High Roller is a poker term with two related meanings. Firstly, high rollers are online and offline poker tournaments that provide large entry fees. Secondly, high rollers are players who participate in such tournaments and can also afford to play at high limits in cash games.
At such limits in poker for money, bets can reach hundreds and thousands of dollars, and therefore, to participate in such games, high rollers need to have a very large bankroll.
Types of high rollers in poker
There are mainly two types of high rollers in online poker: amateurs and professionals. Amateurs are the so-called recreational players: businessmen and other wealthy people who play poker from time to time and do it not for money, but solely for pleasure.
Such players can afford to play at high limits and easily make big bets without getting too upset if they lose. A professional high roller in poker is a person who earns his living playing the game.
Such players, most often, do not immediately reach this level of play and take battles at the table with much more seriousness than amateurs.
A recreational high roller in poker, of course, can play at a fairly high level, but the lack of motivation often leads to the fact that these poker players become fish at their limit and feed real sharks from their pocket. Most of the world famous players are professional high rollers.
How to become a high roller in poker
Most online poker players sooner or later strive to reach the level of high rollers and break into a real gambling. As you already know, playing at high limits can cost far more than one thousand dollars per session, because the stakes here can be simply sky-high. Thus, in order to be able to play high roller in poker, you will have to secure a huge bankroll.
There are 2 options here: either you already have solid funds, having the opportunity to periodically play for big money without much loss, or you will move towards the ability to play high rollers gradually, starting from far from such large limits.
Most of the famous and most talented players became high rollers precisely because of the gradual rise in limits. In order to advance in the limits quickly and without big risks, the player needs to follow the rules of bankroll management, study the mathematics and psychology of poker, and also practice a lot.
Sponsors often help really talented poker players to move up the limits. This option should also not be discarded, because outside help can significantly shorten the player’s path from micro-limits to high rollers and nosebleeds.
The main thing – we should not forget that poker is a game that is not constant and subject to dispersion. That is why on the way to high rollers or even after reaching such a high level of play, a poker player must remember that at the time of a downswing or discomfort at a certain limit, he should return to the previous limit and set certain limits for himself.
Otherwise, you risk not only not getting to the really high limits in poker, but also losing the entire bankroll accumulated over the previous period of time. Follow simple and clear management rules, and you will understand that playing at high roller limits is not at all such a distant prospect as it might seem at first glance.
But it also happens that some, even very talented players, prefer safer and more diverse limits in terms of competitors of a lower rank to high rollers.
Types of players
Visitors to expensive tournaments and cash tables can be divided into two groups:
- Professionals are top players who have outstanding skills. These are multiple winners of major tournaments, regular tables with high stakes in poker rooms.
- The amateurs are businessmen, sports and movie stars. These players are the sources of income for the previous category of regulars.
For the first group, poker is a profession and the main source of income, for the second – entertainment and an expense item. The main difference between a high roller and other players is not skills, but a huge bankroll and the opportunity to participate in expensive events.
There are other classification criteria. There are cash and MTT high rollers, Hold’em and Omaha, online and offline. Professionals from different disciplines and game formats often meet at the same table.
Peculiarities of Poker Thinking at High Limits
Poker pros aren’t just lucky. These people have important skills:
Play from the opponent – every action at the table is carefully thought out, taking into account the possible response of opponents. At the limits of professionals, there is a small field of poker players, so regulars are often found. Opponents study each other and make decisions individually.
Understanding of mathematics – a good knowledge of the basic concepts of game theory and probability, the ability to use them in practice.
Intuition – a strong poker player can predict the opponent’s actions, even if they contradict logic. This is not magic, but the result of vast experience and observation of opponents.
Calm attitude to money – the best poker players easily survive downswings, they do not know tilt. Fear of loss does not prevent professionals from making big bets.
The ability to restrain emotions – most of the regulars of expensive limits are experienced poker players. In a live game, they read the opponent’s cards well by gestures, looks, and actions. In such circumstances, it is important to remain cool in order not to give the opponent additional information about your hand.
An important element of poker strategy is bankroll management. By following the rules of money management, the player is more likely to experience losing streaks.
A high roller in poker is both a professional athlete and an entrepreneur. With the first, he is united by discipline, regular training and competition, with the second – independence and competent money management.