Joined: Jan '11
Location: Germany
Age: 50 (M)
Posts: 513
For a long time, online poker community has been advocating for a group of high stakes pros to come together and start an online poker room whose management would actually understand the poker economy and focus on a player. That’s why the announcement he made via his training site RunItOnce was met with an overwhelming approval from players and fans alike. As far as we can say, Galfond is the man of his word and keeps his promises. But this time, it’s really a big one.
In the post announcing his intentions, Phil Galfond explained that an ideal poker room should appreciate all types of poker players, from recreationals to semi-pros and hardcore professionals. All these groups bring something important to the table and should be respected for it.
Further, explains Galfond, although a site cannot cater to every single request or a wish from a player, it does need to balance between good business decisions and requests from the public. Transparency and accountability need to be at the core of an online poker site.
Joined: May '08
Location: Germany
Age: 60 (M)
Posts: 6787
It is good to see a new room in the making. But actually, i don't understand the excitement about a high stakes pro being involved in it. Last time, at FT, that didn't work out so well in the long run.
Joined: Mar '11
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 56 (M)
Posts: 7371
This sounds like a very good idea and i think that this will be successful. Phil Galfond has always come across as a very trustworthy and respectable guy, not to mention a phenomenal poker player, and i wish him lots of success in his venture
new room is always interesting ... but usually nothing particularly new there are no new showrooms ... but suddenly he had some sort of a good idea for your poker room and play it will be interesting? as I understand it, this is room only for the high-stakes players? then I go there the road is closed unfortunately
Joined: Mar '14
Location: Japan
Age: 50 (M)
Posts: 8946
Phil Galfond has been a professional poker player for over a decade. He also runs his own coaching and training site. It is quite impressive that he has been consistently doing well in high stakes games both live and online. I can't wait for the grand opening!
Joined: Mar '09
Location: Greece
Age: 48 (F)
Posts: 14196
No matter who he is, if the site wont have what players actually need, and can be competitive with the rest of the big sites, it will be just a fail. They wont stay there, because its owner is a poker player, or a group if that matters.
I like Phil galfond as an ambassador though. Guy is smart and really down to earth. But yeah that doesn't mean corruption can't occur.
For me what would make me go play on a site is lower rake. I can't stand 10-12% rake. This is what makes the game hard to beat and everybody knows it. If you lower it, then you have more ev+ players, and in the long run your traffic will increase. I can't believe nobody tried a 5% rake room yet. I would go there in a heartbeat, because in the long run rake is what eats your BR.
Joined: Feb '13
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 48 (F)
Posts: 2372
Maybe you answered your own question.
Poker sites want to keep costs as low as possible so they get more traffic. Maybe at 5% it just isn't doable. Most poker sites these days make their money from the casino side of things
Joined: Mar '09
Location: Greece
Age: 48 (F)
Posts: 14196
The poker sites make more money with the added casino games, bit i dont think that at least for the big ones like poker stars or party poker, this is their main source of income. Its just an addition to it, and the amount must be significant.
Joined: May '08
Location: Lithuania
Age: 40 (M)
Posts: 10090
"For a long time, online poker community has been advocating for a group of high stakes pros to come together and start an online poker room whose management would actually understand the poker economy and focus on a player."
