Have to agree, there is definitely skill involved. As an example, I once raised pre-flop with 8-7 suited and got one caller. The flop came down A-K-3 and none of my suits. I had nothing, no pair, no draws. The other guy checked and I bet the pot. He thought for a while then folded. He showed his folded cards as 10-10. So was I lucky to win that hand?

I've also made some good reads on bluffs lately. I called a raise with 55 the other day. Flop was 3-3-2. He bet out, I called. Turn was a 6. He checked, I checked. River was a 2 (two pairs on board). Now he bet the pot. His betting patterns just didn't seem right. He was trying to say he hit the flop. His check on the turn suggested he didn't hit after all, then he was trying to make out he hit again on the river. His pre-flop raise made it easy to rule out hands with a 3 or 2 so I was sure he didn't have the full house. If he'd got an overpair, I'm fairly sure he would have bet the turn but he stopped dead. I was 90% certain he had AK or AQ and the flop bet was a continuation bet. I called and sure enough, he had AK. So was that luck?

There's no doubt you do need some luck. If you have KK v AA and it's down to the river with you both all-in and you need a King to win it, no amount of skill in the world can influence that river card. And if that miracle 2 outer does hit, there is no way anyone can claim it was skill. That is pure luck.

But there is certainly no doubt that a lot of skill is involved elsewhere. I wouldn't like to sit in a cash game with the likes of Negreanu and Phil Ivey. I don't think I'd last too long