# Luck-what is it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 21, 2011, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/luck-what-is-it/586260 "2011-06-21T05:04:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/luck-what-is-it/586260/41 "2011-06-22T13:15:10Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > It’s a military maxim that’s carved into the laws of the universe. You can’t catch a break if you’re not present to receive the opportunity or lack the ability to pursue it. > > Preparation and opportunity make it so that no matter which of a dozen ways the situation decides to go, you win. And then the wind turns and friendly arty falls short. Whoops. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/luck-what-is-it/586260/42 "2011-06-22T13:20:22Z")
Yes, it depends on how we define luck. But personally, if I win the lottery I would call it “lucky” and at the same time a normal result of random chance. [slightly off-topic] I had a debate with a friend recently over whether there is luck in chess. Clearly there isn’t luck in the sense that a terrible player might beat a really good player just by having a lucky roll of the dice. But I think there is at least one kind of luck in the game. In any game there will be lots of unforeseen consequences (think about it – how does anyone lose at chess if not?). Those unforeseen consequences may be good or bad, though obviously will tend to even out over time. There is a similar relationship to luck in snooker / pool. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/luck-what-is-it/586260/43 "2011-06-22T13:28:52Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > Yes, it depends on how we define luck. > But personally, if I win the lottery I would call it “lucky” and at the same time a normal result of random chance. > > [slightly off-topic] > I had a debate with a friend recently over whether there is luck in chess. > Clearly there isn’t luck in the sense that a terrible player might beat a really good player just by having a lucky roll of the dice. > > But I think there is at least one kind of luck in the game. In any game there will be lots of unforeseen consequences (think about it – how does anyone lose at chess if not?). Those unforeseen consequences may be good or bad, though obviously will tend to even out over time. > > There is a similar relationship to luck in snooker / pool. You don’t really need a random element for “luck”, just an unknown element. I mean, if you can be lucky at rock-paper-scissors, you can be unlucky at chess. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/luck-what-is-it/586260/44 "2011-06-22T14:45:32Z")
I had an apportunity to work for a great company in NYC. I went to work totally prepared to do my job on September 11, 2001. But I stopped to talk to someone I know just happened to be outside the building, so I would have been late to work. Shit happens or does not happen, and it has nothing to do with luck. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/luck-what-is-it/586260/45 "2011-06-22T17:50:25Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > I had an apportunity to work for a great company in NYC. I went to work totally prepared to do my job on September 11, 2001. But I stopped to talk to someone I know just happened to be outside the building, so I would have been late to work. > > Shit happens or does not happen, and it has nothing to do with luck. If that shit is out of your control, then that IS luck. At least by my definition. Luck is not a supernatural or paranormal phenomenon. It’s just whatever good or bad happens to you in life that you can’t control. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/luck-what-is-it/586260.md?page=2)