Pokerstars 2-7 SD Cash game structure
12-20-2014
, 10:08 PM
09-08-2016
, 01:53 PM
Ok so finally they added lower stake cash games for NLSD and NL5CD - good start. Now we hope to see antes added in these games.
Kudos to Keith for forwarding my feedback to PRM team and getting these stakes added even though Keith is not directly responsible for game offerings 
I've been asking them to add lower stake games for 3 years lol
Quote:
Hi Keith, I am aware that your main focus is on software improvement and not what type of games and what stakes should be offered but still I think you might be able to answer as why Stars don't want to add micro stakes cash games for Draw games(NL Single Draw and NL 5 Card Draw).
Currently the lowest stakes offered for these No Limit Draw games is $0.25/$0.50 which I think is way too high for majority of players or for players who want to learn these games. I've mentioned this to support many times in the past and all they do is forward my feedback to PRM team but those stakes never get added. Also in April this year when the new schedule got launched, almost every non-nlhe(draw/mixed games) mtt buy ins got reduced and the reason for that was that Luke wanted players unfamiliar with these games to try them which makes sense but players who don't like to play tournaments but like to play cash games, for them the lowest stakes offered is 50NL. Sure there are $0.10/$0.20 stakes available for Limit Draw games but not for No Limit Draw games.
I am not asking you to forward this feedback to PRM which I'm sure this has been done many times in the past by support team. What I want to know from you is that deploying these micro stakes tables for draw games - is it a very big task or is it as simple as adding a new tournament in the schedule? If its as simple as adding a new tourney why wouldn't Stars deploy these micro stakes? Why does it have to take years? Don't you want your players who are unfamiliar with these games to try them out?
Oh I forgot to mention - NLSD is a much better game when played with antes. FTP used to offer $0.05/$0.10 with $0.02 antes but sadly that site is gone.
Currently the lowest stakes offered for these No Limit Draw games is $0.25/$0.50 which I think is way too high for majority of players or for players who want to learn these games. I've mentioned this to support many times in the past and all they do is forward my feedback to PRM team but those stakes never get added. Also in April this year when the new schedule got launched, almost every non-nlhe(draw/mixed games) mtt buy ins got reduced and the reason for that was that Luke wanted players unfamiliar with these games to try them which makes sense but players who don't like to play tournaments but like to play cash games, for them the lowest stakes offered is 50NL. Sure there are $0.10/$0.20 stakes available for Limit Draw games but not for No Limit Draw games.
I am not asking you to forward this feedback to PRM which I'm sure this has been done many times in the past by support team. What I want to know from you is that deploying these micro stakes tables for draw games - is it a very big task or is it as simple as adding a new tournament in the schedule? If its as simple as adding a new tourney why wouldn't Stars deploy these micro stakes? Why does it have to take years? Don't you want your players who are unfamiliar with these games to try them out?
Oh I forgot to mention - NLSD is a much better game when played with antes. FTP used to offer $0.05/$0.10 with $0.02 antes but sadly that site is gone.
Quote:
Hi, Anuj - I will forward your input to PRM anyway, can't hurt.
In the meantime, I'm pretty sure that for most of the cash games and tournaments, the PRM team has a set of scripts they use to set the various stakes and buyins. In other words, it doesn't take a development effort and alignment with a build cycle to add a tournament or change stake ranges, so the actual effort to add something is not a big task.
However, the analysis for reaching a determination as to whether or not they should add or remove something is not trivial. The team is constantly reviewing the games on offer, analyzing player participation, soliciting feedback, crunching numbers, debating strategies, considering liquidity, cannibalization, etc. They take this aspect of poker room management very seriously and changes are made with due diligence.
As to why they do or don't offer some particular level, it's not a discussion I'm involved with so I can't offer you any insight into why the micro stakes you want are not there - sorry. Obviously, they can't just offer every stake imaginable, so there is some discernment involved. Given that it's not hard to add levels, the team probably has very good reasons why they haven't - and there may be valid reasons why they prefer not to share those strategies publicly.
In the meantime, I'm pretty sure that for most of the cash games and tournaments, the PRM team has a set of scripts they use to set the various stakes and buyins. In other words, it doesn't take a development effort and alignment with a build cycle to add a tournament or change stake ranges, so the actual effort to add something is not a big task.
However, the analysis for reaching a determination as to whether or not they should add or remove something is not trivial. The team is constantly reviewing the games on offer, analyzing player participation, soliciting feedback, crunching numbers, debating strategies, considering liquidity, cannibalization, etc. They take this aspect of poker room management very seriously and changes are made with due diligence.
As to why they do or don't offer some particular level, it's not a discussion I'm involved with so I can't offer you any insight into why the micro stakes you want are not there - sorry. Obviously, they can't just offer every stake imaginable, so there is some discernment involved. Given that it's not hard to add levels, the team probably has very good reasons why they haven't - and there may be valid reasons why they prefer not to share those strategies publicly.
Quote:
Follow up: You may be pleased to know that after reviewing the stakes offered, the PRM team decided to add $0.10/$0.25 NL 2-7 Single Draw and $0.10/$0.25 and $0.50/$1.00 NL 5 Card Draw.
Should these games prove popular we will also consider lower stakes, but hopefully this is a good first step in that direction for players to engage with.
Should these games prove popular we will also consider lower stakes, but hopefully this is a good first step in that direction for players to engage with.
I've been asking them to add lower stake games for 3 years lol