What's Luck Got to Do With It?

Luck plays a role in our lives every day, and some people know how to take advantage of their good fortune better than others.

We've all heard that saying, "You make your own breaks." I suppose we would agree with that to some degree. I relate it to my favourite quote regarding "luck." Hall of Fame golfer Gary Player once said, "The more I practice, the luckier I get."

The player that says "He lucked out" or "That was a lucky draw" does not fully understand the game of Texas Hold'em. While it is fashionable to say these things they rely on a perceived outside force that changed the cards dealt. As we know the cards cannot be changed so this is an incorrect assumption. With the thought of "luck" as an outside force playing havoc with the cards no one can beat the game in a long term struggle. In fact those that believe luck is a factor in the outcome of the game should never play the game. If one persons luck is stronger than another then the second can never win. If luck won't be on your side then why play. This player doesn't think in these terms though. The lucky player always believes, nay, has to believe, that luck will come his way. He knows that he will "luck out" often enough to stay in the game. This player will pay over and over to see the cards because the next one just might be the "lucky" one.

Meanwhile the skill full player will stay in a hand when is a mathematical favourite to win it , and instance after instance he will put his money into the pot when he thinks he has the edge, and if he is correct a high enough percentage of the time the mathematical difference between the player looking to get lucky and the player playing the odds will translate into poker winnings.