[Degen]

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I agree with the general ideas about confidence and balls, etc etc.

But I also wanted to point out this scenario:

100k poker-players with an equal amount of skills and all of them played the same amount and all decided to take a 'shot' at the next level every once in awhile...and then maybe move up again if they are fortunate to succeed there...etc etc.
Well, you would likely have a handful of these 'equal strength' players catch the right cards at the perfect times and move their way up higher and higher.

I think that neverwin thinks on a level that is a step or two above most of us (or his opponents) but, you also have to consider that there is a great deal of luck involved.


Just like if you ran a simulation of the WSOP main-event 1 million times, you would have some nobody come from out of nowhere playing in his first live-event and win the thing just by being TOO aggressive and catching good cards at the right times.


But the topic of what makes this GREAT poker-players tick is an interesting one.
ggbman made a post of his success in poker (in the general forum). Here's an 18 year old kid who's been playing poker for a couple years and has had terrific success. He's articulate and seeme extremely mature in his approach to poker.

I think in cases like ggbman and neverwin and others it's not JUST a case of drive and studying and courage to push the big money around....there's also a very basic element that some people are simply smarter than others too.

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I think that MicroBob hit on it pretty clean here. It isn't that these players are so much better than the rest of us at birth. There is a ton of luck. Look at Greg Raymer. Sure he was a great player etc before, but he never would have had the year he had last year had it not been for his WSOP win. He is now a bonafide top tournament player and well respected by all. This would not be the case if he hadn't combined his skill (the same level of which was likely held by many in that same 2004 event) with a considerable amount of luck to win that ME. If others in that crowd would have won instead, possibly they would now have the backing and ability to be on his stage.

The same goes for online play. Many top internet players built their rolls through improbable large cashes. Look at ZeeJustin and his 6 figure cash, who knows what he'll be able to accomplish with a roll like that. If he had not had the cash, maybe the things to follow wouldn't have happened.

A big MTT win can be a huge confidence booster, networking opportunity and buffer to not need money and focus on poker. These things lead to further success. Without the requisite luck to get that first big cash, many players likely are not getting their big break.