Hi folks -
This is the regular PokerStars Roundtable and we're going to discuss day-to-day PokerStars stuff. Very specifically, we're not going to discuss anything related to FTP or DoJ, okay? You can see our official thread about that
here, but there are plenty of interesting things going on at PokerStars.
Q: Is it true you're raking play money games? If so, why?
A: Yes. We've been raking PM cash games for about a month now (tournaments were always raked). The rake is 4.5% on ring games, with caps ranging from 2-500 chips. PM Tournaments are raked at the same rate as RM games: 50+5, 100+9, etc.
We rake these for a couple of reasons:
- It lets players get used to the idea that if/when they switch to real money, there will be rake taken.
- It creates a (small) drain in the PM economy, which inflates over time because of the chips we give away.
Q: I understand that you are moving to a single "speed" for ring games?
A: Well, sort of. We are moving to a model in which the speed of every table "type" is the same. For instance, all $.01/$.02 NLH and PLO are now "fast" games. As is all razz, except at the highest stakes. This will roll out over a period of time, but the goal is to eventually have one speed per table "type".
Q: What's going on on the tournament front?
A: Well, we recently finished off MicroMillions II (which, because I'm a geek, I like to call "μMII"), with a total prize pool of about $8 million.
We've also got
WCOOP coming up in early September, which is the month in which college freshmen must choose between rushing frats and playing in the most prestigious online poker series in history. Then again, winning a WCOOP bracelet will ensure you get your choice of frats, imo.
Satellites should be starting by the end of this week.
Q: And the Red Spade Open is coming back?
A: Absolutely. That’s on Sunday, August 12th, with bounties on a bunch of our Team Pros and Team Online Pros. So:
1. Register for $55
2. Bust Vanessa Selbst
3. Profit
Q: I heard something about a party...
A: You did, indeed. PokerStars VIP Club Live makes its debut in London at the end of September. It will be a social event where PokerStars players can mix, mingle, and attach faces to screen names. Details will be forthcoming shortly.
I know you've probably been glued to the PokerStars/FTP/DoJ wire, but things are busy here on the site. Ask questions and I'll answer whatever I can.
Best regards,
Lee Jones