Professional Poker Player Vs. Recreational Poker Player

Poker is the fastest growing card games in the online gaming industry, thanks to its increased popularity in recent years. It is a skill game which takes years to master, so poker players have to rely on their knowledge and experience to be a winning player. Did you know there exist two types of poker players who are like day and night in the poker world? These players are two different sides of the same coin and are classified as professional poker player and recreational poker player.

Professional poker players are the ones who play poker for a living, i.e., they earn a significant part of their income from playing poker games. These players are always critical of their own play and are always seeking to improve their game. Poker pros are proficient in a number of skills, name it and they own it – mathematical skills, problem-solving skills, logical reasoning skills, interpersonal skills, strategic skills and the list goes on. Furthermore, these players have a good understanding of the playing styles of their opponents and always follow a steady game plan while playing online poker. Professional players are like sportsperson as they follow an extreme mental discipline, and focus on long-term goals. Moreover, they do not overestimate their skill and play at high stakes level following proper bankroll management. Thanks to their emotional detachment from the game, they avoid recklessly chasing losses.

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Recreational poker players are the ones who play poker for fun and treat it as a leisure activity. These players usually focus on short-term goals, play shorter sessions but less frequently and keep the ball rolling with low stakes games. Unlike professional players, these players get very emotional while playing poker online which affects their ability to think logically. Recreational players love to enjoy a drink while playing poker and are more likely to take risks or chase losses because they find it exciting, and try to attempt to meet emotional and spiritual needs.

Here are the distinctions between the poker pros and recreational players:

  • Professional poker players engage in a multi-table online poker game – playing up to 8 games at a time while Recreational players only play one or two at the same time.
  • Professional players give very little information away while Recreational players are more likely, to be honest about their identity.
  • Professional poker players constantly want to improve, thus they are always reading about poker and learning more about the game/opponents. On the other hand, recreational players attribute more skill to their playing style.
  • Poker pros are more disciplined and play the game cautiously while Recreational players play poker under the influence of alcohol and hardly have control over their game.
Professional Poker Players Recreational Poker Players
Disciplined Act hastily
Logical Play Emotional play
Patient and Controlled Lack of control leads to Frustration
Accept a Loss and Move on Chase Losses
Play for Income Play for Entertainment
Goals are longstanding Goals are Short-Lived
Realistic Approach to Skill Overestimate Own Skill
Multi-Table Single or Max Two Table
Play Frequently, Longer Sessions Play Rarely, Shorter Sessions
Strive to Improve Think They Know Everything
Record Play Information Hardly Record Play Information
Good Bankroll Management Lose Track of Money In/Out
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