The second difference between amateur and professional is...is...hmm. What is second difference? Is there another difference?

The professional players have excellent poker skills, starting hand selection, flop play, reading other players, knowing when to bluff, when to call, when to get out of way. But then again, so do amateurs we see at final table.

Of course there is “dead money” at these tournaments, but can anyone make a legitimate argument that all because someone fixes teeth during day that he or she is a lesser poker player at night?

I'll be first to admit that I prefer to see a “name” or two at final table, but I also know that it is nigh impossible to make it to final table of one of these things on sheer luck.

Time to give amateurs some credit?

However...

If a player is happily losing his money to those who put in time to learn game, please continue to allow them to do so!

You'll notice I said fair to average players make this mistake. A good player knows which side his bread is buttered on, and even when he's been sucked out on a few times, knows that it's a good table as long as sucker is there.

If you're tilting, take a break. One of biggest “session“ mistakes you can make is running suckers off. Who wants to trade quarters with other tight wads? If you run weak player off with your derision, you've most likely hurt your profit for night. If, God forbid, he takes your advice and learns how to play, then you've lost a potential source of income for life.

Catch and Release guys!