It's not a global scam, lmao most people play poker for entertainment purposes, not make $$.Hopeless Bastard said:
For instance someone with 800$ in chips in the big blind might call a 150$ pre-flop bet from the small blind (2000$ in chips) with a pair of deuces thinking it is a profitable move. He could hit a set of deuces on the flop, and fold otherwise.
However anybody who knows a little about texas hold 'em would obviously fold the deuces, because a pocket pair only hits 1 out of 8 times on the flop, making the max bet this player can call 100$ ( if there was no rake in this hypothetical situation.)
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For the most part knowing things such as how to bet big on a draw heavy flop so draws don't have the odds to continue. (Most the other goodies, implied odds, reverse implied odds, out-counting and calculating equities vs. a range of hands in your head at the table)... Is enough tools to outplay most opponents for a nice worthwhile profit.
When your beating people, making $$ because they make -Expected value mistakes I consider that skill.
The only reason I brought meta-game into the discussion to begin with is because you were asking about poker at its highest levels. My offer still stands.