College Paper... Poker: Luck or Skill

I am writing a paper for my english class, a persuasive research paper debating whether or not Poker is luck or skill. I believe it to be a combination of both, but I would like your opinions considering you are all much smarter than myself. Could to give me some factors that help prove how poker is more luck or skill based. All help is greatly appreciated. Thanks [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Shilly]

Short run = Skill + luck
Long run = Skill

I completely agree. Could you expand on this however? How can I turn this 2 phrase statement into a 3 page paper?

[Shilly]

I don't know if you'll be able to do that.

Perhaps you could explain the concept of EV, and show how plays with a positive expectation will win money in the long run. Or, include an anecdote about a new player that won a ton of money right away but then donked it off because he had initially just been really lucky.

However, I can't imagine how this will make an interesting paper that isn't incredibly fudgy.

Well I believe I will start the paper explaining poker, and some aspects of it(bluffing, etc). Explain EV, and the long term results for +EV calls, and longterm effects of -EV calls. I will give some examples of how other skills such as bluffing, reading a player, noticing patterns, ability to adjust to different styles of play, etc(aside from just +EV and -EV plays)play a large role in poker. Does this sound like a good start?

[SNOWBALL138]

I recommend using no limit hold em as an example. You can talk about numerous situations where a player can get extremely lucky, but still not extract the maximum value from his lucky hand.

I believe that would be the easiest example of luck vs skill I could post. Good call

[gildwulf]

This can honestly be explained in two paragraphs. The first paragraph talks about EV using a coinflip as an example. The second paragraph talks about poker odds and explains how making continually +EV decisions in the long run (i.e. playing a TAG style and using table selection) will lead to profit. Paper done.

Also, what college has 3 page papers and lets you write about poker?

Xavier University, Freshman Composition with a buffoon of a teacher.

[Bekele]

You could expand it into tourneys (luck playing a bigger factor) vs. cash games (skill bigger factor). Just a thought since it needs to be 3 pages. Honestly I don't see how it wouldn't be at least that long.