User blog comment:Fistful of Force/Winning is not random./@comment-5677953-20121220133149/@comment-69.119.114.73-20121221040149

The randomness is inherent even within the ELO system. The probability for a higher ranked player losing to a lowly ranked player is not nonzero, because of the many random circumstances. As stated above, there are so many variables, but controlling the ones possible is what makes you a better player. If one could actually control them all, then there would be no randomness, and then the game would actually be solely skill based. But that is impossible, because humans are also essentially fallible.