What is a semi professional player?

[Dingdell]

I was watching a poker programme this week that described one of the players as semi professional.

I've heard this term bandied about and Im not really sure what constitutes a semi professional poker player.

My understanding of some of the categories are:

Social player =enjoys playing poker but doesn't take it too seriously and enjoys the banter around the table too and meeting up with other players. May play a few times a week = me for example

Professional player = relies on poker for income and is very focused on winning. Plays all the time. Sometimes sponsored. Roland De Wolf for example.

Celebrity player = enjoys the game, can be good at it, has another decent income and often gets paid to enter comps or has their buy in paid for them to promote a sponsor or event. Teddy Sherringham for example.

Semi professional = not sure.

Any thoughts?

[jezza777]

I would say that it is someone who plays the game in their spare time and has other sources of income but takes the game seriously and is a winner at it.

[AndrewT]

I think they probably mean that a professional player only plays poker for income, whereas a semi-pro does something else as well (maybe has a job in the day and plays in the evening).

I know I've heard Vicky Coren say that she thinks there's no such thing as a professional poker player (not live, anyway), there are simply people who make enough money from their hobby that they don't have to get a job.

[RED-DOG]

I think that anyone who derives a significant portion, but not the majority of their income from playing poker is a semi-pro. i.e. tikay.

[matt674]

I think they probably mean that a professional player only plays poker for income, whereas a semi-pro does something else as well (maybe has a job in the day and plays in the evening).

I'd go with this but add also that the income made thru playing poker at least matches or is more than the income made thru other means.

[Dingdell]

I think they probably mean that a professional player only plays poker for income, whereas a semi-pro does something else as well (maybe has a job in the day and plays in the evening).
I know I've heard Vicky Coren say that she thinks there's no such thing as a professional poker player (not live, anyway), there are simply people who make enough money from their hobby that they don't have to get a job.

How is that different from a social player then?

You may not have seen red shirt at Luton but you may have seen him referred to on threads - and I wouldn't describe him as a semi pro - not because of his standard of play because professionals can play badly sometimes - but because he seems more like a social player.

Not sure of that makes sense but there must be an ingredient I haven't identified that makes someone semi pro?

[matt674]

Not sure of that makes sense but there must be an ingredient I haven't identified that makes someone semi pro?

I'd go with this but add also that the income made thru playing poker at least matches or is more than the income made thru other means.

[AndrewT]

I think they probably mean that a professional player only plays poker for income, whereas a semi-pro does something else as well (maybe has a job in the day and plays in the evening).
I know I've heard Vicky Coren say that she thinks there's no such thing as a professional poker player (not live, anyway), there are simply people who make enough money from their hobby that they don't have to get a job.

How is that different from a social player then?

It isn't - I would say a lot of these terms are misnomers. You're always playing poker for money - some people make enough money that they don't have to get a proper job. Someone could be a 'social player' in that they spend a few hours in a casino a few times a week just to pass the time. However, they might be good enough that they win enough money so that they don't have to work during the day - do they suddenly stop being a social player?

[AdamM]

first thing I'd say is it's impossible to catagorise players in these terms. I've yet to meet two with the same circumstances.

most 'pro' players I know have another source of income. I would think very very few people make their income solely from poker. that means most people who say they're pro are actually semi-pro as they rely on poker as part of their income, but not all of it .

[Dingdell]

first thing I'd say is it's impossible to catagorise players in these terms. I've yet to meet two with the same circumstances.

most 'pro' players I know have another source of income. I would think very very few people make their income solely from poker. that means most people who say they're pro are actually semi-pro as they rely on poker as part of their income, but not all of it .

Interesting opinion - so we should be able to easily spot the real pro players. People like Daniel Negraneau etc? Does that mean that in the Uk we are behind as far as actual pro players are concerned? Who would be our professional players?

[HOLDorFOLD]

Would a semi pro declare his winnings as part of income on a tax return?

[Sugardaddy]

A professional is someone who is very very very good at something.

For me a professional player is someone whos just very damn good at it and is a long term winning player. You can be a professional player at 0.01/0.02 tables thus not making an income but still being a winning player for example

A semi-pro would be someone who is largly a winning player but doesnt spend as much time playing poker as he does other things in life. So with priorities in a different order for example.

All blondes are at least semi-pro's in my opinion taking the game seriously, playing it seriously... and usually good at it

[badhaircut]

I would argue that there is no such thing as a proffesional poker player.  If you are a proffesional surely tax has to be paid to society.  So i'd argue that term semi pro is pointless as pro is incorect as I would think that if you are professional you should definately play tax as you are unlikely to be paying any tax to the governemnt.  Semi pro could be seen as a profitable high voume player who isn't famous

[Jon MW]

I would argue that there is no such thing as a proffesional poker player.  If you are a proffesional surely tax has to be paid to society.  So i'd argue that term semi pro is pointless as pro is incorect as I would think that if you are professional you should definately play tax as you are unlikely to be paying any tax to the governemnt.  Semi pro could be seen as a profitable high voume player who isn't famous

I don't think paying tax is a good definition of a professional.

After all income tax hasn't been around as long as doctors and lawyers (and shopkeepers, tailors, cobblers...)  have - did they only become professionals after they started paying income tax.

[AndrewT]

I would argue that there is no such thing as a proffesional poker player.  If you are a proffesional surely tax has to be paid to society.  So i'd argue that term semi pro is pointless as pro is incorect as I would think that if you are professional you should definately play tax as you are unlikely to be paying any tax to the governemnt.  Semi pro could be seen as a profitable high voume player who isn't famous

Professional poker players do pay tax - they simply pay it at a rate of 0%.