[orangeeater]

> by definition, better players take better decisions Ev average.

My experience has been that, in everything with a competitive aspect, there is a phenomenon where suboptimal choices become optimal because they are unexpected.

Chess, war, video games, sports, everything. As you point out, in the long run, the better player comes out ahead. That's what "being better" means. But the long run isn't always what counts. Sometimes two competitors are going to meet exactly once or the situation is going to be "winner takes all".