Professional smasher
A professional gamer, commonly shortened to pro, is a person who plays a fighting game at a very high level of skill. In general, professionals regularly make money off of playing the game in tournaments and/or is recruited and sponsored by a notable organization, such as MLG. A professional is also commonly considered the person at the top of the metagame of that said character, such as Armada for Peach or Axe for Pikachu.
Other types of professionals
Semi-professional
A semi-professional, or a semi-pro, is a player with above-average skill who can rank high and win money in local tournaments, but lacks the overall prowess to place well at regionals and nationals.
Top professional
A top professional is a player who is among the very best from his country and/or for their respective main character. Notable examples include Mew2King, Anti, and Ally for Brawl, Mew2King Mango, and Armada for Melee, and Isai, SuPeRbOoMfAn, and Jousuke for Smash 64. These players consistently place high at any tournament, and have the potential to win national tournaments.
