***Hero Poker CEO Official Player Relations Thread***

[Hero Poker CEO]

Originally Posted by Knytestorme

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

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

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.

[TheRaiderr]

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.

[Hero Poker CEO]

Originally Posted by Protential

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?

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.

[Hero Poker CEO]

Originally Posted by TheRaiderr

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 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.

[Hero Poker CEO]

Originally Posted by BigAl123456

Will you be offering Rakeback until June 1st?

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?).

[TheRaiderr]

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

[Protential]

Originally Posted by Hero Poker CEO

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.

.............................

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 )

[shoemaker]

gl to heropoker, looks good

[Hero Poker CEO]

Originally Posted by Protential

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 )

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.

[Hero Poker CEO]

Originally Posted by TheRaiderr

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

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 =).

[allabout]

Do you as CEO feel that your site and/or Merge would be eligible to enter the US market if it were open, even as other sites accepting US players are being shut down by the FBI? In other words, it seems from the outside looking in that Merge is selling out now (and gaining) but would be screwed if regulation happens. Is there a plan for a regulated US environment or is it a wait and see situation?

[Hero Poker CEO]

Originally Posted by allabout

Do you as CEO feel that your site and/or Merge would be eligible to enter the US market if it were open, even as other sites accepting US players are being shut down by the FBI? In other words, it seems from the outside looking in that Merge is selling out now (and gaining) but would be screwed if regulation happens. Is there a plan for a regulated US environment or is it a wait and see situation?

My thoughts are regulated markets are better than grey ones; if you look at something like zynga poker, because they can use a mass medium like facebook, the level of volume they can get is just incredible. So what if 99.98% of players on Facebook can't play poker worth their lives, they are enjoying it because there are so many other players that can't play worth their lives- and in many respects that is the joy of the mass market which only can come from a regulated market.

Now in the case of PS or FPT or UB, what would be their reasoning to negotiate with the authorities and pay out players? I think in the case of PS, just my opinion of course, as they plead non-guilty, they clearly would like to get back into the US market when it is regulated. And that was the same as Party why they let their founder to just take the beat down (again, just my opinion on it).

But in the case of Hero, I'll say that we were open to all markets even before the past events, although we don't actually market or target all markets, we have just continued as is. But I get what you mean by selling out in the possible context of 'short term gain verse long term', but to put this into context: would be fair to say that when PS/FTP/UB were still in the market when Party left, that they were selling out as well? I can't count the number of conversations that started with...'party were a bunch a retards to leave, they should have gone back to private and re-entered the market..blah blah..'. But from a real corporate understanding: who knows, may they did want to and considered it, but obviously they couldn't even if they wanted to because...the DOJ had them in the crosshairs.

No one will say that this is a simple strategic consideration, it becomes simple when they are only forced into a single rational option as in the case of Party, and in much the same what what recently played out (honestly I have no strategic understanding of the logic behind what UB/AP is doing and I seriously know my trade-I just can't mention them further in a strategic context cause it doesn't make any sense...). But when you have the option like what PS/FTP had you need to constantly weigh things on a number of different levels and proceed that way.

I think at some point, they stopped doing that - not to take away anything from those two companies - hands down I don't think there is a better poker company that ever was and possibly ever will be and continues to be than Stars-but on a strategic level, it's what I see. And I am more than professionally able to observe that; I won't get into the actual instances but they are obvious in retrospect. But what were the intent of those land based partnerships though, definitely for regulation. So here is the question that wrestle with me every moment of the day, and its not about what is going on right now.

Knowing what you know now, and given the chance to go back in time to 2006, would you have recommended PS/FTP to repeat their strategic choices up to about 2009? I say 2009 because after that I think both companies start to lose strategic perspective - (and what was I doing at the time not to advise differently? Locked away in the farthest reaches of the poker realm in a 5 star hotel outpost in Asia lol).

The moment I figure that one out, you'll know where I stand on the subject, but as you can see, how many, simply an astounding number of considerations there are, the pluses and minuses and the still pending ramifications?

I'll end with this though, and its personal- my sponsored pros, I don't put them out there, I could splash their faces on these banners and ask them to post on forums with some happy comments about poker to just get something out there. But all my pros, have my deepest respect because when I asked them to be a pro for Hero, they said yes and had faith in me as a CEO.

And I specifically chose them because none of them needed poker sponsorship, they had their earnings and place enough, and I let them play wherever they want. The main this was for me though, if these guys say, 'Dave you can do it' then I know they aren't kissing my ass but really think, ok, he can take on this job and make it work. You'd be surprised how many times I ask my pros for their initial assessment when it comes to just pure objective calculation of results before I sort my own holistic conclusion (yes guys it is possible to make a conclusion on other than EV)...

I'm not a poker player, I suck, but I know enough to know that I really do suck and I may be the CEO, but they constantly remind me how dumb I am at poker (non-intentionally most of the time as I try to be buddy buddy and engage in some poker talk once in a while-but they humour me most of the time). And so whatever the course the business takes, I would never risk their reputations for the company, as ultimately, they are a constant reminder to me of my main task,which to look after all our players who are with Hero and that includes keeping them out of traumatic shock...

I don't know if that is a kinda bull**** thing to say especially when you do need to navigate through rough waters and you say, 'don't worry boys, we're all gonna go home together, no one gets left behind.' But I think what comes with that is, I will put myself out there first.

Cheers,
Dave Jung

[BigAl123456]

Hero Poker CEO,

I like the look of your site, I am from Australia, and looking for a Merge room to set up a Rakeback account before June 1st.

As an Australian can I set up a Real Money Poker Account with Rakeback before the deadline.

BigAl,

[YoureToast]

Do you have any plans to encourage/force/threaten Merge to improve their software? I would anticipate that this is going to happen because its likely increased rake will support some improvements but based on my very extensive and long experience watching poker rooms succeed and fail, it boggles my mind how little effort most poker operators put into improving the user experience. Though Stars and Full Tilt had great marketing, their software is what put them over the top IMHO (especially Stars who's tournament software was the first and best software by far and it wasn't close). Party Poker spent a great deal of time improving their software as well (many us remember the days when they were growing so fast their servers couldn't keep up, but they did what they needed to do to advance their software to become #1 pre-UIEGA).

You can look at the RPM thread for lots of comments about the software. Personally, I believe the main problem rests in the fact that its based on Flash, which limits its capabilities.

[Hero Poker CEO]

Originally Posted by BigAl123456

Hero Poker CEO,

I like the look of your site, I am from Australia, and looking for a Merge room to set up a Rakeback account before June 1st.

As an Australian can I set up a Real Money Poker Account with Rakeback before the deadline.

BigAl,

Hi BigAl, actually you may be able to set up the account but wouldn't be able to play or deposit, but I think it would be set up as RB account through the link,
if you'd like to try then PM your username and at least the system would be holding your ID.

But other than that, you are likely to have to wait unless you suddenly became a kiwi and flew back down under afterwards, and, I'd understand cause you'd have returned to your sensibilities or had more than enough sheep love to last you your entire life.

Btw I use to play national level Union in Korea, most my old mates are from the Southern Hemisphere. Cheers.