[SinSixer]

First of all, I respect your recent decision to work WITH poker players. During a time when it seems like Party is taking a step backwards with regard to rakebacks and catering to their high volume players, it seems like some smaller sites are actually starting to offer more. I guess in a year or so, we will see which was the right direction to move in from a business point of view.

Anyway, what is TruePokers official policy concerning rakeback? It doesnt take Sherlock Holmes to find affilates offering up to 28% rakeback from TruePoker in the classifieds here.

I dont think you have a policy against rakeback. I also do not have an account at TruePoker. I think I downloaded the software 4 years ago (have you been around for that long already?) but I never gave the games a shot, because honestly, theres always been a better bonus or something better to play for elsewhere.

So if I was to finally deposit and play at TruePoker, I would only do so if it involved a rakeback deal obviously. Heres what I would propose:

Rakeback now requires the involvement of an affiliate. In my case (and with 90% of this forum) we dont need affiliates to steer us to a site. Its not like we havent heard of TruePoker before. I would want to cut out the middle man and his share of my play. I can be my own affiliate if it would make implementation easier. I would want my rakeback paid directly to me.

Second, 28% is not enough. PokerRoom affiliates offer 40% of rakeback with high volume play. Matching that would be good and all, but what would be innovative about it? If you want more new players, I think you would have to kick it up a notch. I would say somewhere in the ballpark of 75% rakeback for the highest volume players, thats in the range of GamesGrid's offer. Make a deal like that, and heads will turn. 10 new players for you equals 1 table of 30% rake. And well, 30% of something is a lot better than 100% of nothing.

Of course this amount of rakeback would require high volume play to work. Hypothetically (meaning these following numbers are just estimates. If you were interseted, I could work out some concrete ones) lets say I played 50,000 hands at TruePoker without any rakeback. You would make about 5k in rake off my play. Lets assume you offer me 75% rakeback but I needed to play 200,000 hands to earn it. In that case I would pay 20k in rake, I keep my 75% (15k) and you keep the other 5k. It is the same 5k to you, either way, except I propped your games for another 150,000 hands. That's more traffic and more incentive for others to join. You also have added 1 more player earning you 5k a year (or 200,000 hands etc) that you wouldnt have had otherwise. This is a win-win situation for TruePoker if you ask me. I mean, I am going to play that 200,000 hands somehwere, and as of right now its not going to be at TruePoker because Im getting a better deal elsewhere.

The bottom line is that I know what the value of my play is to a poker room, and my services are going to go where the best offer is. There are a lot players with the same mentality around here, and with the changes at Party, the right deal might scoop them away......

What do you think?