In the current online poker era, it seems like everyone is given a tag for the type of poker player they are. Players are either called amateurs, semi-pros, or pros. But what do each of these titles mean? Furthermore, what difference does it make between being a semi-pro and a pro? This article aims to shed some light on this area for those players that are unfamiliar with these frequently used tags.
An amateur player is generally regarded as someone that plays poker recreationally, and is more than likely a losing player. These players will sit down at the tables on the occasional evening for the entertainment they get from playing, hoping to get lucky and win some money. However, more often than not, they will be waking away from the tables with less than they started with. But this is not a problem for these players, as they are happy to lose a little bit of money here and there to ‘pay’ for the enjoyment they get from the game.
A professional poker player, or ‘pro’, is a player that relies on poker for their sole source of income. These players will sit down at the tables almost every day for hours on end to grind out their wage. Although this appears to be a very glamorous lifestyle, it is a very difficult one to live out, with the vast majority of players trying to turn pro failing after a few months. However, the rewards can be very high if you are able to sustain constant good play and can keep a cool head through the rough times.
A semi-pro therefore is a little bit in between these extremes. These players make a decent amount of money from poker, but they still keep their everyday job to pay for the majority of bills and living expenses. A semi pro will use their poker winnings to supplement their income, so it proves to be an extra bonus from time to time. In my opinion, a semi-pro is a player that earns 20% or more of their total income through playing poker.
The majority of players will either be amateurs or semi-pros, as it is incredibly difficult to be a professional poker player. Playing poker is the hard way to make easy money, and most players will not be able to cope with the big swings that come with playing cards for a living. An amateur however will not always be a losing player, as it is perfectly possible to be a winning player but only play for the entertainment from time to time.
