When I mention to people I play poker, they normally bring up the same thing: luck. There's plenty of luck involved and it does affect you in the short run. Over a long period of time luck becomes statistical noise and should even out.
Last night was a prime example of luck! I decided to play in a $10 no-limit tournament. 890 players bought in. I finished 883rd!
How is that possible? Just one of those flukes of luck, I suppose.
Since that took all of a minute or so, I decided to play later. This time it was a smaller tournament with a $3 buy-in. 700 started - I finished 8th. That turned my $3 into $52 and change.
Of course the $10 I played earlier turned into $0. I'd like to think I was unlucky the first time and skillfull the second.
These tournaments are structured in such a way that the prizes rise in a non-linear fashion. At one point it looked like I'd be gone in 11th place. That would have paid $12 (as I remember). First paid over $500.
It would have been a shame to play four and a half hours (which is how long it took) to win $12... or lose my $3.
Speaking of luck, we have a nice forecast for our holiday travels! Rain, even wet snow. What fun.