Poker concept

What is Shark in Poker? Definition & Examples

The definition, with context from real hands and how it connects to the rest of your strategy.

Quick answer

Shark: A skilled, winning player.

In more detail

The old line runs the other way: if you can’t spot the sucker at the table within 30 minutes, you’re the sucker.

Common questions

What does Shark mean in poker?

The old line runs the other way: if you can’t spot the sucker at the table within 30 minutes, you’re the sucker.

Related terms

Action
Your turn to act, or the overall betting activity in a hand.
Bad Beat
Losing a hand where you were a heavy statistical favorite.
Board
The community cards dealt face-up in the middle of the table.
Cooler
A hand where two players have very strong holdings: unavoidable losses happen.

New to poker? Start with our preflop strategy guide and the free TAG cheatsheet.