All this applied before these changes, I hope you are more proactive in the future in protecting your interests.

No, it did not apply before for me. Maybe it did for others. I had enough tables to play and reasonable rakeback without anonymity and crappy software with a poker site who had a decent track record. Things changed for me when they took away 15% of my rakeback without warning and selectively capped player table limits. If you don't think those are significantly bad changes, then I guess you're a Merge shill - certainly not a poker player.

Btw, I think we've exhausted this topic. Best of luck to you.

Glad you're enjoying it, Nutz. There are not only more tournaments, but they are more FUN! Sure, it's about making money, but poker is horrible if you're not enjoying it. WPN MTTs are like going to the dentist, you need to go, but no one likes it. Don't get me wrong, sometimes I prefer longer structured tournaments (on Sundays for example which WPN completely ignores as being a major MTT day) but not every tournament, every night, 7 days a week.

Even with all the negative changes I still feel that Merge is the best offering for the US. Imo they NEED to start having some transparency. They piss people off for no reason at all every time they make a change. Lots of backlash could be avoided if they'd give people a week heads up. Merge can be as big as they choose to be.

I don't think there is a replacement VIP program coming... maybe if there is a massive boycott by regs (hint hint), and their volume takes a big hit they may change their tune.

But the severe devaluation of points makes their game of the month and happy hour promos almost worthless, so maybe they'll come up with a better replacement.

Anyone else getting spammed with emails from Carbon support? I just received 5 emails (one for each of the following tickets they've awarded me: $1, $5, $11, $33, $60). Checked my coupons in the client though and didn't see anything. Glitch?

i just got an email as wll. it said i had $1.10 coupon in my account that i could use on any of the following tournies......

said free OPS entry as the subject title, rigged. thought they awarded me a $215 coupon, it's been awhile

I very much doubt we're getting any replacement at all, let alone a better one. Promotions have gotten worse and worse over the last year or so, even in regards to promotions for the casual players.

Anyone remember the $10,000 monthly freeroll? How many recs would sign up and play a little just for a chance to bink a $1500 first place? I could be biased because I won the last one though. (sick brag I know ha)

In fact, outside of deposit and reload bonuses there really aren't any promos catered towards anyone but regs. The sportsbook side has some, but not many. Why would a network trying to cater to recs not have promotions for them? I didn't play in that $1 tournament or w/e in January they had, but stuff like that has to draw in new players.

If they want to take away all of our benefits the least they could do is spread them around to the recs so we can make up for the money lost by actually winning at poker.

Instead, the network and the affiliates get more and more profit and we get **** on.

Anybody having lag issues with Carbon today? I keep timing out, don't know if it's the software or a problem with my work internet.

I had to stop playing because of the lagging, and action buttons not appearing, and timing out when the table never even gave me an option to do do anything.

same problem here, i keep timing out at my tables fffffffffff

anyone taken advantage of the supposed free $25 bet??
it does not appear that there is an opt in option, only problem for me is I am not sure if I have ever bet in the Aced casino. I do not recall doing so, so i should be eligible. anyone have success doing this, i want to go play one hand of black jack for $25....

http://www.aced.ag/promotions/casino-free-bet.html

I used it last month, but emailed support 1st to verify that I hadn't played in the Carbon casino.

Revenge jumping? More like an intelligent use of time.

When Merge had a good VIP system I played almost exclusively on Merge in order to rise to the highest level that I could; I think that was common for all player types. As the VIP rewards diminished, I started to put in time on other sites, since there was little incentive for me to do otherwise. Now that the VIP system is gone, there is really no reason for me not to evenly divide my time amongst the various sites.

I did it a few months ago when it was bet $10 and get $10 free. Went off without a hitch.

Having lag issues as well. Had to stop playing.

Regarding any attempt by players to unite and boycott: It will NEVER happen. I believe the phrase is "it's like trying to herd cats." Poker players are also gamblers and many couldn't go very long without getting that fix. But more importantly they're (myself included) ultimately out for themselves. As such, the moment one saw that the tables were free of regs/sharks then one would abandon his boycott to jump in against the fish, hoping to get it all for himself. Of course within hours all the regs would be back. It's the nature of this "lifestyle."

Winning a freeroll is not a sick brag lol

I can tell you right now any casual player logging in now for the first time since the vip change is pretty pissed off.. the lagging issues right now don't help the situation either

Shortsighted on their part, but it's true.

I was joking, but I'll take a free $1,500 any day of the week. My point was it was an awesome promotion that brought in players. Just another example of Merge taking anything and everything away and giving none of it back.

Haven't had any lagging issues on my machines today, oddly enough. And this casual player isn't the least bit pissed off. The fields are so soft right now in the deeper MTT's, I care less about the rewards and more about the prize pools.

I would bet that the casual players who lost their 35% rakeback without any explanation are plenty pissed off. And let's not overstate how soft the fields are. Before segregation playing on Merge was never a cake walk.

^^ Didn't say it was a cakewalk, but by default it has to be easier to navigate moving through tournament fields then it was pre-reintegration. I had no real interest in playing prior to it either - I prefer having the ability to P2P. But I took a shot on a deposit recently and I've built it up pretty solidly since...for me, anyway.

Agree, casuals aren't the least bit effected by this. If you were on Aced(Carbon) Plus you had to earn 10,000 points before you could even do a cash transfer. How many casual players do that? A lot of the ones I've talked to had no idea you could even trade in points. Most just bought into tournaments with them at 10% already anyway.

Casuals are enticed by huge prize pools, freerolls, giving trips away, etc. They don't care about rake back, points to cash, table limits(to an extent, 4 is still stupid) etc because they don't play enough for it to make a difference.

The changes will be positive as a whole, but suck for the minority it effects. Unfortunately for the pissed off grinders here (me included) we're the minority and the least desirable customers they have.

My issue with it is A.) the lack of warning every single time something is changed (so they can essentially steal from us) and B.) not seeing anything being done with the money they are saving to put towards promotions for casual players. It's May FFS, give away some WSOP prize packages if you want new customers.

Yep, since BF Merge has had the toughest games across the board out of any of the available sites.

Meh, it was a little tougher when you got deep in tournaments because it was always 9/30 or so very good players at your final table but many of the "regs" on Merge are pretty terrible. Honestly, it's probably easier playing against bad regs than it is complete fish who have no rhyme or reason for what they do. At least you know the bad regs are just regurgitating what they see in training videos so you can exploit them accordingly.

It has certainly been a breath of fresh air having the fish back though. It's nice getting to a final table and at least having 2-3 fish now instead of 0-2.