How has the problem fixed itself? It hasn't. The problem isn't the absolute amount of $ being made by bumhunters, it's the relative amount they are still making. And this amount has increased in the last year. Just a look at the lobby confirms this rather quickly - there's a lot more people sitting around HU tables.

The biggest reason most people disagree with any KOTH-like changes is because they know their skill level won't be high enough to suck dry every little parcel of profit left in the HU economy, once they have to start playing some people with brains. Is there really a reason why people who work less on their game than others can be rewarded based solely on their ability to sit and wait? It's a ridiculous system that isn't competitive enough and is being way too gentle to a big % of the current playing population.

Skill should always be something valuable to acquire and it should be rewarded in poker just like in any other game. And the only way to do this for HU games, is to create a system where tables are not an infinite ressource, along with some other changes to make it more attractive to play regulars. These changes would increase the average player's table selection threshold to include more players and/or give incentives to improve his game so he can move up in stakes eventually.

If sites add more competitiveness and rewards for HU players, I really believe it will create more action for everyone. There's a lot of people willing to play regulars but not everyone is up to tracking forum posts to find people or add everyone on skype or sit with 50 people before getting action from someone different, for once. The changes just have to be done in a balanced and fair way. So far, no sites have implemented a good solution but that is not to say there isn't some optimal one. Stars needs to lead the charge here and set some solid standards for the industry going forward.

There's already been very good things discussed on 2p2 lately and it would be nice if the counter-argument to structure changes doesn't constantly involve giving benefits to people who are not willing to put enough work into their games, while people who do, are lost among a sea of bumhunters who get as much profitable action as them.

And before you say "Well why don't you go play those regs who do want to play?" That doesn't even make practical sense for most players, even the best ones. I won't go into all the reasons why I don't feel like playing the top % of players at my stake every single day. Also, it is often quite a pain in the ass to get games going, even to the most willing players. The problem are people who never ever give any action whatsoever to anyone and just take money out of the economy completely through rake/winnings.

+1 birrion stake monster

xD

It's very clear what I meant and you seem to distort it. When I say the problem is taking care of itself, I DO NOT mean the heads up lobby is going to be sweet and juicy. But everyone here is bitching about how skill should be rewarded, and guess what? It is more and more. As I said, bumhunters are profiting less and less in online poker. Their decline is rather sharp over these last two years. Meanwhile, good and skilled grinders are making good money elsewhere. So the climate IS rewarding skill and punishing lack of skill. Five years ago a case could be made that many a bumhunter were making 2x what a really good grinder was making but that is not the case now. Take away the very very top few of bumhunters and basically none of them are making a lot of money, so as I said, the problem is taking care of itself.

The nasty heads up lobby that Stars hides at the bottom is not quite as big of a deal as people want to make it and the real games (6m) provide a very real platform for grinding. Obviously the issues at 25/50 or other HS games are unique, but if you want to grind 2/4-5/10 on Stars, you can, and the more skilled you are, the more you will make.

Oh, and as a total aside, the % of bumhunters squatting at HU that are German is something insane. Do people suspect any funny business there?

Probably nothing more threatening than some of the better and more established ones training and staking some of the newcomers.

i very rarely feed you but you are the worst poster who comes anywhere near HSNL, i believe that you are such a pathetic poster that you must be a terrible, terrible, horrible human being. at no point in your incoherent response were you even close to anything that coul dbe considered a rational thought, everyone in this thread is now dumber for having listened to it. may god have mercy on your soul.

wow! good arguments!

seems you are still a little sour that i called you out for being the insanely overrated fool you are (although these days the only person that seems to think much of you is yourself)...your results are pretty average and there is a reason you are washed up..you are all ego and frankly, i'd suspect it's a defense mechanism for your huge insecurities. you are the epitome of what so many people loathe about online poker nerds. bye!

i will be happy to add you to ignore, i suggest you do the same!

stfu

bump

I'd imagine it would. But getting Stars to fix the lobby so more talented players are able to move up the limits playing strictly HU would be even better longterm IMO, both for our site and the general future of the game. That's honestly what I am most focused on- allowing the prodigies to rise to the top without having trouble getting action. Of course this is going to remain extremely hard without another poker boom.

Full tilt had the best solution imo.

- One table per level.
- You may open another table on that level, until you get action on the first table.
- This works best and is a equally fair system for all player and it cannot be exploited.

I agree one per limit would be best. Not KOTH or semi KOTH. Look at KOTH at partypoker, there are always the same guys sitting and wating teh fish. Th best regs get teh fish. And olmost never a reg battle is going on. So it doesnt make any sence at all.

This didn't work. Full tilt did this and the lobbies still consisted of something like 95-98% of tables with 1 player waiting.

party has koth?

I'm US based but IIRC it's like 5 total 25/50 HU tables and some larger cap for mid-stakes HU; no formal KOTH system, just an arbitrary cap like UB had a few years back (5 tables for 10/25 through 50/100; 8 tables 5/10).