PocketFives was the equal of The Hendon Mob for on-line poker gamers. The positioning stored monitor of on-line poker event outcomes, just like what The Hendon Mob does for reside tournaments.
On the finish of 2022, PocketFives rebranded as PokerStake, however the on-line rankings remained.
That was till final week when the location eliminated the historic database for on-line poker tournaments. Phrase has surfaced that GGPoker owns PokerStake, and a few assume the brand new WSOP proprietor is at the very least partially behind the transfer.
In keeping with an organization consultant, a brand new database is being created to mix on-line and reside poker event earnings.
Key Highlights
- PokerStake removes database with over 15 years of on-line poker event historical past.
- Elimination blamed on GGPoker, which is seeking to make PokerStake its major staking arm.
- Gamers wish to see the database restored because it helps to maintain grinders motivated.
PokerStake Removes Historic Hand Rankings
Final week, many individuals logged onto the PokerStake web site and found that the historic database for on-line poker tournaments had been eliminated.
The database was initially launched in 2005 when PocketFives began monitoring on-line event stats.
For the final 15 years, on-line poker gamers have been in a position to monitor their stats, and the database has been the one strategy to decide the all-time leaders in on-line poker tournaments.
My mother and father have been scared/skeptical after I went professional, however seeing I made the highest 100 within the rankings helped change their minds. They have been a enjoyable strategy to compete with the net group, hope they’re introduced again.
– Tony Dunst
To say that gamers will not be completely satisfied with the change is an understatement. Chris Moorman took to X to share his frustrations final week, stating, “So @pokerstakecom eliminated all the on-line rankings final week. They’ve been a giant a part of my motivation to grind since I turned an MTT professional again in 2006. Please retweet and remark to boost consciousness and get them reinstated. We will’t let Pocketfives.com die like this!”
When folks requested why the choice to take away the database was made, Moorman pointed to the websites related to GGPoker. It was later revealed that GGPoker is not only affiliated with the location however truly owns PokerStake.
Poker professional Patrick Leonard likened the elimination of the database to having The Hendon Mob deleted.
WPT commentator Tony Dunst agreed with the sentiment, stating, “My mother and father have been scared/skeptical after I went professional, however seeing I made the highest 100 within the rankings helped change their minds. They have been a enjoyable strategy to compete with the net group, hope they’re introduced again.”
Firm Provides Odd Purpose for Elimination
A number of media retailers reached out to GGPoker and PokerStake, and lots of obtained a generic response with an odd motive for eradicating the database.
In keeping with the corporate, “As a part of PokerStake’s ongoing evaluation of platform site visitors and person preferences, it was decided that the PokerStake group locations larger significance on reside outcomes than on-line outcomes. PokerStake is now working to create extra holistic participant profiles that mix reside and on-line outcomes.”
To me, this can be a clear instance of an organization not understanding the motivations of its prospects. If this transfer was certainly influenced by GGPoker, it might appear odd that a web-based poker firm would assume that its gamers are extra interested by reside outcomes.
What’s more likely is what GGPoker instructed customers on Reddit. In keeping with GGPoker, the corporate goes to make use of PokerStake as its major staking arm. This will even embody stats for staked gamers.
Studying between the strains a bit, plainly GGPoker is seeking to make its personal proprietary database to exchange the outdated one utilized by PokerStake.
Hopefully, the corporate doesn’t eradicate the historic database completely and permits gamers to correctly monitor on-line knowledge individually from reside knowledge.
Databases Are A lot Extra Motivating Than Corporations Understand
Chris Moorman spoke with Poker.org concerning the elimination of the PokerStake database and revealed that he’s “already observed myself much less motivated to grind tournaments.” He elaborated that he used the net rankings to construct a legacy and hold rating.
For a lot of gamers, the cash that may be received at poker is not sufficient of a motivating issue. I discovered this to be the case after I first began taking part in poker.
Whereas I targeted totally on reside poker, databases just like the now-defunct PokerPages helped hold me motivated. I constructed my profile on PokerPages and used it as half brag board and half resume after I began within the poker trade.
Like Moorman, I’m hopeful that PokerStake and GGPoker will revive the database in a significant means. In any other case, one should query if it really understands the motivations of its prospects.
Sources
https://www.poker.org/latest-news/chris-moorman-leads-mourners-for-lost-pokerstake-rankings-a5EcP8n0SdGA/
https://pokerfuse.com/information/poker-room-news/221544-ggpoker-confirms-results-will-return-pokerstake/
