Kudos to Ribbo

[got0uts]

http://www.livejournal.com/users/ribmeister/


...You have to understand though that your PLO/8 tables have been utterly
watered down by for some reason starting NLO/8 tables.
In the forums I subscibe to, a lot of players just wont play NLO8 period.
It's a terrible game full of Americans who get two aces and refuse to see a
flop, instead shoving $100 into a $5 pot and somehow expecting a call.
I believe the opening of NLO/8 was counterproductive to your sites
popularity. As you know most of the action for PLO8 is at party poker, they
get a lot of games going including a lot of high limit games.
What makes your high limit games die is people playing NLO8. There has to be
"stepping stones" for new players without the bankroll to be able to build
up a bankroll to be able to play in these games. Because serious players
will not play NLO8 they do not get the opportunities they need to sit down
and play PLO8 regularily. I believe NLO8 simply puts new players off playing
big bet Omaha/8 because they will happily put all their chips in on a flop
where they have the nut straight, then wonder why they lost everything to
the guy with the freeroll flush draw and/or low draw.
The reason PLO8 is not popular with your site is twofold. One, you don't
promote it like you should. Two, you make the tables nine handed. This is
just terrible. I have taken many screenshots of tables where three people
will be sat out for one reason or another. The table goes six handed, then
everyone else refuses to play because they abhor shorthanded PLO/8. The
table dies, everyone leaves. I see it time and time again. You need to make
the games 10 handed to get the players back at the tables, else all the
action will firmly stay at Party Poker. Having played on Pokerstars since
the beta, and having almost exclusively played PLO8 for a living for the
last 3+ years I've spoken to an awful lot of players in those games. 9
handed games and NLO8 tables are the reason you are not running a PLO8
event. There is no other reason for the action being at Party Poker for
these games, since Pokerstars has much better software and a more generous
and easily obtained deposit bonus. (Although you could claim that because
you don't offer affiliate rakeback deals a lot of the pro's stick to Party,
but that's a different matter)

Edited
Another reason I am cpoying Ribbo's journal here is because I hope there will be enough responses here so that PS will give a shit about their dying PLO8 games, like Lee Jones once responded personally about PS's issue at another forum...

[Mendacious]

I sent an e-mail to PS as well echoing Ribbo's points. I think more should.

[got0uts]

Will do too.

I still don't understand why the hell PS is only offering 9-handed tables for PL & NL games. They can't handle the bets? (sw)

[TGoldman]

I agree about the 9-handed NL and PL tables. I don't see why limit games should be 10-handed but big bet games can only have 9 seats? As for PokerStar's No-Limit O8 games, well I agree it's a dumb betting structure for the game. Most good players realize that. However some people obviously enjoy playing NL. So let people play the game however they want to play it. It isn't PokerStar's job to tell people what games they should or should not play. On that issue, I think Ribbo's just sour that it's mainly fish that populate the NLO/8 tables, and he wants those players at his PLO/8 tables.

[Ribbo]

10 games of 9 handed, as opposed to 9 games of 10 handed means $3 a hand more rake. It's pretty obvious why they want them 9 handed. It's just ironic that that very reason has caused them to lose atleast 50 regular players from their PLO8 games. That's considerably more than going ten handed.

[emptyshell]

Am I the only one that would prefer all 6 max tables?

[dcasper70]

[ QUOTE ]
Am I the only one that would prefer all 6 max tables?

[/ QUOTE ]

I struggle with 6-handed max, especially hold 'em, just because hand values change a lot. In 0/8 shorthanded, I definitely have been raising more with A4xx suited and A5xx suited (late position). Still, I prefer a big table.

[Mendacious]

I disagree. You want games where players have an incentive to continue to play..and improve, be challenged and get a fair shake. Having people play a game where a vast number are bound to get frustrated and leave, in favor of a much richer game is not better for anyone. NL08 is like playing with wild cards, follow the queen... Anaconda, Baseball, etc. Sure people like these games, but they aren't good poker and are not optimal for developing players and retaining them.

[Jorge10]

[ QUOTE ]
Am I the only one that would prefer all 6 max tables?

[/ QUOTE ]

Theres more varince than in a full handed game, also look what its done for PLO on party, its pretty much killed the 200 and 400 level. Theres usually 3 short handed tables at most and not even, would you rather see 3 short handed tables or 3 full handed tables? Seems like 3 full handed tables would be more profitable.