At what point are you just a gambler?

[Aequitas58]

I read TP's thread about the new game he tried. There are others on this forum who specialize in certain games... Geoff w/ omaha, most w/ NLHE, Shabi & Tone w/ LHE, etc.

Most poker players argue that playing poker is more than just gambling, and I think this is true for the area the specialize in. There are situations where you have +EV, and the better players can not only take advantage of those situations, but make lots of money doing so.

But, what happens when you play a game you're not "completely" familiar with? Razz, Triple Low Ball, 7cs, Omaha, etc. Are we just gamblers after all?

I started playing LHE and now primarily play NLHE with success. I will play 7cs8b, but I won't venture past that for the simple reason of unfamiliarity. (Is that a word?) Although I don't consider playing HE gambling, I would consider it gambling if I played another variation - especially w/ no background and no experience.

Maybe I'm just rambling. Any thoughts?