Pro Poker Players

Mad_Mike989 · Dec 16, 2007

I'm curious as to what you guys think makes a poker player a pro? I thought about it and came up with no determinative answer. I'm sure theres alot of different criteria but I'm not sure

KyleJRM · Dec 16, 2007

There's pretty much only one definition: their primary source of income is poker.

switch0723 · Dec 16, 2007

KyleJRM said:
There's pretty much only one definition: their primary source of income is poker.

close enough, basically if your job is poker, then you are a poker pro

Tobmeister · Dec 16, 2007

KyleJRM said:
There's pretty much only one definition: their primary source of income is poker.

true, but someone like Guy Laliberte does not get all of his income from poker, but he would still be considered a pro right? does ability or skill have anything to do with it?

chink44 · Dec 16, 2007

Toby Hambly said:
true, but someone like Guy Laliberte does not get all of his income from poker, but he would still be considered a pro right? does ability or skill have anything to do with it?

This guy sucks IMO. He gets lucky and plays way too much. Plus, hes a billionaire and doesnt get nearly as much money from poker as he does his company.

diamond_06_06 · Dec 17, 2007

Toby Hambly said:
true, but someone like Guy Laliberte does not get all of his income from poker, but he would still be considered a pro right? does ability or skill have anything to do with it?

What the dude above said. Guy Laliberte can hardly be called a pro. He is just an absurdly high rolled ammature. He has been very fortunate to beat 'life' for a huge amount of money, but I don't think he beats poker for much money (if any) at all.

aliengenius · Dec 17, 2007

KyleJRM said:
There's pretty much only one definition: their primary source of income is poker.

hey, I'm a pro!

rick32 · Dec 17, 2007

pros?

how is that the only way ur a pro i think a pro is someone who can win consistently no matter if its ur job or not if i play 4 times a week and make an average of $500 every week playing different people and different games and place in tournys on a regular basis wouldnt that meen i would be a pro where i play?????

switch0723 · Dec 17, 2007

aliengenius said:
hey, I'm a pro!

I think that sums it up, if your as good as AG then your a pro

K_Kahne_Fan · Dec 17, 2007

1. Consistantly Winning
2. Consistantly able to raise the stakes at which you win at

I would think you could be a "pro" @ $.01/$.02 tables, but that's probably not what you are calling a "pro"(?). So consistantly able to win and raise your stakes and continue winning would probably be what would make someone a pro.

I wouldn't think just having poker as your source of income would make you a pro. What if you have a 9to5, but then go to Vegas every weekend and are consistantly winning, and are able to raise the stakes every year or so. Or, you have a 9to5 but you go to 3 or 4 high stakes tournies each year and always place in the $$?

Also, once a pro, always a pro?

switch0723 · Dec 17, 2007

K_Kahne_Fan said:
Also, once a pro, always a pro?

Very interesting, dont think i can answer that

OzExorcist · Dec 17, 2007

K_Kahne_Fan said:
1. Consistantly Winning
2. Consistantly able to raise the stakes at which you win at

By this definition though, the likes of Doyle Brunson and Barry Greenstein aren't pros: they already play in the big game, so they've hit a ceiling and aren't consistently raising the stakes at which they win.

I think it's like a few other people have said: a professional is someone who makes their living playing poker. Note that this is different to someone who plays poker every day but has to regularly borrow money from others to pay their rent.

allndave · Dec 17, 2007

so if you work 9-5 and play on weekends = part time job or maybe semi pro?

OzExorcist · Dec 17, 2007

If you're consistently making a profit playing poker on the weekends (or online after work, or whatever) then I guess that'd be a good term for it, yeah.

By that definition then, I'm a semi-professional poker dealer

Steveg1976 · Dec 17, 2007

Mad_Mike989 said:
I'm curious as to what you guys think makes a poker player a pro? I thought about it and came up with no determinative answer. I'm sure theres alot of different criteria but I'm not sure

pro·fes·sion·al

/prəˈfɛʃ

ə

nl/Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[pruh-fesh-uh-nl]Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–adjective 1

following as a business an occupation ordinarily engaged in as a pastime: a professional golfer.

That sums it up for me. From Dictionary.com

Cheetah · Dec 17, 2007

If you can borrow $100k from your friends when you are broke, then you are a pro.

K_Kahne_Fan · Dec 17, 2007

OzExorcist said:
By this definition though, the likes of Doyle Brunson and Barry Greenstein aren't pros: they already play in the big game, so they've hit a ceiling and aren't consistently raising the stakes at which they win.

I think it's like a few other people have said: a professional is someone who makes their living playing poker. Note that this is different to someone who plays poker every day but has to regularly borrow money from others to pay their rent.

If you've hit a ceiling in the height of stakes... you're probably a pro. If you've hit that ceiling and are consistantly losing... you may not... or no longer be... a "pro".

But, Steve's definition looks good to me.

pantin007 · Dec 17, 2007

it does not matter if ur a winning or losing player
if u play poker to make some sort of money u ARE A PRO
if u have a job and that is ur primary source of income then U ARE NOT A PRO

K_Kahne_Fan · Dec 17, 2007

pantin007 said:
it does not matter if ur a winning or losing player
if u play poker to make some sort of money u ARE A PRO
if u have a job and that is ur primary source of income then U ARE NOT A PRO

So, if you have no other job, but are consistantly a losing player... you're a pro?

line 2 contradicts line 1. You have to average out as a winning player in order to make money, which means you would have to be a winning player.

smd173 · Dec 18, 2007

K_Kahne_Fan said:
If you've hit that ceiling and are consistantly losing... you may not... or no longer be... a "pro".

So we can take Mike Matusow off the list of pros then?

narizblanco · Dec 18, 2007

Pro's can also be big losers like Matasow and Gus hansen when they get paid appearance money to show up and get tournament entry fees staked. Book writers can also be pros even if they are not profitable players.

Tobmeister · Dec 18, 2007

chink44 said:
This guy sucks IMO. He gets lucky and plays way too much.

Watch High Stakes Poker series 4, he plays very well on that show. Plus he's not just been invited there because he's rich, GSN know that he's good.

Plus, hes a billionaire

how does this make him not a pro???

and doesnt get nearly as much money from poker as he does his company.

This is exactly my point, maybe someone can be a pro without getting all of their money from poker.

DP_Machine · Dec 18, 2007

OzExorcist said:
By that definition then, I'm a semi-professional poker dealer

Same here...but I don't deal in a casino, just at corp events and the occasional home/private game. Does that make me a semi-semi pro dealer?

What if you throw in as part of the definition:
If you win/make enough money playing poker to sustain yourself, devoid of any other forms of income then you're a pro. So if you make enough playing poker and then make more on the side, that would count as being a pro.

JRaD · Dec 18, 2007

My qualifications for a pro are a little rougher, I think if someone that makes 80% of their income from poker is a pro, but also cashes in about 75% of the tournies they enter. Like one of my favorite players is PearlJammer just cause it seems like he cashes in everything. Must be nice lol

aliengenius · Dec 18, 2007

JRaD said:
cashes in about 75% of the tournies they enter.

So there are NO poker pros?

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