Hello twoplustwo,

I'd like to (i) introduce myself, (ii)the site Hero Poker and (iii)what is the point about this thread.

I'm just going to lay it out as straight as possible because twoplustwo isn't a place that suffers the marketing and fools, so at least we'll get the general background out the way.

BACKGROUND

David Jung CEO of Hero Poker
Professional Background:
2007-2010 PokerStars Regional Director of Asia & Senior Business Development Manager of the Asia Pacific Poker Tour
2005- Senior Consultant PricewaterhouseCoopers
2003- Senior Analyst and Korean Gov't Agency Technology/Joint Venture Negotiator

*Quit Stars to go into private equity, but got asked to come back into gaming and take care of a new investment and the role of CEO for Hero Poker.

HeroPoker.com
Hero Poker Launched Feb 23, 2011 at the Aussie Millions
On the Merge Gaming network
Sponsored Team Pros: Gavin Griffin, Terrence Chan, Corwin 'Mig.com' Mackey. Daniel 'Rekrul' Schreiber, David Ewing, Julian Powell.
Regional Pro: Grant Levy (Australia)

Marketing Tag lines: "World's Premier Boutique Online Poker Site' , 'Be Epic'
VIP system: 300 levels with tournament ticket and/or cash bonuses per level completed (under revision)

Business Objective:
Pre Black Friday:
To create a boutique site that focused on a core group of players in emerging markets and provide them with a level of service that was consistent regardless of their level or amount of play. The timeline was to simply do branding and develop new players over a two(2) year period not focusing on the mass mature market or 'regs'.

Post Black Friday:
Currently in adjustment to provide a boutique site for regs and a focus on three key mature markets while still having the objective to treat each player as if they were a Super Nova Elite.

Premier Boutique Poker Site refers to:
Highest quality of service as the main product via the direct involvement of the CEO while focusing on zero pressure promotions and luxury/unique international events and putting quality before growth.


*END OF BACKGROUND*

Apologies for the dry introduction, I just wanted to state it first, because I figured that the first reaction would be from anyone, 'wtf, another freaking skin, where the hell are all these sites popping up from?..etc'. It is really an expected and understandable response.

The fact is, this is an industry of professionalism and trust, and if sites or players don't recognize and respect that, then well, they are just setting themselves up for some really bad karma...

NOT EXACTLY A HERO'S WELCOME
It was never my intention, as the CEO, to simply put up banners and say, 'Hey, look at us, we got a cool name, and we're gonna give you rackback and we got pros and here our are points of value-which are the same as everyone on the network- and trust me with your money so that we can put it online as a virtual number-' And obviously, whether or not you think I'm being sincere or not, I am trying to avoid that entire spiel.

ACTIVE ON OTHER SITES
I have a blog, that is titled 'Hero Poker CEO Challenge: take a new site and make it a top 10 site in 3 years' (its on P5s & LP). I wrote it as a take on the the typical grinder challenge where a poker player takes $50 and blogs about his/her attempt to make it into 10k, etc...And what I had expected was to work in those two communities first, learn, understand, and take things at a measured pace. http://www.pocketfives.com/blogs/david-jung/

Twoplustwo or donkdown radio, were probably two places I didn't want to get involved with just because Hero would have been such an easy target as a new network site and what would I hope to gain? Street cred lol, no way. But I'm here now simply because things have changed and I think I can provide something that other sites don't have, my level of experience, my professionalism and dedication as the CEO. But me saying so in this post without any past relations with twoplustwo is pretty meaningless as well.

TAKE THIS WITH A GRAIN OF SALT
So, I'm not going to try to convince you to play on Hero Poker, rather, I'd like to share with you a couple of things we're doing and just leave it at that. If you have questions about Merge in general, I think there are about a gazillion threads now that answer those questions in great detail. If you want to participate in what is presented here, then please post, PM or contact me at marketing@heropoker.com . And if you wanna call me out, I wouldn't expect differently.

BOUTIQUE, SERIOUSLY?
I really am the CEO, and while people may think that 'why the hell is the CEO taking care of responding to emails and PMs, how professional can that be, what does he have no staff to do that?' The short answer to that is, I started up two live card rooms in Macau, and established the operations and contracts for every stop on the APPT in Asia during 2007/2008 and what I thought was the most important thing was not forgetting that that every table has a single poker player.

For me it always comes down to that single player. And when it is this competitive of a market, and I'm putting service first as a 'boutique site', then I'd say if the CEO doesn't set the tone, then who will?

So when sites think that they are selling the 'most innovative vip rewards out there' or 'the best software functions' or 'fishiest games', I think that's all bull**** when the players can't trust or respect the site first. And I don't want to sell you to get your rake your deposit your valuable time, I just want to earn your trust and respect whatever and however long it takes.

Thanks & Regards,
David Jung
Hero Poker CEO
marketing@heropoker.com


SUMMARY:
-David has a professional background as a former consultant and regional marketing director at Stars in Asia
-HeroPoker established this year and launched at the Aussie Millions 2011
-Understands that Hero is looking as though its just another skin
-wanted to develop things over a 2 year period with new players from emerging marketings
-thing have changed for obvious reasons
-Hero want to provide a boutique service meaning: CEO take service as the main product
-We won't try to sell you on anything, but please join us if you will

**********************************

The following is a promotion we are doing on May 15th, 2011. Please excuse the marketing aspect of it, as it was intended for players who Hero already has a relationship with. All US players and Residents from twoplustwo are welcome to join. International promotions begin June 1st. This will be reposted as its own thread as well.

***********************************

“A new age has begun, an age of freedom. And all will know that 300 Spartans gave their last breath to defend it.” Spartan King Leonidas

And on that day of April 15 such was the devastation that we called it 'Black Friday', but on May 15 Hero Poker answered with our 300...


THE 30,000 USD + 30,000 USD FREEROLL HEROPOKER 300: May 15, 4:30 US Eastern

NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED TO PLAY
The top 300 US players will get paid out $100 instant cash with an additional $100 play through cash bonus.
No withdraw restrictions on the $100 or
Keep it and claim your additional $100 cash bonus and do what you were born to do,
Play poker as one of Hero Poker’s 300.


THE BATTLE GROUNDS
Date: Sunday 15th May 2011 @ 4:30pm US Eastern
Game: Texas Holdem No Limit 6 Handed
Tab Location: Tournaments/Scheduled / Special (priority listing)
Blinds: 15 minutes starting at 10 / 20 (10% antes after level 7)

Prize Payout: Top 300 places
Payout : $30,000 cash plus $30,000 bonus ($100 + $100 per player)

Starting Chips: 3,000 chips
Break for 5 minutes every 60 minutes

Late Registration: Ends after 60 minutes
Eligibility: US players + Password
Time Bank: 30 Seconds with 1 Second Earned Every 1 Hand

PASSWORD:
*after you sign up at HeroPoker.com, go to the ‘game lobby’, in the bottom menu select ‘player admin’; update your player details and email us at Marketing@heropoker.com with your username.
THIS IS FOR US PLAYERS ONLY – YOUR DETAILS WILL BE CONFIRMED
DO NOT GIVE OUT THE PASSWORD TO NON-US PLAYERS

You want 35% Rackback? Then come and get it!
http://record.heropoker.com/_jvhLO13...nWNd7ZgqdRLk/2

Hero Poker Intro Brand Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zGTN...er_profilepage

I found Hero Poker through a freeroll some of my friends were talking about last week, swapped some %s with friends and jumped in. A buddy I had 10% of binked for $900 in it so I got $90 and have been grinding it up since, already having it up to about $400 earlier today playing the juicy cash games and sngs. Playing on Merge, you are against the same player pool no matter what skin you are on, so when choosing which to play on it comes down to customer service and rewards. I've played on Carbon and Lock a bit, and from what I've seen Hero Poker has them beat soundly in both categories. What other site's CEO would be personally helping me get my rakeback fixed? Between the freerolls, cash bonuses, rakeback and free tourney tickets for leveling, Hero Poker honestly seems like the best deal in the US market right now.

Interesting. Good OP as well, caught my attention. I PM'd you a couple questions. Thanks

The spam PM I got about a week ago was not cool.

Wombat poker better iyo?

Apologies for that, I had asked players to forward it on to players who they thought would benefit from it as it trying to be gesture before we actually started our actual promotions. Since I hadn't been active on twoplustwo, but thought some twoplustwo players would be interested, it was sent out. And one of the players who did so as a favour to me got banned for it, so on a number of levels, it wasn't the best favour to ask.

The intention was simply to run a no restriction, no deposit, no playthrough freeroll and just try to forward the email on, but it appeared that really no one wanted to forward it on, so we just tried to get it out there at the last minute.

Apologies, not my finest nor most professional hour as I thought the intent was enough, but just like I posted here, I should have not expected that to be the case.

Not cool, apologies.

Apology accepted imo

Hero Poker CEO David Jung is a great guy. His generous freeroll offer of 15k last weekend made my day. Hopefully I can generate enough rake from the money won in it to repay him back in the long run. I noticed Hero also gives away small value tournament tickets for very little play, like 5 or 10 points. I couldn't figure out how that worked as i couldn't draw up the webpage on it. David, could you give some details on the tourney tickets payout schedule for points on your site.

Thanks also for these great freeroll offers. Nobody else is offering anything close to what you are in this department. Also, was it a boy or girl? I saw you mention you were at the hospital with your wife in labor during the tourney. Congrats!

The bounties on your pros in the freeroll were crazy! Same thing next time?

http://www.heropoker.com/en/experience/rewards is where they explain the whole leveling thing. I'm already up to level 49 from the freeroll $, about to get a cash bonus.

Hey thanks for the reply,
for the rewards just check this out,
http://www.heropoker.com/en/experience/rewards And no worries, it was just something we wanted to do.


And thanks, it was another boy, so now my wife is like, 'forget it, unless you a guarantee a girl we're not having any more kids'; but we knew before hand, but yeah, born on May 1st, thanks.

If I can get those guys in, for sure as long as they aren't in another live tourney, Gavin and Corwin Mig.com were in a weekend tourney, Mig nearly made the TV table at the WPT event last week. But I'm sure they'll come out if they can.

Cheers,
Dave

Thanks for that. Wow, that is much much better than I would have imagined. This is a great reward program for MTT players.

I thought aussies were persona non grata on the Merge network?

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/14...arket-1027095/

What are the odds of the DOJ shutting down your site (the whole skin). If this occurs does HERO certify that they will pay back all funds seized through their skin?


(will the site go the way of ub...?)


Also, why do you offer to americans that we can deposit using visa, and then have it decline it?

i've also heard that the non credit card/cash xfer options u guys offer have been involved in scandals and are scams (usemywallet)...thoughts?

Will you be offering Rakeback until June 1st?

Why did you launch in Australia, with an Australian pro if you can't accept Australian customers (i assume you can't since you are on merge)?

They currently are for the Merge Network as a whole, but Hero Poker will be open to the Australian market sometime in late May. Our corporate structures is slightly different in this regards, but as we've launched at the Aussie Millions, we feel it a good market for us. Australian players will be able to play against the entire network as well.

Really? that is interesting.

Will you be the only one on merge offering that?


Can you post when available cause I have always wanted to try merge.

I'm not trying to deflect the question, but what were the odds of one of the founders of party gaming getting charged back in June 2007 for actions pre 2006 UIGEA , neteller getting charged in Jan 2007, millions of player funds being frozen pre-Black Friday and Black Friday itself? If anyone can give a clear positive statement on the odds, I'd say they are either naive, ignorant or trying to scam you. The legality hasn't ever changed, but for a period of time the enforcement was focused on payment providers. It is also through these payment providers that a majority of the issues arose for the recent issues with PS/FTP/UB.

The answer I can give is that player funds are separated, Merge was a growing network throughout this year before recent events. If there was any issue with our business, the player funds would be returned as they were done by PS, but even if I am to say this, there are still 2 other sites which have not yet done what PS has done. So obviously the question really rest with, has Hero Poker earned your trust? And the answer to that is, of course not, you have no history with Hero Poker, this reply ain't going to change that. We are a very new site which was more focused on developing a niche boutique operations for the next two years in emerging markets to earn our player's trust, but we are having that discussion now with a host of players.

What happened in the US wasn't the Black Friday, to me that implies it was like some kind of stock market crash...no it was more a a poker tsunami and all the lights went out at once. But yet, is someone who enjoys poker a criminal? No, they aren't, but where and how they decided to play will be their own responsibilities as adults. At this point, I don't think anyone is going to be able or should even try to convince anyone to play; simply people will make up their own minds with all the information out there.

I'll say it though, Hero Poker will certify, that any player funds, from whatever country, held as a player's balance, will be returned to them in the event the business were to be insolvent, because the funds are held in a separate structure. But, even if I say that, its not very convincing is it coming from a site you know nothing about? Even if I mean it and our corporate and financial structure is set up to do that, and further restructured after recent events. Again, it is not a matter of convincing anyone, we are well beyond that point, but yes, our company is financially stable if that part of the question.

Why did other sites process visas and get slammed for it? From what you already know, and I'm sure you're pretty well informed being a member of twoplustwo, that not all markets for online gaming are fully regulated and when they are not, companies operating in those markets need to be mindful and if they aren't, in any country, there will be consequences whether it is India or China.

I am not sure on what is the issue with usemywallet, but like all online e-wallets like neteller, you are dealing with international money and there are always issue. I would suggest again, you make your own decision as to what you will or will not use or do. But there are other options, such as Western Union, which also has had issues with ' so called millions of dollars locked in Congo vaults from disposed dictator's nephews emailing random middle aged folks and asking them for assistance for getting their funds out'.

Look, I get it, new site, people who had their roll on UB are taking it up from behind, and it has been an uber traumatic experience and its only been 21 days. How can this not be personal and how can this not be emotional and 'why the hell is some guy posting about his new company and promotion when all this crap is still going on? Seriously, gtfo right?'

I am the CEO of a company, we don't have all the answers yet but for those who play online poker, worldwide, we want to be an option. Out of the sites, it may not be pretty what is left, and maybe we are the snot nose kid on the block as well, but if you ask me a thousand times if this is how I wished the situation for online poker to be, I'd say no a thousand times, but it is what it is and we're here. But I am a world class professional manager and I have a great team of pros, and all I can say is, trust, it may never come, but we started and we'll try.

Sincerely,
David.

I believe so, and I will post when we are available, (actually I am thinking of giving away a couple of cars along with posting), but to preemptively answer: why we are even choosing to open to Australians is from professional managerial and industry background, I was a senior manager for the Asia Pacific Poker Tour and worked with Danny Mcdonagh (the guy who developed the Crown Aussie Millions) for three years and saw him more than my own wife, so the market is not that unfamiliar to me.

This is a network policy which I believe was actually still under discussion, I did not make any formal notice of this until it was requested of me by players. I reckon/think that at this point due to some sites jumping the gun on this issue, it is likely to be a firm network policy moving forward. But yes, Hero Poker will be offering the 35% rakeback until June 1st.

Unfortunately I cannot comment on whether I think it is good or bad as it is a network decision meant to grow the network, and I support the decisions of the Merge Gaming Network and its management who have my full confidence and support (sick shill?).

you can give the car to me and I promise i play lol

thanks. i will be playing on your skin (soon as i can get my western union to work or can find another way to get $$ on). I will still be playing largely live, but when i have time to i shall grind on hero.

The fact that you very competently argued your points, took the question head on in a very concise manner, and did so without needing to discuss it for days with a group of people (lol lawyers or w/e) shows that you have a lot of confidence and faith in your company and your abilities to run it.


If the rest of your company is as passionate as you i could see you becoming a big name company after the us market clears up. (if you are looking for passionate people hit me up )

gl to heropoker, looks good

Actually I am, I have a specialist team that I pilferer from my network developed from my time at Stars (no direct former Stars employees), but we are looking to hire in September. If you are still interested during that time, please send me your CV at marketing@heropoker.com and thanks for the response as well. I actually didn't sleep for about a week and half after it happened trying to figure as much as I could out, but I am lucky to have my experience and knowledge from Stars and as a gov't agency negotiator. Cheers.

Lets see how it works out, not finalized 100% yet =) But cars in Australia are freaking expensive, and our branding won't allow me to put something cheap anyway, but we narrowed it down after 5 days of looking. lol.

If you do win it, I hope to God you are in Melbourne, Brisbane or Sydney...absolutely no offense intended to the other cities, but if someone wins the car somewhere towards the outback, it gonna be bitch to do the PR photos, but we'd still honour it and send Grant to deliver it =).