--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Poker is a skill game pretending to be a…" description: "\"Poker is a skill game pretending to be a chance game.\" — James Altucher" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3e/james-altucher-1597_chance_poker-is-a-skill-game-pretending-to-be-a_1752384.png" --- # Poker is a skill game pretending to be a chance game. ![“Poker is a skill game pretending to be a chance game.” quote by James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3e/james-altucher-1597_chance_poker-is-a-skill-game-pretending-to-be-a_1752384.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3e/james-altucher-1597_chance_poker-is-a-skill-game-pretending-to-be-a_1752384.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3e/james-altucher-1597_chance_poker-is-a-skill-game-pretending-to-be-a_1752384.png) > “Poker is a skill game pretending to be a chance game.” [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Poker appears random but success depends on skill, strategy, and psychology, not luck. **In simple terms:** Poker is skill disguised as chance. Key Takeaway Focus on skill development. Themes strategy psychology skill risk gaming Mood analytical competitive Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - casual play - tournaments - online platforms - training sessions Key Concepts Game theory probability behavioral economics Questions to Reflect On - How do you separate skill from luck? - What habits improve decision making? A Different Perspective Skill can be undermined by variance and emotional tilt. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Chance Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance-game-1616734/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [Game Pretending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game-pretending-1616735/) [Poker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poker/) [Poker Skill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poker-skill-1616733/) [Pretending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretending/) [Pretending Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretending-chance-1616736/) [Skill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skill/) ## Related quotes > [Swallow your pride and be completely objective about your own poker skill level. Only then can you implement an effective betting strategy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-negreanu/swallow-your-pride-and-be-completely-objective-about-your-own-poker/) [Daniel Negreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-negreanu/) > [“The game is pretending. It's going through the motions of life. But it's not living. The game is for people who want rules because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-koenig/the-game-is-pretending-it-s-going-through-the-motions-of-life-but-it/) [Laird Koenig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-koenig/) > [Kept playing love like it was just a game, pretending to feel the same then turn around and leave again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maroon-5/kept-playing-love-like-it-was-just-a-game-pretending-to-feel-the-same/) [Maroon 5](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maroon-5/) > [Chance is the only game we play with. We let our battles choose us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/chance-is-the-only-game-we-play-with-we-let-our-battles-choose-us/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [If I do get a chance in a game, that's perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquill-griffin/if-i-do-get-a-chance-in-a-game-that-s-perfect/) [Shaquill Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquill-griffin/) > [If you want to be the best, you get that one chance in a game to put the ball in the net, you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ward-prowse/if-you-want-to-be-the-best-you-get-that-one-chance-in-a-game-to-put/) [James Ward-Prowse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ward-prowse/) > [Life is a weird game. The best thing about it is that you can design your own game. You can set your own goals.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/life-is-a-weird-game-the-best-thing-about-it-is-that-you-can-design/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [Usually, I'm a very positive guy. I try to think about the next chance, the next game, the next opportunity to play well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-muller/usually-i-m-a-very-positive-guy-i-try-to-think-about-the-next-chance/) [Thomas Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-muller/) > [Poker is a charismatic game. People who are larger than life play poker and make their living from playing games and hustling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/poker-is-a-charismatic-game-people-who-are-larger-than-life-play/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [As for poker, I've stayed away from that, even though when I was in Vegas for Ocean's Eleven, I would get accosted by these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/as-for-poker-i-ve-stayed-away-from-that-even-though-when-i-was-in/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [Just because you're sitting at a poker table with some guy doesn't give him the right to say whatever the hell he wants about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hellmuth/just-because-you-re-sitting-at-a-poker-table-with-some-guy-doesn-t/) [Phil Hellmuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hellmuth/) > [I am very driven. I work really hard, whether it's acting or my charity or even poker. When I focus on something I give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-elizabeth/i-am-very-driven-i-work-really-hard-whether-it-s-acting-or-my-charity/) [Shannon Elizabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-elizabeth/) > [“There's a rule that you really only want to play one level above your opponent,' explains poker professional Vanessa Rousso. 'If you play to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-christian-tom-griffiths/there-s-a-rule-that-you-really-only-want-to-play-one-level-above-your/) [Brian Christian, Tom Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-christian-tom-griffiths/) > [I like to play poker. I have a nice poker group that's been going on for years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-pascal/i-like-to-play-poker-i-have-a-nice-poker-group-that-s-been-going-on/) [Francine Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-pascal/) > [Exercise clears my brain of the stresses of poker's ups and downs, and allows me to re-focus my mind on the next day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hellmuth/exercise-clears-my-brain-of-the-stresses-of-poker-s-ups-and-downs-and/) [Phil Hellmuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hellmuth/) ## More by James Altucher > [Mistakes I've made in the past make me afraid to try new things in the future. I want to be perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/mistakes-i-ve-made-in-the-past-make-me-afraid-to-try-new-things-in/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [Take control of who you report to, what you do, what you create. Or start a business on the side. Deliver some value, any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/take-control-of-who-you-report-to-what-you-do-what-you-create-or/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“oxytocin is the “god hormone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/oxytocin-is-the-god-hormone/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“How do you get past this?” Diversification is everything. You get past “this” by having lots of “that”s.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/how-do-you-get-past-this-diversification-is-everything-you-get-past/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [The best speakers are the ones who have put 10,000 hours into listening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/the-best-speakers-are-the-ones-who-have-put-10-000-hours-into/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“Someone who is reinventing always has spare time. Part of reinvention is collecting little bits and pieces of time and carving them the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/someone-who-is-reinventing-always-has-spare-time-part-of-reinvention/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [America is a country of fighters. People who fought their way in and then continued fighting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/america-is-a-country-of-fighters-people-who-fought-their-way-in-and/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [I'm scammed almost every day. Or, if not scammed, at the very least someone tries to scam me. Usually more than once a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/i-m-scammed-almost-every-day-or-if-not-scammed-at-the-very-least/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [Honesty is about the scars. It's about the blemishes. But it's more than just bragging about failure, which could be a form of ego.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/honesty-is-about-the-scars-it-s-about-the-blemishes-but-it-s-more/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [Poker is a charismatic game. People who are larger than life play poker and make their living from playing games and hustling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/poker-is-a-charismatic-game-people-who-are-larger-than-life-play/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [Help is a conversation. If one side talks too much, the other side will get bored. So make sure you help back when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/help-is-a-conversation-if-one-side-talks-too-much-the-other-side-will/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“Finally, I started to care more about getting better than about winning. I started to study my losses. I would take my losses to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/finally-i-started-to-care-more-about-getting-better-than-about/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“g) Time it takes to reinvent yourself: five years. Here’s a description of the five years: Year One: You’re flailing and reading everything and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/g-time-it-takes-to-reinvent-yourself-five-years-here-s-a-description/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [I can tell you this: Everything in my life that I am happy about it is the product of a huge mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/i-can-tell-you-this-everything-in-my-life-that-i-am-happy-about-it-is/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [Be honest about mistakes. Even if you are afraid of what people think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/be-honest-about-mistakes-even-if-you-are-afraid-of-what-people-think/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) [Explore all 224 James Altucher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) ## More Chance quotes > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [I understand it's promotion, but no one ever gave me a chance. No one ever thought I'd be the champ, and look where I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stipe-miocic/i-understand-it-s-promotion-but-no-one-ever-gave-me-a-chance-no-one/) [Stipe Miocic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stipe-miocic/) > [I might, by chance, write something just as shoddy; But then I wouldn't show it to everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/i-might-by-chance-write-something-just-as-shoddy-but-then-i-wouldn-t/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I have heard that if you pull a bent breath through the second hole of a harmonica tuned to the key of Georgia while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-wakefield/i-have-heard-that-if-you-pull-a-bent-breath-through-the-second-hole/) [Buddy Wakefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-wakefield/) > [There are times when we can feel destiny close around us like a fist around a doorknob. Sure, we can resist. But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [Love changes people, for better or for worse. You could look at it as a chance for you to change. The best kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-changes-people-for-better-or-for-worse-you-could-look-at-it-as-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It's not who, it's when”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-taubas/it-s-not-who-it-s-when/) [Alejandro Taubas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-taubas/) > [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [I thought my first few jobs would just be off, off, off, off, off broadway. And by chance and how the world works, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-dorfman/i-thought-my-first-few-jobs-would-just-be-off-off-off-off-off/) [Tommy Dorfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-dorfman/) > [If you’re worrying about the past, you’ve got a good chance of screwing up the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-a-tullman/if-you-re-worrying-about-the-past-you-ve-got-a-good-chance-of/) [Howard A. Tullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-a-tullman/) > [To be successful, one must take chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-stargell/to-be-successful-one-must-take-chances/) [Willie Stargell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-stargell/) [Browse all 12,460 Chance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Poker is a skill game pretending to be a chance game.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Altucher" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/poker-is-a-skill-game-pretending-to-be-a-chance-game/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Chance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/poker-is-a-skill-game-pretending-to-be-a-chance-game/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3e/james-altucher-1597_chance_poker-is-a-skill-game-pretending-to-be-a_1752384.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3e/james-altucher-1597_chance_poker-is-a-skill-game-pretending-to-be-a_1752384.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3e/james-altucher-1597_chance_poker-is-a-skill-game-pretending-to-be-a_1752384.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Poker is a skill game pretending to be a chance game.” — James Altucher", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "James Altucher", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Poker is a skill game pretending...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/poker-is-a-skill-game-pretending-to-be-a-chance-game/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/poker-is-a-skill-game-pretending-to-be-a-chance-game/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```