not always the stronger hand that wins (see bluff). The feeling of winning when you have nothing, while the other person could have won even they only had a low pair, is priceless.

 

[Mig32]

At first I discovered that it was all about knowing how to bluff and being lucky in the river. But over time I saw that it's math, reading, and discipline . And you? When did you realize that the game is much deeper?

I had a similar start — I used to think poker was all about catching good hands, pulling off the occasional bluff, and hoping the river would be kind. But the turning point for me was when I started learning about position, ranges, and pot odds. That’s when it clicked: this isn’t just a game of chance, it’s a mental battle that rewards study and discipline.

Now I see poker as a long-term strategy game where the edge comes from consistent decision-making, not luck. Every session is a lesson, and the more I learn, the more I realize how deep the game really is.