Players Strike on PokerStars

In protest against the latest changes on the PokerStars VIP-System players tried to block the tables on the poker site on January 1st. PokerStrategy.com has received an exclusive statement from PokerStars.

Last week PokerStars announced that as of 2012 they would change the way VIP Player Points (VPP) are calculated in cash games. As we informed you last week, they have switched from a 'dealt' to 'weighted contributed' (WC) model.

This means that VPPs are now awarded based on how much the player contributes to the pot. Previously using the dealt method, anyone who had been dealt into the hand would share an equal percentage of the VPPs, even if they did not put money in the pot. The WC model favors loose, more creative players, and is said to lead to a better poker ecology.

As well as that change, PokerStars wanted to change the rake structure to a less complicated one. It would have resulted in a reduced rake in some games - notably micro-stakes games and some full-ring conditions - but raised others - the most contentious of which was increases in rake-caps when 3 and 5 handed.

Players protesting

After this announcement, wide protest spread across poker forums because the players had hoped for a rake reduction in exchange to the WC system. Many were critical that these changes only benefited PokerStars' profits.

This is because under WC, recreational players get more VPPs, but as they usually play less they have lower VIP Levels, which means less multipliers and therefore, less FPPs exchanged into cash and VIP store prizes.

Many players also complained about the late date of the announcement, just four days before the start of a new year. This is of particular frustration to someone attempting to go for Supernova or Supernova Elite, which is often a year long pursuit which requires planning.

PokerStars quickly responded to the protests and reversed the rake structure plans:

"In summary we still believe that the proposed rake system taken as a whole would result in a more balanced and fair rake system for players. However, given that players have responded so negatively to this change, which also has a cost to PokerStars due to the reduced rake, we felt that the best course of action is to cancel the change", wrote PokerStars representative Steve Day in an announcement posted on poker forum 2+2.

Strike on January 1st

Tight mass multi-tabling players will be impacted the most.

"The change to the Weighted Contributed method of awarding VPPs will remain as announced."

For some of the player reversal of the rake plans was not enough. Among the criticisms, there were fears that PokerStars were exploiting their status as the biggest online poker room to dictate rake changes whenever they felt like it.

Other players were upset that they would, on average, be receiving significantly less VPPs. For a mass multi-tabling, tight player, these changes could result in a massive hit on their overall earn rate - as previously they have benefited from merely being dealt into a hand.

Poker forum members organised a strike on January 1st with the goal to block all tables by mass sitting out and disrupting the games for that day. This date was picked on purpose so that they did not prevent anyone attempting to earn Supernova or Supernova Elite by the end of 2011.

PokerStars had previously signaled that they would "take measures, not necessarily punitive, to minimize this disruption. 

"It is legitimate for a company to make changes in its pricing and rebate model. And it’s perfectly legitimate for customers who are not happy with the changes to protest. However we don’t think that the planned strike is constructive, and it was called too soon. A strike at this point wouldn't cause us to make changes; the dialog that we offered will be much more constructive."

PokerStars bans strikers

Initially some strikers got restrictions on the amount of tables they were allowed to play. As they continued to block the waiting lists some accounts were also locked. The cash-out function wasn't effected, and the bans are all temporary.

PokerStars Steve answered most of the player concerns in an Q&A on 2+2. Some of the key points from which included:
• 75% of the initial player complaints were about the rake change and not the change to WC. 
• The poker economy in general is dependent on the satisfaction of recreational players and the WC is a fairer system that benefits the interest of all groups as much as possible. 
• The players who protested are not a complete cross section of the PokerStars community.
• On average Bronze, Silver, and Gold players will receive more FPPs. Platinum will have a small reduction. Supernova and Supernova Elite will have a larger reduction. 
• PokerStars will benefit from around 1.5% to 2% gross rake as a result of these changes, the money for which is planned to reduce the rake, reinvest in marketing and bringing more recreational players to the site. 
• Steve Day also invited player representatives over to the Isle of Man to find a satisfying solution.

PokerStrategy.com Receives Exclusive Statement From PokerStars

In an PokerStrategy.com exclusive, PokerStars have responded to the recent rake change news:

"We will work with player representatives on a better rake system later this month.  We hope to agree on a rake structure that will benefit a majority of players, both professional and recreational."

What do you think about changing to WC and the changes in the rake structure? Was the strike justified? Did PokerStars react appropriately? Discuss it in our forum.