Eigentlich wollte PokerStars mit 1. Januar von „dealt“ auf „weighted contributed“ bei der Berechnung von Rake und VPPs umstellen. Die Bekanntmachung löste sowohl bei 2+2 als auch bei PokerStrategy massive Diskussionen und Proteste aus. In einem Statement auf 2+2 gab PokerStars nun bekannt, dass die Rake gleich bleibt, aber die VPPs verändert werden.
Die Reaktionen auf die angekündigte Rakeänderung trat zum Jahresende noch eine Forumslawine los. Unzählige Rechenbeispiele sind in den Foren zu finden, die Spieler drohten mit Massen – Sit-out. PokerStars hat schnell reagiert und die geplante Änderung zurückgenommen. „PokerStars Steve“ meldete sich auf 2+2 zu Wort. Zwar ist man noch immer der Meinung, dass die neue Rakeberechnung fairer sei, aber man nehme die Kritik der Spieler ernst und deshalb bliebe man beim alten System. Geändert wird allerdings wie geplant die VPP Berechnung. Je mehr man zum Pot beiträgt, desto mehr VPPs gibt es.
Das Posting von PokerStars Steve auf 2+2:
Thank you all for taking the time to express your opinion about the recently announced changes to ring game rake on PokerStars.com for 2012.
As a direct result of player input, we are cancelling the planned rake changes that were to be implemented in early January 2012. We will still use the incremental method to calculate rake instead of true percentage rake. Rake caps and percentages will remain exactly as they are today.
I would like to add a few comments:
The current rake at PokerStars is the lowest by far among all major poker sites.
We are confident that the planned rake changes would have resulted in a further overall decrease in ring game rake site wide, and a decrease for a majority of players.
There has been much inaccurate information spread about the impact of the changes. As an example, the changes would not have resulted in a 50% increase in rake for 5-handed play. While there would have been an increase in average rake for 5-handed play at NL tables with stakes of $0.25/$0.50 and higher, it would be far less than 50% (for stakes up to $0.10/$0.25 there was either no change or reduction in caps for 5-handed play). Most hands do not reach the cap and thus would not be affected. The rake for many hands dealt to 5 players would actually be lower at many stakes due to the lower rake percentage (4.5% reduced from 5%). If players review rake at other online poker rooms, they will discover that it is the standard for the rake caps to be the same when 5 or more players are dealt into a hand. PokerStars has been the one notable exception to this system.
In summary we still believe that the proposed rake system taken as a whole would result in a more balanced and fair rake system for players. However, given that players have responded so negatively to this change, which also has a cost to PokerStars due to the reduced rake, we felt that the best course of action is to cancel the change.
The change to the Weighted Contributed method of awarding VPPs will remain as announced.