Changes were inevitable and now they are here.
Imagine a business model where the non-paying users are allowed to use sophisticated software to slaughter the paying customers even faster.
Imagine that they are allowed to call the paying customers all sorts of nasty stuff where “idiot” is the bottom of the range.
Imagine that they even get a discount for doing all of the above.
Time is Up
If you suggested such a revenue model at a business school you would not only get a resounding F you probably would be kicked out, too.
Such was the business model for online poker rooms for many years. They thought they were doing great but they were only early adopters on a new market living on borrowed time.
Time is up. The smaller networks have already made different adjustments.
Like penalizing brands who only bring in winning players; like changing the rake structure; like imposing anonymous nicknames; like hiding tables for certain players and stopping rakeback.
They've tried many different things but always with the same principle – to enhance the playing experience for recreational players and make the conditions tougher for professional players.
Every single action in this direction has been successful. More are obviously coming.
The Best Move a Network Can Make
Full Tilt has now taken the next step on the inevitable road to online poker's future.
You can no longer pick a table -- only the level. This is the best move a network can make. I’m truly amazed that no one has made this move earlier.
It will be the same as in a live poker room. You sign up and you get the first available seat at one of the tables at that level.
If you don’t like it you can ask for a table change or quit. It will create more action and attract recreational players to come back again.
Mark my words this will be such a success that every poker network will implement it soon -- and sooner than you think.
Heads-Up tables eliminated – Nowhere was the money distribution from worse players to better players faster than in heads up.
Nowhere was the ecological system ruined faster and this will benefit everyone; well, almost everyone anyway.
Furthermore nothing spelled “Fish” on the forehead of recreational players more clearly than a poker lobby full of hundreds of heads-up tables with different players sitting alone at each table waiting for lunch.
I guarantee that many recreational players log out instead of playing like they intended to because they cant find a full-ring table in the poker lobby full of (almost) deserted islands. Great move!
The Future is Here
Multi-tabling limited – Recreational players spend money on poker for entertainment. There's no fun playing against someone playing 12 tables at once because you have to wait for every decision.
If you have two multi-grinders at your table it’s unplayable. Another great move!
You can still play six tables per game. In fact you can play as many tables as you want, just not more than six at a specific level, so stop whining.
Actually this will all be good for you to. Just wait and see.
Virtual Timers – To prevent hit-and-runs a virtual timer will be implemented. You will be locked out if you join and leave too many tables in a small time period.
You cannot sit down with a minimum buy-in at a new table after a score on another table. Finally!
More to come – Managing Director Dominic Mansour of Full Tillt Poker has said more changes are to come. Banning of HUDs and third-party software is up next.
Do I need to tell you what the result of those discussions will be?
The future is here. And once again you can find it at Full Tilt Poker.
Poker Online Will Survive After All
They will be so successful that PokerStars – who have the same owner - will follow suit.
The rest will also follow and the revolution will be complete. Once again poker can thrive.
If you're an online grinder working your battle station that looks like the interior of a spaceship you need to prepare to land on planet earth. Otherwise you will crash.
I suggest that you learn to play real poker. Or get a job.
Me? I’m ecstatic. I’ve been waiting such a long time for this day. Poker online will survive after all.
I think I'll make a deposit at Full Tilt to support and celebrate.
About Ken Lennaárd:
Sweden's most controversial poker blogger Ken Lennaárd has been around the professional poker circuit for almost 20 years. Among his numerous accomplishments are Swedish Championships both live and online, three WSOP final tables and over $1.5m in live earnings. He's now bringing his singular poker voice to the English world via PokerListings.com. Look for new posts every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Note: Opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not represent the views of PokerListings.com.
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