Update: Poker Pros Meet With Amaya
8 years ago
26 Jan
What's Going On
Over the last three days, more details have emerged about the meeting between Amaya inc. and a number of poker pros who are or were recently employed by the company's subsidiary, PokerStars. The three pros involved, Dani ‘Ansky’ Stern, Ike Haxton, and Daniel Dvoress released a statement on 2+2 on Sunday providing the poker community with some new details about what was discussed, exactly, and how Amaya’s representatives reacted to their suggestions.
PokerStars responded on Monday with a statement of its own focusing on the need to satisfy the recreational players also, not only the online grinders.
Poker Pros: We Regret Not Bringing Back Any Good News
We knew from Saturday that the pros were far from happy after meeting with Amaya, yet we didn’t know exactly why. The statement from 2+2 clarifies the issue: it seems Stern, Haxton and Dvoress tried to convince Amaya to make rake adjustments in light of the latest VIP changes.
The targeted games were the high-stakes 6-max hyper SNG ‘unbeatable without the 70% SuperNova Elite rakeback’ according to ‘Ansky’ plus the cash games. The players suggested that Amaya lower the rake in shorthanded games - 6-max - and increase it in full games. Moreover, they also suggested a system of bonuses and discounts for SuperNova and SuperNova Elite grinders who play against each other. Stern explained:
For every 6-max SNG that runs, the players in the game will earn the equivalent rakeback of the lowest VIP level player in the game, and potentially earn extra bonuses if everyone is SN or SNE. This way there is never a situation where a pro is paying less rake than an amateur, and pros are given extra incentives to battle in low edge games."
Unfortunately, the Amaya representatives didn’t want to hear any of that and the players ‘were left with the impression that Amaya considered (the suggestions) to be more trouble than they were worth.’
In other words, PokerStars grinders, don’t expect rake reductions or VIP bonuses in the foreseeable future because they aren’t going to happen.
PokerStars: VIP Changes Part Of A Bigger Plan To Improve Ecosystem
The changes that upset the professionals, however, will continue, according to PokerStars. VP of Corporate Communications Eric Hollreiser said in the latest corporate blog that the VIP changes are virtually just the beginning of a broad-based plan to improve the online poker ecosystem. Since the recreational players are the ‘lifeblood of any poker economy,’ PokerStars plans to continue to make the game more fun for them and probably less fun for the online grinders.
Surprisingly, PS didn’t issue any formal apology in the statement for the ones affected by the VIP changes. They still treat the situation as a ‘communication error’ and ‘unfortunate’ and can only express regret that ‘the changes have angered some high volume players.’
Hollreiser also explained:
Going forward, the VIP benefit is a one-year program and we retain the right to change or eliminate the rewards at any time. We will ensure that this is communicated clearly and consistently."
Many 2+2 veterans though had a different opinion on the matter and asked the VP of Corporate Communications to take a look on the SuperNova page site before actually stating such inaccurate things. Among other things, the page clearly states the SN and SNE is actually NOT a one-year program:
Once you reach Supernova status, you enjoy the benefits for the remainder of the current year and the entirety of the following year!"
With that said, some SNE members still think they've been robbed of at least $20,000 if not much more ($40,000+) in the light of the latest VIP changes and no meeting could probably change that without direct reparations.
Are they right? Do they have a case? Or is Amaya clearly entitled to change the terms as they wish? Please share your opinion in the comment box below.
Rake Reduction Is Highly Unlikely, Online Grinders
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