Cliffs:

-Link to Stars Steve's table of cash game increases: http://i.imgur.com/zZi6n61.jpg

-50/100+ stays the same, 10/20 hu is doubled, 10/20 6max stays the same

-25/50 rake is increased hugely:
HU: +400%
3-4: +33%
5+:+67%

-To figure out how this effects you, go to PT4/My Reports/New Report/Player Report/Player Per Hand, then filter for the relevant site and stakes in the filters tab, for example http://gyazo.com/85916884e0d5177c6357b91ef5fa87a1

-My example: I didn't play 10/20 hu this year (and 50/100+ is unchanged), so I filtered for only my Stars/FTP hands and then looked at 'My rake contributed' by number of players, then (since all pots at high stakes are capped rake) I can just multiply my rake contributed by the factor of the proposed changes (e.g., my hu rake x4). Example of PT4: http://gyazo.com/6743b98c5c146a0734b2cce69b866d29

-Results are that I'll pay around 13.5k more hu, around 7345 more 3-4h, and around 13270 more 5+ handed, for around 34115 more total.

-If you're a hu reg or a high volume 25/50 reg this will effect you much more.

-These numbers are lowballed by a significant amount, since only around 4/5th of my yearly volume is in this database, and there's still 1/6th of the year left. So, an adjusted number would be around $46,600 more in rake per year. I think most people can also expect a higher proportion of 25/50 and a higher volume on Amaya in 2015 due to game conditions.

-My total expected rake was around 100k a year so this is around a 45% increase.

-If you're a 25/50+ reg you can probably expect around +50% rake on average.

What is the impact in terms in bb/100?

You used to lose 1bb/100 now you lose 4bb/100 at 25-50.

Considering most matches not involving fish people estimate a 3-5bb/100 edge, it means that if people are smart, (which most people that can get a seat at 25-50 + hu on stars are) any reg on reg action will decrease drastically.

For me it makes it easier to understand why pokersites do what they do when I realize that the owners are just stupid greedy criminals who can't think beyond their nose.

sauce why dont you and galfond raise some money and make a new site with lower rake. i would be happy to pay 1000-10000$ for you to start a new site. I am pretty sure if we get 2+2 to start a campaign to raise money to start a new site we can succeed. if live pros can make a ftp site, we online people can do it as well. just a thought out there. pokerstars revenue is 500M we can collectively bring them down by taking a share of the market.

it seems pretty likely that it wouldn't be possible to directly compete with stars with all the advertising, etc. that allows them to get the massive volume they do

but it also seems possible to create a site for high stakes battles (hu or 6 handed or w/e) with limited rake that draws people to the site by virtue of allowing them to see the high stakes action (basically, the old ftp business model which was pretty genius).

i know there are people out there with software, but i don't know how ready it is for rmg or how good it is (because let's face it, we're pretty spoiled by good software and none of us could play 2005 party again)

bitcoin poker site SealsWithClubs had lower rake (HU and 6max) than PokerStars before the rake increase.

SWC has faster cashouts (same day, most of mine have been 1-2 hours max, and sometimes less than an hour), no dox, and 50% rakeback for 2-3 handed games (tablestarter rakeback). Please check it out.

No government currency site can capture a global player pool the way cryptocurrency poker sites can. If you don't like seals, start your own.. you can buy the Mavens software used on many bitcoin poker sites for $500.

Looks like the best move is to jump up in stakes, avoiding 25/50 when at all possible and play 50/100+

Yeah I literally did this a few years back (unfortunately limited interest & the project didn't get off the ground). There are many hurdles to launching a poker site.

Leaving rake unchanged at 50/100+ Surely means they should scrap the BS only 50/100 games. Have both zoom as well as reg tables.....

Maybe it's time to talk to them and propose some affiliate program or something else... right now the traffic isn't that great but with the right work something can be done for sure

How do you guys imagine a recreational player deposit on SWC? Will (s)he even bother to get through the hoops even if convinced by proper advertising?

^ I'm Italian, and I know that many many players are playing on what we call .ret.
Basically Dollaropoker and other skins/networks...
This is due to the great work of affiliates, so I imagine that any network could skyrocket with the proper people working for them

^agree, but right now SWC is best option for any high stakes battles:

1. lowest rake (listed in mBTC; 1mBTC = $0.338)

So max HU rake is ~$1, 6m/FR max rake is $1.69; google seals with clubs rake--i cant link cuz Mason hates Micon; 50% tablestarter rakeback (2-3 handed games), krill (SWC VPPs) never expire, and SWC lowers rake when bitcoin price rises
2. fastest cashouts (measured in hours, not days)
3. open to all countries
4. no dox - you dont have to provide any personal info to play or cashout
5. they have 2FA (google authenticator)

many high stakes players have bitcoin. WCG has bitcoin. bitcoin is all over hsnl xfer thread. this seems like a no brainer.

Once they have bitcoin, it's as easy as sending an email.

The hoops required to buy drugs online are much trickier (Tor, PGP, etc) and darknet markets are bigger than before SR bust: http://vault43.org/chart.php?sort=30

Considering aejones idea... What about streaming HS battle in the homepage? Should be great for the inspiring player

Using that screenshot:

0.32 bb/100 (HU).
0.72 bb/100 (altogether).

Maybe I am pessimistic here, but I took this to mean they would eventually eliminate those stakes, like very other site has.

What about playing them on play money tables?

IDK if you are joking about my post, I'd like to know what is funny about that

Sorry, should have explained that better, I assumed people would understand. You can play rake free reg on reg matches on play money tables, settling up outside. Should be easy to find escrows, etc.

stars rakes play money i thought?

I don't see how that's relevant, considering they are raking fake money... you and the other reg factor that into the calculations for who is up how much

If the play money match and transfer afterwards became commonplace I imagine stars would be banning transfer privileges or worse.

Well they could use an off-site escrow... Quicker and safer

Still, I don't understand how your average fish gets his money on a site in bitcoins. Let's start with the fact the most of them will have just a credit/debit card (in whatever currency, but for the sake of example let's assume USD).

Login to a site, then what? How will the deposit process function? Any auto-conversion-without-too-much-hurdle usd-to-bitcoin services I'm not aware of?

Or do you assume that a rec will have a bitcoin ewallet aside from his credit card for some magical reason? Not being sarcastic, just genuinely curious how do you guys think it might work.