definition of a poker pro

[Bob L]

After skimming through some posts below ,I was wondering what most people consider a professional poker player.Is it the player who has his only source of income comes from playing poker?Would the player who has a regular job and plays poker in his free time -yet who plays better than most -not be considered a professional?Maybe to be considered a pro you have to have the extra stress of not having nothing to fall back on the month or 2 when you run as bad as it gets?Ive always wondered about this.I always thought that if someone was a "professional" -they should act professional at the table ie-not belittleing players ,keeping atmosphoere comfortable for those fish who pay his bills etc. Yet you see many top notch players having temper tantrums,swearing,etc(helmouth and many others live and online)Could someone play real bad -but play in a game against way worse players than him - -do this everyday and nothing else, -making money -is he a professional?
Id like to hear others opinions.

[daryn]

a professional is one that makes playing poker his profession

[Losing all]

I thought some brain child told us that in order to be a true pro one had to earn 90+K a year playing 400-20,000 or something groovy like that. I can't remember who it was, but that dude was cool, way cool.

[MicroBob]

"I always thought that if someone was a "professional" -they should act professional"


this standard certainly doesn't apply for many "professional" athletes. actually, it doesn't apply for many in other professions as well.




poker is my current 'profession'. therefore i am a professional, even though i suck and am not making a whole bunch and am just starting out.


amount of money made should not be an issue....
many minor-league professional baseball players make $1500/mth or even less. but absolutely do not ask them if they ever 'dream about making it to the pros' because ALL minor-league baseball players get offended by such remarks. they are already in the PROS (they are getting paid).

it would be more appropriate to ask if they 'dream about making it to the Major Leagues'.


some have argued that only the top WPT-type dudes should consider themselves professionals but i obviously disagree.
maybe they can be considered 'Tour Professionals' or maybe there should be a title for 'High Stakes Pros'.

there is obviously a difference between me (4 tables of 2/4 on Party) and Phil Ivey (something like 500/1000 stud at the Bellagio).
that doesn't mean that my poker playing is any less of a profession for me.....it DOES mean that Phil Ivey plays significantly higher stakes than me and is a much better player than me.

[Non_Comformist]

Speaking for myself I recently started playing full time however I don't consider myself a "pro." The difference in my mind is that I have not actually supported myself with poker winnings. So in my mind the is a establised record that with being pro as oppossed to full time

[Vehn]

My profile bio explains it all.

[MS Sunshine]

"Could someone play real bad -but play in a game against way worse players than him - -do this everyday and nothing else, -making money -is he a professional?"

God, I hope so for my sake.

MS Sunshine

[Sincere]

[ QUOTE ]
I was wondering what most people consider a professional poker player

[/ QUOTE ]

If you're unemployed and you play poker, then you are a Pro. Thats all it takes. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[goodguy_1]

If you consistently pay all your monthly expenses from poker playing-you are a pro.

If poker is your sole source of income and you make enough to sustain your livelihood whether that be a $1000 monthly nut or a $10,000 monthly nut-you are pro.

There should be some qualifier here for required amount of time..because poor players can run well for extended periods of time.I'd say if you are doing the above for a year or more(maybe 6 months)-you are a pro.

[MicroBob]

"$1000 monthly nut or a $10,000 monthly nut"


what is the derivation of this term??
i've seen the word 'nut' tossed around a little bit....but don't think i had heard it before.