Luck vs Skill in Poker – What Do You Believe? 🍀♠️

[Pitonealal]

Hi CardChat family! 🙌

I've been playing a lot lately, and the same idea keeps coming back to me: how much poker really needs skill, and how much is sheer luck? 🤔

We've all been there...

I have pocket aces and I'm losing to a crazy flash draw. 💔

Or make a risky bluff and watch it work perfectly, feeling like a genius. 😎


Sometimes cards seem to have their own destiny, and no matter how well you play, the variance will hit you in the face. Other times, when your predictions are accurate and the math backs you up, you realize that this game goes much deeper than just luck. 📊

I believe mastery always wins in the long run , but luck decides in the short term. This is why learning strategy, understanding ranges, and managing tilt are so important. After all, when luck runs out, only skill can save you. 🔥

So I wanted to ask you guys:
Do you think skill or luck are more important in poker?

Have you ever had a moment when you felt that luck was everything?

Or do you always believe that hard work and learning the game will eventually produce results?


I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts — let's have a meaningful discussion! 🚀

“In the short term, luck decides everything. In the long run, it's mastery.” 🃏​

 

[Mig32]

I have experienced that poker is a game where both luck and skill play important roles, but in the long run, skill always has the bigger impact. Luck can decide single hands or even whole tournaments, but consistent results only come from good decision-making, studying the game, and learning from mistakes. That’s why the best players keep winning over time, even though they also face bad beats like everyone else.
Of course, I’ve had plenty of moments where it felt like luck was everything—like losing with pocket aces against weaker hands or getting knocked out on the river. In those moments, it’s easy to think the game is just pure luck. But whenever I take a step back, I realize that the more I improve my strategy, the better I handle those swings. Hard work and learning don’t remove luck, but they make sure that in the long run I come out ahead.

 

[LiviuRo123]

I believe poker is a mix of both, but in the long run skill outweighs luck. Luck decides single hands, skill decides who wins over time.

 

[Kenzie 96]

What does it make. Luck is success or failure brought by chance RATHER THAN THROUGH ONE'S OWN ACTIONS. Focus on improving what you can. The harder one works & the more skilled one becomes the luckier one seems to be. Variance is real one can only mitigate it with skill & attitude.

 

[ammje]

One day a bad player may get lucky and win a tournament, but in the long run the player who studies, who strives to learn and improve, will earn more money than the bad player.

 

[enno]

With regard to a single hand it may take skill to push or call all-in, but it is definitely luck that determines the winner (with the exception being when holding the absolute nuts).