What's A Fish In Poker

Calling all the way. If you're not quite sure what to do, the easy option is to follow someone else's. The definition of a poker fish is a below average poker player, who knows how to play but has a mediocre or at best average skill level. All beginning players start as fish as poker talent cannot be gained. Facing a pot sized bet from a fish can be a difficult spot to play. We are often faced with a big decision with a limited amount of information, and their range is outright impossible to predict. Now, you don't necessarily need to study a bunch of advanced poker.

1. An unskilled player, often one who plays extremely loosely, yet passively. The old poker adage from the popular movie Rounders claims, 'If you can't spot the sucker within the first half hour at the table, then you are the sucker.' In this case, the 'sucker' is the 'fish.'
2. A donkey.

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Origin

A fish is not generally considered the most analytical of creatures, hence the basic reason why poor players are referred to as fish. The term also stems from the act of fishing. Just as fishing enthusiast casts a line into the water in to see if he can catch a fish, so does a poor player cast chips into the pot, hoping to catch a card.

Popular Uses

'All ya'll are a bunch 'o fishes if ya call without holdin' the nuts!' -Tight-passive old guy from Oklahoma who likes to play with a toothpick in his mouth

Hooks (pair of Jacks) are for fish. You've got to flop 'em, fold 'em, or fornicate 'em. -Johnny Moss

You Should Also Know...

One of the biggest pet peeves of solid poker players is when a know-it-all player berates a fish for a poor play. The fear is that this will either drive that player, and thus his money, from the table, or enlighten the fish to the error of his ways and put him on the road to becoming a good player. The line that people use to inform each other not to berate fish is 'don't tap the glass,' a reference to an aquarium.

Related Terms

vietcong01, stevesbets, Guy Laliberte, Robert Varkonyi, Eric Morris, Donkey, Calling Station, Shark

Poker Shark

The poker world loves using animals as a way of categorizing players. I’ve written articles in the past on donkeys and nits, and now I’m concentrating on sharks. A shark is the one creature you should aspire to be. They are predators, attacking their prey and top of the food chain. If a fish is a weak player, a beta, then a poker shark is surely the alpha. In this article, we will look at what a shark is, how to become one and more importantly, how to remain one.

Beginner Texas Hold’em Question

What is a Poker Shark?

A shark is a term used to describe an excellent poker player. A shark is a winning poker player that dominate the opposition. They will strategize, plan, hand read, bluff well, use math and play aggressively to win money and tournament chips. Like a shark in the sea, they will exercise patience, circle their prey and know the exact time to strike. At the poker table, this might mean waiting patiently for 2 hours to bust their opponent. A shark is to be feared and respected.

How to Become a Shark

It’s impossible to become a shark poker player upon starting the game. Like the world we live in, one must evolve to become a shark. You need to acquire lots of different skills to become a shark.

It’s worth noting that being a winner doesn’t necessarily make you a shark. You’ve heard the expression “big fish in a small pond”. This true in the poker world. After all, a table with 9 fishes will have someone winning. That doesn’t mean they are the shark. They are simply the best fish of the lot. Put that fish in with larger, dangerous predators and they will be eaten up and spat out with little effort.

To become a shark, one must become proficient in the skills below:

1. Poker Math

2. Hand Reading

3. Bluffing

4. Bet Sizing

5. Emotional Control

7. Value Betting

8. Hand Selection

9. Table Awareness

10. Patience

11. Bankroll Management

12. Game Selection

As you can see, there are at least 12 skills required to becoming a shark. In certain games, you can skirt by and win by having just a few of the skills above. But how far will that take you? If you are keen to become a shark and to develop the skills, it’s not over. One must maintain that level…

What Is A Fish In Poker

Staying a Shark

As previously stated, poker is like evolution. The only difference is, once you reach a level, it’s entirely possible to go back. It’s logical that if you stand still and others evolve and improve, you are essentially going back. If you’re going back and others are going forward, sooner or later you will get overtaken.

Complacency is a challenge that all poker sharks must deal with. It doesn’t take much for it to set in, hand selection to widen too much, bluffing attempts to be too frequent or an arrogant approach to game selection.

What's A Fish In Poker Game

To avoid this happening to you, I recommend something that most professional fields advise – continued professional development (CPD). This is something professions such as accountancy insist upon in order to maintain current level of knowledge. You can do likewise by dedicating time to self-improvement. You could try reading poker books, using poker training services, investing in new poker software or following the best poker blogs. Whatever method you try is up to you, but if it keeps you a shark, then surely, it’s worth it?