Cash game players from 2010 would look upon today's regulars with sympathy.
A significant portion of their profits is eaten up by rake, room loyalty programs are no longer as generous, and there are fewer and fewer recreationals at the tables. It's not enough to simply find a weak player—their win rate must still cover all the room's fees for the game to be profitable.
Together with the Greenline Fund, we're exploring how to properly evaluate recreational players in these challenging times and other important things to consider about them.
What's Our Expectation for Recreational Players?
To assess how profitable a particular lineup is, you need to consider the rake, your own win rate, your loss rate, and the type of player. Let's look at how to determine each of these parameters.
Rake: Below is a table of rake in popular poker rooms for limits from NL10 to NL500, according to Primedope. The author calculated the commission players pay based on a large sample of hands. The data was provided by Greenline Fund for different apps:
| Room/Limit | 0.05/0.10 | 0.10/0.25 | 0.25/0.50 | 0.50/1.00 | 1.00/2.00 | 2.50/5.00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pokerstars | 8 bb | 7.75 bb | 7.40 bb | 6.73 bb | 4.65 bb | 3.15 bb |
| CoinPoker | 8.4 bb | 8.30 bb | 7.60 bb | 6.73 bb | 4.81 bb | 4.06 bb |
| WPN | 8.92 bb | 8.85 bb | 8.04 bb | 7.10 bb | 4.81 bb | 3.15 bb |
| iPoker | 12 bb | 8.48 bb | 8.04 bb | 7.66 bb | 5.35 bb | 3.65 bb |
| Chico | 11.07 bb | 10.60 bb | 9.01 bb | 8.29 bb | 5.73 bb | 4.98 bb |
| GG Network | 9.10 bb | 8.83 bb | 9.00 bb | 8.55 bb | 6.76 bb | 5.58 bb |
| Applications | 10-11 bb | 10 bb | 8.5 bb | 8 bb | ||
The GG figures take into account that the rake is taken preflop.
The values in the table are averages: a specific player may pay more or less depending on his style and preflop ranges.
Avr0ra:
With a 24% and 30% VPIP, you can have the same win rate, but the net rake will drop. With a 28-29% VPIP, you'd have 11bb/100 net rake, while with 24%, it'd be 8-9bb/100. It might not seem like much, but in the long run, it's a crazy number.
Your Win Rate: This can be found in any poker tracker. Naturally, the higher this number, the better. The longer the sample, the more accurate. But when calculating your expected value, you can assume it's roughly equal to the win rate of other regulars at the table.
Amateur Player Loss Rate: While it's easy to determine your own win rate and rake, a fish's loss rate is a bit more complicated. While any tracker can display the "bb/100" stat, many poker rooms only offer an internal HUD with limited statistics, and it's difficult to gather a relevant sample on your own. VPIP can help here; it's currently displayed in some form or another in most poker rooms and is representative even over a short period. Not just an abstract "high" statistic, but a very specific one that directly correlates with win rate.
Viktor Vikro13, based on research from a large player base, compiled a table showing the relationship between loss rate, VPIP, and amateur style:
Vikro13:
It's easy to read: the VPIP is listed at the top, and the opponent type is on the left. M stands for Maniac, A for Aggressive, P for Passive, and SP for Super Passive. Opponents highlighted in green are those against whom we can beat the average micro-stakes rake of 10bb at 6-max tables. For example, aggressive amateurs with a VPIP of 60+ lose an average of 96bb per 100, which is more than enough to be profitable.
Amateur Player Types: The following indicators will help determine different types of recreational players:
- The difference between VPIP and PFR . The smaller it is, the more aggressive the amateur. More active players will often be easier to stack: between a passive fit-or-folder with 65/2 and an active one with 50/35, the latter is preferable.
- A high WWSF (>50) coupled with a low showdown win (<40) also indicates a level of aggression, while a WTSD value greater than 30 signals that the opponent is a caller.
Let's apply these characteristics to the players from the table above:
| VPIP/PFR | WWSF | WonSD | WTSD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M(maniac) | >45/>25 | >50 | <40 | >35 |
| A (aggressive) | >45/15-20 | ~50 | 40-45 | 30-35 |
| P(passive) | >45/10-15 | 45-48 | >45 | 25-30 |
| SP (super passive) | >45/<10 | <45 | >45 | <25 |
Let's assume a 6-max NL10 table is open in the PPPoker app, with five regulars of roughly the same skill level and one recreational player. Everyone pays a 10bb commission per 100 hands. Therefore, the table takes 60bb/100 in rake, which the recreational player must lose for everyone else to make money. This corresponds to the aggressive fish with a VPIP of 55-60 from the first table.
What Else You Must Pay Attention To
Other factors also directly or indirectly affect fees and win rates. They can tip the balance toward playing against a less-than-stellar opponent or discourage players from sitting at a seemingly good table.
- Advantage Over the Field: All data is based on the assumption that regulars at the table play with the same expected value. If you are statistically confident that your win rate is higher than average, the requirements for a fish may be lower.
- Table Size: In 9-max, the commission is lower by ≈0.5bb due to the tighter ranges. The required VPIP for an amateur will be on average ≈5% lower than in 6-max.
- Fewer Hands = Lower Rake: Here's what Greenline coach Niyaz HotShot has to say about that:
The general rule is this: it's important to win as much money as possible in as few hands as possible, otherwise all your profit will turn into rake. Let's consider a classic model with a 5% rake and a 5bb cap. If we win 200bb in one hand (out of a total pot of 400bb, since our opponent also contributed 200bb), our net profit is 195bb. But if we win 40 pots of 5bb each, our net profit is only 180bb. This is because of the rake cap: you can play a pot of 10,000bb, but only 5bb will be taken as fees. By contrast, playing a bunch of small pots, you pay a lot of rake.
- Higher the Stakes = Lower Rake: This table shows how the commission decreases as the stakes increase. Here's what GTO Wizard head coach Tom Boshoff has to say about this:
Never forget that your worst opponent is the rake. So if you want to make money playing poker, do everything you can to escape the low-stakes trap as quickly as possible.
- Position is For the Amateur: Here's how the loss rate relative to Hero increases or decreases depending on position:
- Availability of Statistics: In rooms where trackers are allowed, stats will always be more accurate than on platforms that prohibit third-party software. Built-in HUDs often display values only for the current session.
- Bad Beat Jackpot: Affects rake, but in the long run is offset by payouts.
- Lobby Type: On platforms with anonymous lobbies, selection is more difficult than in rooms where you can see players' nicknames without posting a blind.
- Rakeback, Leaderboards, and Other Bonuses: The more, the better. Thanks to promotions, many rooms can reduce the effective rake by almost half. Exclusive races from GipsyTeam will also help.
To summarize: selection varies depending on the conditions at a particular poker room. It's best to use the lose rate table as a guide and deviate from it when appropriate: don't miss out on value where the effective rake is low, and it's better to select where it's high.
How Does the Selection Differ at Different Poker Sites?
PokerStars
- Rake: PokerStars has one of the lowest fees in the market at all limits. We'll use this as a baseline and use these figures as a basis when comparing platforms.
- Rakeback: The loyalty program offers up to 60% cashback, but in reality, the average regular bumhunter can expect 10-30% depending on the limit, which reduces rake costs by 1-2 BB/100.
- Selection Features: You can play no more than 8 tables simultaneously. Bans (5-15 minutes) are possible for joining a table and playing fewer than 10 hands. Software is allowed.
Overall, PokerStars remains a decent room for bumhunting. Low rake make it possible to profit even at NL10 against a passive amateur with a VPIP of 50, with an effective rake of around 6.5bb. The situation only improves with higher limits. However, there was a discussion on our forum that two months after the changes, the number of hands played against amateurs with a VPIP of 55+ dropped by 25%.
CoinPoker
- Rake: Slightly higher than at Stars. NL500 stands out slightly: at this limit, even a difference of 1bb/100 can be significant.
- Rakeback: Everyone receives the same 33% return under the loyalty program, but there are some nice bonuses: daily races, +20% for 500+ in rake per month for all active players, and an exclusive GT step race.
- Selection Features: The room is notable for the fact that all cash games are played with an ante equal to 1/5 the small blind. However, this doesn't significantly change the opening raise ranges, and therefore the rake and variance. Furthermore, the tables are 7-max, which offsets the impact of the small ante. The lobby is open, with nicknames and players visible; mobile games are often used by amateurs. Software is allowed.
The selection requirements here are the most liberal of our list. At stakes up to NL500, things are better than at PokerStars, as the commission is roughly the same, and the actual rakeback reduces it by 2-3 bb/100. For example, the effective rake at NL50 is approximately 5 bb/100, allowing even a 45 VPIP fish to profit. And at NL500, the loyalty program will match the effective rake at stake with Stars—around 2.2 bb/100. Other advantages of the platform include a classic lobby with player nicknames and compatibility with poker trackers.
WPN (PokerKing, ACR Poker, BlackChipPoker)
- Rake: At limits from NL100 to NL500, the commission is roughly in line with PokerStars. At 0.05/0.10 and 0.10/0.25, it's 1bb higher.
- Rakeback: The loyalty program is progressive. The more a player pays in commission, the higher the return. The maximum is 80%, but that requires a lot of grinding. The average bumhunter can expect 20-30%. There's also increased rakeback for active players.
- Selection Features: Third-party software is allowed in the room, and recently, players' nicknames can be seen again in the lobby. However, the HUD still won't be displayed until you've landed. But for bumhunters, this is definitely better than anonymous tables.
Selecting at the 0.05/0.10 and 0.10/0.25 limits requires more careful consideration than at PS and CoinPoker. The rake there is around 9bb, and getting a good RB is difficult due to the loyalty program. It's more profitable to find amateur players at NL50, 100, and 200. The effective rake there will be approximately 5.5, 4.5, and 3.5, respectively. Starting at NL500, the commission becomes the lowest on the market.
iPoker (RedStar)
- Rake: At NL10, it's around 12bb, the highest on our list. At 0.10/0.25 and 0.25/0.50, the fees are the same as at WPN, while at NL100, 200, and 500, they're 0.5bb higher.
- Rakeback: The loyalty program has two tiers: 20% back for everyone and 35% for generating $500 in rake per month. However, playing with GipsyTeam, you can earn significantly more: up to 54% back through the loyalty program and bonuses , as well as through the step races. Accounts linked to GipsyTeam always receive 35% rakeback with no wagering requirements.
- Selection Features: Auxiliary software is allowed in the network's rooms. The lobby is completely anonymous; to see nicknames, you need to post a big blind. However, if you sit down at a table and then leave, names and stats will remain visible until the game collapses or you close the client.
Beating the rake at NL10 in the rooms of this network is no easy task. You'll have to find a maniac with a VPIP of 60+. At other limits, the fees are slightly higher than on WPN. However, high rakeback will reduce the effective rake by 1-4 BB depending on the limit. This will keep the selection similar to WPN, even with the higher fees.
Chico (TigerGaming, BetOnline, SportsBetting)
- Rake: Very high. At 0.05/0.10 and 0.10/0.25, it's 3 bb/100 higher than at PS. From NL50 to NL500, it's 2 bb/100 higher.
- Rakeback: The loyalty program here is constantly changing. At the end of 2025, they launched a flat 10% rakeback every Friday. Promotions are also held regularly, but they are not permanent: one day you can get extra value from the low-stakes leaderboard, and the next day it becomes a general one, with all the prizes going to NL200 and NL500 regulars. On average, you can count on 5-10% additional rakeback from the leaderboards, and there are also bonuses for active play from GT+.
- Selection Features: The lobby is anonymous; to see players' nicknames, you'll have to sit at a table. Software is allowed. There are relatively many 8-max games.
The rooms of this network are a clear example of how impossible it is to impose the same requirements on an amateur at all sites. The selection here must be very strict at every limit. To count on a positive expectation at NL10, 25, 50, or 100 tables, even an aggressive fish with a VPIP of 55 isn't enough. You need either a maniac or a more passive hobbyist who opens 60%+. At NL500, the effective rake will be around 5 bb/100, which is very high for this limit.
GGPoker
- Rake: At microstakes, it's comparable to WPN, but at 0.10/0.25 and 0.25/0.50 tables, the commission is the same as at Chico, while at NL100, 200, and 500, it's higher by an average of 1 BB/100.
Additionally, an additional 1bb from each pot (~30bb) is taken into the Bad Beat Jackpot fund. This increases the rake burden, especially at higher limits. Over time, jackpot payouts offset this fee. Here's what Rush&Cash NL100 and NL200 grinder Alexander Shad2y wrote on the forum:
If we talk about jackpots, then I calculated before and now – it is about one main jackpot per 300k hands on average, but obviously it will be different for everyone due to the style of play (realization of situations)
- Rakeback: The system, officially updated at the end of January, returns up to 80% to the most active grinders; in practice, this requires playing long-term and not receiving rakeback for a long time. The network also has a PVI system, which effectively cuts payouts to winning players (usually to 0.2). There are leaderboards with good prizes, but to make it into the money, you'll have to grind a lot throughout the day. Bumhunters are unlikely to receive more than 15% rakeback.
- Selection Features: Auxiliary software is prohibited on the network, but there is a built-in HUD that displays stats for the current session. Player nicknames and VPIP are displayed in the lobby. Active selection is officially prohibited here; doing so can result in a ban. There are no formal criteria for bumhunting; decisions are at the network's discretion.
GGPokerisn't the best choice for playing with select tables. The requirements for a fish to beat the local rake practically without RBs are incredibly high. Not to mention, there's always the risk of getting banned for bumhunting.
Poker Clubs / Mobile Apps
- Rake: ~10 BB/100 up to NL100, everything above is around 8. It's worth noting that there are many apps, and even more clubs within them. Conditions may vary, and the table shows average values. Yes, you can find platforms with relatively low rake, but it will generally be higher than in traditional poker rooms.
- Rakeback: This also varies across different platforms, but generally remains around 50-55% with no strings attached. Some clubs offer enhanced terms for active players.
- Table Selection Features. The vast majority of clubs allow software, and you can easily select any table in the lobby. However, there are also plenty of anonymous tables where nicknames aren't shown until the big blind is posted. Nicknames and stats are always visible.
The app's rake is the highest on the market. While the commission at low stakes is still on par with Chico, starting at NL100 it's 1-2 bb/100 higher than on the GG Network. Good lineups and high rakeback help, so the requirements for amateur players are roughly the same as on Chico (lose rate 60+ bb/100).
Viktor Vikro13 and Niyaz HotShot help players find and contribute to great GreenLine lineups. Learn more about the fund and apply on the Greenline Poker Fund's landing page .
