[k_squared]

One quick thought to add... the structure of online poker allows the better players to take advantage of their skills by allowing them to multiptable. That means the bad players lose their money more quickly because the ratio of good players to bad players is skewed higher by the multi-tabling. I think it is true to claim that the better players are more likely to multi-table because (1) they have the confidence and bankroll to do so (2) the weaker players will go broke doing this much more quickly and will then leave the game.

So, the fact that we can multi-table (and make lots of money off of fish at low stakes) means that we push them out of the game at a much quicker rate than they would otherwise be pushed out. I also think it is more than conceivable that the number of fish coming into the games will be significantly less than the number of fish losing their roles and interest in the game, hence reducing the number of weak players.

Also, it would seem that the number of weak players would have to grow more quickly as time progresses to keep the profitability the same. I say this because when a player begins he can either become good or lose all his money. If he becomes good he is no longer a fish and the number of good players has increased. If he isn't good he leaves the game a loser... so either the pool of long term players is increased by one good player or it stays the smae size. Over time the pool of long term players with the skills to make money will increase meaning that unless you also increase the number of fish/beginners you will have a smaller piece of the action than before that other good player was added to the group.

-k_squared