Sharks and Monkeys- A Guide To Different Types Of Poker Players

Poker is a mind game and the players show various characteristics, or traits, which define their playing style. Players usually behave in a certain way in a given set of circumstances, and this can help the opponents get a peek into what is going inside the mind of a player. Thus, if one can know how a player will respond to a particular scenario, it will give the opponent an upper hand in the game.

For theory, players are usually classified into one of the various types, which will define the way in which that particular player will play. Basic categories of poker players are tight-passive, loose-passive, tight-aggressive, and loose-aggressive. Any poker player can be loosely classified into one of the mentioned types, and it shows the way in which the player will approach, and play the game.

However, apart from these, there are also other unofficial ways in which the game of a player can be defined. Sharks and monkeys are two such types of players, and the names have been assigned in accordance to the traits shown by the animals. Poker players all around the world use such terms to specify the gaming style of a particular player.

A shark is a good player (and mostly experienced) and usually wins. A shark will shrewdly play to win money at the game, and this is accomplished by feeding on many fishes (or average players). Such players will usually seek such small fishes to play the game, so that they can make a kill. It is evident that such categories are based on the actual ecosystem, where sharks feed on smaller fishes in the ocean. The same is replicated in the world of poker.

Monkey is the name given to a type of player who is not usually good at poker, and acts rather foolishly. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the person is new to the game, and hasn’t yet grasped the intricacies. Most of the time, monkeys are players that have been playing for quite sometime, but they have not been able to become good players. Some might also call them poker-impaired, who are just out to make fun of themselves (just like a real monkey). They usually imitate other players, and it can be said that they have no game of their own. But many a times, monkeys are able to bring down a pro, not with their smartness, but with their foolishness. They can thus prove to be dangerous.