Our Offer for Players
PokerStrategy.com strives to be a one-stop shop for ambitious and recreational poker players. That's why we offer all three pillars you need as an ambitious poker player and try to do it on an extremely competitve level.
Beginners' Package
Beginners have the chance to read through some beginners' content available for three game types (Big Stack No-Limit, Fixed Limit and SnGs) and take a 20 question quiz. If they pass, they can apply for a free $50 bankroll at a choice of well-know poker rooms - absolutely free and no deposit required.
The best: they recieve all other benefits as well: full rakeback, first deposit bonus etc. is still available to our free bankroll players on all rooms.
Pillar 1: Teaching & learning poker
Poker is a complex game - so teaching poker must be a complex profession. Complex enough to call for a whole bunch of relevant content and services that help a player improve his skills and reach his goals. Note that only the "Basic" content (market with a small white icon) is fully available for everyone. Advanced content on higher levels is activated by playing poker on your free $50 account or on any other poker account tracked on PokerStrategy.com.
Strategy Articles
Even though poker videos are nowadays considered the back bone of teaching poker, we think that every ambitious poker player should have a solid theoretical background. That is why we offer offer hundreds of strategy articles on all topics in
our strategy section.
Examples:
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Fixed Limit: Concepts: Semi-Bluffs - Theory & Practice
•
No-Limit: How should you play Middle Pairs and Underpairs
•
Sit and Goes: The Bubble Factor in different SnG formats
(note that you can switch language in the upper right corner of the screen to read the articles in a different language)
Poker Videos
Watching successful players over their shoulders while they play, analyse their sessions or discuss a theoretical problem is a great and even entertaining way to learn poker.
Examples:
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No-Limit: Parallel Lines / 3-betting concepts postflop by
Somnius
•
Sunday Million Session Review by
Jonathan Little
•
Fixed Limit $30/60 Shorthanded by
Kobeyard
Live-Coaching
A combination of audio streaming and observing our coaches live at the tables they play or while they discuss poker theory.
Hand Evaluations
If you have questions or issues with some of the hands you played, we will make sure that you get an answer from our
professional hand judges - and hopefully also discuss it with other players on your limits.
Poker Tools
We have a team of software developers working full-time on poker tools such as our Elephant (a basic tracker/HUD software), an Equity analyser and an ICM trainer.
See for yourself or read our
developers' blog.
Pillar 2: Promotions, bonuses and other incentives
PokerStrategy.com is free in terms that you do not have to pay us any money. But we also want to make sure that we are free in regards to:
"If you play at a certain poker room tracked on PokerStrategy.com, you will not lose money in comparison to playing tracked to someone else."
This means:
• If there is rakeback allowed, we give full rakeback (e.g. 27% at Full Tilt etc.)
• If there affiliate-based rake races are allowed, we make sure ours are competitive
• Our
first deposit bonuses are very competitive
But one thing we won't do: give under-the-table rakeback and/or try to outcompete other affiliates or the poker room itself just for monetary terms. If you do not need us as a poker school in some way, we would actually prefer that you sign-up directly through the poker room, as we would basically not add value to you and the poker room - so why should we earn money?
This type of thinking is motivated by two main thoughts:
1. Fairness - we think that every player should get exactly the same monetary value, no matter if he plays through a small or large affiliate or signed up directly at the poker room. Or would you want all new PokerStars players suddenly having 20% more rakeback - and you stick around with your old account, heavily disadvantaged?
2. Sustainability - we think that affiliates that focus on poaching players with nothing else than monetary incentives (i.e. "more rakeback" or "bigger rake race") are harmful to the long-term interests not just of the poker operators, but also winning players.
The short version of that logic: affiliates - or skins on a network - that poach players with monetary incentives target mostly high-rake players - the 5% of players that generate 80% of the rake. These players are mostly winning players. The consequence is that the poker rooms, skins and affiliates that bring a lot of recreational players (i.e. net deposits) do not generate a lot of rake and thus earn less money. And those rakeback skins and affiliates will never ever do big TV marketing to 'bring in the fish' - while those skins and affiliates who do will have less and less return on investment on their campaigns targeting recreational players.
More on this issue:
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Thread at 2+2: our thoughts on poker ecology
•
PDF to download: what we also tell all poker operators
Pillar 3: Information and collaboration with other players
To be informed about all that's relevant or fun for you, you need news about what's happening on poker rooms you play and in the wider world of poker. Using our direct contacts to the operators, we try to provide you with all relevant informations as soon as possible.
Additionally, it's important that you discuss news and events with other players - so you're not reliant on our opinion on things. That's why in news comments and the forum, open discussion is very much appreciated.
Last edited by Xantos-; 05-07-2010 at 03:57 PM.
