GTO LAB Podcast Ep 6: What Defines Amateurs and Pros in Poker?
For a lot of people, poker starts as a hobby. Maybe you’ve just retired, maybe the kids are out of the house, or maybe you’ve finally found the time and bankroll to play more seriously. Suddenly, the idea of not just “playing” poker but actually getting really good at it feels within reach.
Jonathan Jaffe recently put this exact question to High Stakes Pro Orpen Kisacikoglu on the GTO Lab Podcast: what advice would he give to the amateur who doesn’t want to grind 300 tournaments a year, but still wants to be respected as a tough opponent?
Forget the Labels of Amateur or Pro
The first thing Orpen made clear is that labels like “recreational,” “amateur,” or even “pro” don’t matter nearly as much as people think.
In my mind, there are just good players and bad players,” he said. “That’s true whether we’re talking about professionals or amateurs. Some pros are bad. Some amateurs are excellent. The labels don’t change that.
It’s refreshing, isn’t it? Too many players get hung up on titles. At the end of the day, your results and your approach to improvement matter far more than whether you’re technically a “pro.”
Another interesting point Orpen raised: the word professional doesn’t have to mean poker is your only source of income. Bobby Jones, one of the greatest golfers of the 20th century, was an amateur who regularly crushed the pros. He was passionate about golf, even during a time when athletes weren’t paid well.
For Orpen, professionalism is about how you treat the game, not how you pay your bills. If you study seriously, play with focus, and constantly try to improve, you’re acting like a pro whether or not you rely on poker to keep the lights on.
If this conversation sparked your curiosity, the full episode goes even deeper.
Orpen breaks down some of his toughest hands against Viktor Blom (yes, the legendary Isildur1) and shares more about how he thinks through high-pressure spots. And if you’re looking for something away from the felt, he even drops a couple of movie picks: Fight Club and The Beach.
Check out the full interview here on YouTube: