A Statement About Me (Vicky Coren) And PokerStars - Poker News

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A Statement About Me (Vicky Coren) And PokerStars

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11-26-2014 , 03:22 PM

Vicky Coren

newbie

Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 15

Hi all. This is a statement about me and PokerStars

http://www.victoriacoren.com/main/bl...odbye_team_pro

My website is only small, so if a lot of people read at once then it crashes a bit and takes a while. But you can probably guess the gist from the name of the link. It is a sad day for me but there are no hard feelings.

I'm sorry if you write replies here rather than my blog and I don't see them, I don't manage to look very often but it felt right to put this information on 2+2 as well as my site. Good luck and best wishes,

VCM

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11-26-2014 , 03:26 PM

SootedPowa

veteran

Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 3,323

Fair play Vicky, a good stance.

Last edited by SootedPowa; 11-26-2014 at 03:34 PM. Reason: link fixed now

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11-26-2014 , 03:26 PM

gollyheck

veteran

Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 2,547

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vicky Coren

On Friday night, PokerStars.com announced that it will be rolling out online casino gaming alongside its internet poker. As a result, on Saturday morning, I terminated my endorsement contract with them.

Their news was very sudden, so I didn’t have much time to consider my position, but I knew I had to act quickly before I could think better of it. Obviously this is a scary and sad decision for me to make. I have been with PokerStars since 2007 and Team Pro has been a core part of my identity. Obviously I will miss the money and am nervous of managing without it. Also, ironically enough, my plan for the next year or two had been to travel less and play more online.

But I can’t hang around, sleep on it, have meetings and talk myself into staying, when my gut tells me that the right thing is to walk away. This is no criticism of PokerStars itself: business is business, they are providing a new service that people want, and I know they intend to abide by some key principles of responsible gaming. It’s not anti-casino either; I spend a lot of time in casinos, and I have been known to indulge in live table gaming.

But I cannot professionally and publicly endorse it, even passively by silence with my name still over the shop. Poker is the game I love, poker is what I signed up to promote. The question I’m probably asked most often in interviews is about the danger of addiction, going skint and so on. I’m always careful to explain the difference between the essentially fair nature of poker, where we all take each other on with the same basic chance, and those casino games at unfavourable odds which can be (especially online) so dangerous for the vulnerable or desperate. Although PokerStars assured me I would not have to actively promote the casino arm, I know in my heart that continuing in my current role could risk helping to send people to a place where they would encounter something I think is dangerous. That’s not the way I want to make a living.

I will watch from the outside to see what the new site looks like, how safe and responsible it seems, how the advertising feels and the direction the company takes. Maybe in the future I will be able to work with PokerStars again on something which is pure poker. I don’t know, but certainly there are no hard feelings between me and that company which has done so much for the beautiful game over the last decade. They have been gracious and understanding about my decision. Many of the people there are good friends of mine and I’ll miss working with them. The EPT and UKIPT are great tours which I will continue to play, if a little less often. I have had seven wonderful years as a proud member of Team Pro and I wish it wasn’t over. This is a very sad and regretful day for me. I still believe that PokerStars is, at time of writing, the best place to play online poker.

Players and gamblers of the world: I’m sure I’ll still see you all across the occasional baize table. Best wishes to all at PokerStars, whether working within the company, wearing the badge or giving action on the software. Play safely, be careful and good luck.

Very good.

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11-26-2014 , 03:27 PM

MMD

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 6,553

Respect

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11-26-2014 , 03:28 PM

JohnnyPanic

adept

Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 919

you raise some interesting issues. for me, i've always considered poker gambling, especially high variance games where you're unlikely to see your true winrate. i also think it CAN be addictive but i also take your point that casino games are just a whole different level.

really respect your decision and deciding to be an online pro...wow, that's gonna be probably harder than you realise but i wish you the best of luck

Last edited by JohnnyPanic; 11-26-2014 at 03:35 PM. Reason: blah

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11-26-2014 , 03:30 PM

never fade

adept

Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 1,026

my god, you are awesome

kudos

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11-26-2014 , 03:31 PM

onlyamonkey

journeyman

Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 366

So that's what integrity looks like.

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11-26-2014 , 03:31 PM

AndyM2033

old hand

Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 1,936

Vicky wins at everything, so much respect

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11-26-2014 , 03:33 PM

M07

grinder

Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 604

Not bad, but wait...

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11-26-2014 , 03:34 PM

#10

pokerclann1

adept

Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 835

You walk away with your head held high, kudos to you vicky coren.

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11-26-2014 , 03:35 PM

#11

domda

grinder

Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 610

Great move Vicky , you may lose out on some Pokerstars money but you gain a whole lot more in the long run ,not just the respect from the poker community . Whatever happens in the future you will be fine , you make good choices in life and you will be rewarded thanks for taking a brave stand and supporting your fellow poker players.

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11-26-2014 , 03:37 PM

#12

Rawbies

centurion

Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 156

Mad respect. Vicky Corian always been one of my favourite players.

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11-26-2014 , 03:37 PM

#13

ChicagoJoey

Papi

Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 15,464

Quote:

Originally Posted by Punker

Whether or not I agree with it, I believe 2p2 policy is you can't post solely with the intention of linking to your own blog (I think this is why Negreanu and 2p2 had such a problem).

Hopefully this will be able to stay

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11-26-2014 , 03:37 PM

#14

TheJacob

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 3,862

Refreshing to see someone who actually cares what they are promoting.

I'd have thought people would be more careful after UB and FTP, but most don't really seem to care where they money comes from.

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11-26-2014 , 03:38 PM

#15

SrslySirius

Animated Character

Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 4,357

This is the most baller move ever

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11-26-2014 , 03:40 PM

#16

Wilbury Twist

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 6,153

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMD

Respect

Quote:

Originally Posted by onlyamonkey

So that's what integrity looks like.

Yeah, both of these. Must be a costly decision for you, but a principled one.

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11-26-2014 , 03:45 PM

#17

TrustInBrass_KAOS

journeyman

Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 332

You just resorted 1% of my faith in humanity.

Thank You.

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11-26-2014 , 03:46 PM

#18

epcfast

veteran

Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 2,535

Fair play to Vicky.

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11-26-2014 , 03:46 PM

#19

28renton

old hand

Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,627

Respect.

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11-26-2014 , 03:47 PM

#20

Richas

veteran

Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 3,440

Solid principled decision which has to be respected. Well done.

Having said that i think the fears are misplaced. There is no evidence that availability of online casino gaming has led to there being more problem gamblers. All gambling causes harm for some, and that includes poker but it just ain't so that the "common sense" belief that online access, or easier access in other ways, creates more problem gamblers or increases harm.

It is easier to show that there is no increase in the total number of problem gamblers than that there is no rise in harm, as some casino gambling online (including poker) does result in harm but IMHO the line drawn here, whilst principled and right for Vicky, is based upon a false fear.

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11-26-2014 , 03:49 PM

#21

bhoylegend

self-banned

Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 1,278

A rare moment of respect for a sponsored pro.

Totally understand the reasoning. For a freelance journalist I'm sure the money isn't great so the salaried income that Pokerstars provided was undoubtedly very useful.

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11-26-2014 , 03:51 PM

#22

Joe Totale

grinder

Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 475

Been a fan of Vickie's since the days of Late Night Poker. She's always struck me as one of the classiest ladies around, not just in poker, with her writing and Tv work too. I applaud her integrity and the manner she's gone about announcing her departure from Team Pokerstars; she doesn't badmouth them and there's no bitterness at all. Good on her.

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11-26-2014 , 03:54 PM

#23

AZMountainHiker

banned

Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 901

It's nice to see someone in poker have some integrity, and to take a stand for what they believe in, even when it costs them money. Unfortunately it seems pretty rare recently.