Nice to see...

[BottlesOf]

Jim McManus, author of "Positively Fifth Street" has been in the money in at least two WSOP events so far, including the $5K LHE. Pretty impresive for an author who was a rank amateur a few years ago. Good for him.

[blackaces13]

Yeah but doesn't it sort of make you think that poker is largely based on luck when everyone is at a certain level and that getting to that certain level is fairly easily accomplished by anyone with above average intellect willing to put in the effort?

Makes me also feel that the famous pros are just the only people willing to make the crazy life of a high buy-in pro a reality.

Obviously this is overly simplistic and there is a skill difference even among the best. But MM is kicking ass in other tournaments as well and I feel that luck is a lot more of it than good players seem to admit.

[Paddy]

Most things are fairly easily accomplished by people with above average intellect who are willing to put forth the effort.

Most people don't, and/or aren't.

[Enon]

As Mcmanus has written in his book, before he entered the the 2000 WSOP where he came in 3rd, he had been an excellent high limit cash game player. It is not as if he was just an intelligent author who learned poker quickly.

[blackaces13]

[ QUOTE ]
Most things are fairly easily accomplished by people with above average intellect who are willing to put forth the effort.

Most people don't, and/or aren't.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd agree with you when it comes to just about anything except professional "sports". Granted poker isnt a sport per se but its a game and I don't think that most people could challenge Gary Kasparov after a year of playing chess. But MM beat Hellmuth, Chan, and all the rest of them.

[scotnt73]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Most things are fairly easily accomplished by people with above average intellect who are willing to put forth the effort.

Most people don't, and/or aren't.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd agree with you when it comes to just about anything except professional "sports". Granted poker isnt a sport per se but its a game and I don't think that most people could challenge Gary Kasparov after a year of playing chess. But MM beat Hellmuth, Chan, and all the rest of them.

[/ QUOTE ]
yes, but the beauty of holdem is that joe blow can beat chan every now and then and thats why joe blow is willing to pay money even though chan will beat him 75% or more of the time. if the better player won 99% of the time like in chess there would be no fish.
everyone remembers MM because he won. How many other no names didnt. Reminds me of golf-i can suck at it all day long but tomorrow ill be remembering that one beutiful shot i hit on the par 3 6th that landed 6 inches from the hole. i suck but for that 1 shot i felt like a golfer.