Poker Is a Skill Game
As always the debate rages on over the point that poker is a skill game rather than a game of chance. However, a study by Case Western Reserve University has given a new piece of ammunition to those arguing for the skill and strategy involved in being a successful poker player. The study is up for discussion at Pocket5’s and may prove helpful in the fight for players’ rights in the US.There were two separate parts to the study carried out. In the first study, two groups of players participated in a number of hands of poker. A portion of the group received instruction on basic poker strategy, while the control group received no instruction at all. The results of the study concluded that the group educated in the strategy basics of poker won significantly more hands than players who received no instruction.
In the second part of the study, the students were given various documents, with more intense strategy information. Players’ success increased after each bit of information was revealed, further supporting the idea that skill is involved in poker. According to the study, none of the players in either group showed any profit during their play, but the group receiving their instructions improved their losses and some got to a break-even point before the study was complete.
While the study was fairly small, the positive results in favor of the skill side of the argument may prove to have big effects. Having a published study proving the skill involved in the game can only further the cause for getting poker recognized and regulated in the US and other “banned” countries.
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