gamblind?

[jack spade23]

I got into an argument recently with someone who said that when im playing poker, im just gambling away my money (they werent criticizing my play, they just think all poker is gamblinI responded by showing them that the definition of gambling is " betting on a game of chance." I said that if you want to, you can read literature on it, learn more, and make educated decisions that make it not gambling. He still thinks its like blackjack or craps. What should i say to convince him otherwise?

[steamboatin]

Nothing, you can't win, He won't change his mind.

[ElSapo]

Poker is gambling. Believing anything else is deceiving yourself.

That said, better players have a long-term advantage over poorer players. Explaining this to someone, and having them really understand why, is also a long-term thing.

I wouldn't worry about it.

[Noo Yawk]

Poker is gambling. Period. If you get great at it, keep your emotions under control, and make good decisions about game selection, play, finances etc., you will have a small edge that will gain you a profit over time. But poker is now, and will always be gambling. Worrying about what others think will not change this.

[dfscott]

I most certainly is gambling, but that doesn't mean you can't make money at it. Every casino participates in gambling, and how many of them do you think are "gambling away their money"? Their edges are better and easier to see, but it's just on a different scale.

[27offsuit]

Either say

"You sir.....are a dumbass."

or

"Poker is a lot like golf. There are low-handicappers, and there are high-handicappers. Without the handicap system in place, a low-hadicapper will beat a high-handicapper literally every time. A high-handicapper may win a hole, but over 18 holes, the low-handicapper will win every time. Now apply this to poker and the fact that there is no handicapping system. The better player will win, virtually every time, in the long run."

BTW, I just came up with the above analogy last night. I think its pretty true across the board.

[Al Schoonmaker]

His reaction is very common, and it was the subject of my "Nobody understands us." It's at cardplayer.com. Click magazine, writers, and my name.
Regards,
Al

[Al Schoonmaker]

You wrote: "The better player will win, virtually every time, in the long run."

That statement is internally inconsistent. "The long term" does NOT mean "every time."

Incidentally, poker IS gambling. Read SSH by Miller, Sklansky, and Malmuth. However, it is not JUST gambling. There is a large skill element.

Regards,

Al

[cardcounter0]

Actually Poker is gambling, and it is almost like Blackjack.

[27offsuit]

Duly noted. Thanks Al.

Yes, poker is gambling. Totally agreed. But this is one of the few forms of gambling that will give you more positive odds of winning the better a player you are. Most other forms can have house odds attached, according to perfect play. Poker deals a lot more with the human aspect of the game, especially NLHE.

Respectfully,

27o