Poker is hurt: Many Sharks, Few Fishes

Gorak

Gorak

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Poker is hurt: Many Sharks, Few Fishes

I read several articles about poker rooms profits going down and some of them firing pros from their line-up. There must be a combination of reasons, but I think one of them is that there are too many sharks and not enough fishes.

Players are realising that playing regs vs regs is just not worth it. So they simply quit, reduce their activities or go down in stakes.

What do you think? And what can be done to bring more the fishes to the tables?
 

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J

JamaicanKid

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yea, this is probably true........at the limits that I play online I tend to see the same players on most of the tables most of the time...I play strictly 6 max and if its a full table, 4 of the 6 usually are regs with just an odd fish or two.
 
duggs

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natural progression in any industry, thing is people who were sharks are now fish, id say it has more to do with the GFC than anything else. it will turn around
 
rodrigoudf

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It's a cycle, the fishes will never fade, but the proportion of sharks will be higher.
 
R

rugby0

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I blame this on the lack of tv exposure and the lack of internet gaming in the us.
 
theRaven68

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i agree that that is a way of progression, but it became a problem for rooms and for recreational players both.
and its a true that in almost eve ry roomyou can see the same players on the tables most of the time
 
Peteyweestro

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I think due to the stupid gambling laws that have caused the players from the USA to be set aside and therefore the whole industry of online poker is way down i would think so the casual players have all but washed up and i think thats where most of the fish came from, you know the casual player who saw it played a few times on late night tv and who likes to gamble so they rode the wave of poker until it crashed
 
Gorak

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When I began playing poker around 2003, I had read 1 book. With no videos, no coaching and no HUDs I could beat the micros. Now take a complete newbie with no experience at all playing at 0.01$/0.02$. He won't last long as even the lowest limits are infested with regs.

Besides, the rakeback in those days was awesome. One site I was playing, with easy Bonus, 30% Rakeback and site points, came close to 100% rakeback even at low volume.

These days, Bonuses are harder to clear. And freerolls money is not as easy as it was back then.

Sites need to bring some recreational players or their profits will go into a downward spiral.
 
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cotta777

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When everyone knows the optimal strategy and everyone is playing 'correctly' so to speak above a certain level of consistency its a whole lot different.

We've seen the peak nothing is secure unless your making serious money
committing your life to a 'real business' is likely to be alot more profitable

I have gotten to the point in life where the money I make from working is far better than the money in poker,
using the same concept (of developtment) to become good at business and marketing = its very simple
 
XXPXXP

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it is the natural of all business.
any business are the same.

PS: reg= sharks? I don't think so.
at least a lot of NL50 regs still have hug leaks.
 
fubarcdn

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The numbers never lie. There are less and less new players and as the unprofitable players move on to different hobbies it leaves only semi profitable players who will also become unprofitable players and move on to different hobbies.
For the online poker sites to survive they have to figure out how to attract increasingly higher numbers of new less experienced players who can feed the marginally successful players who can feed the sharks. Darwin would be proud to know that his evolution theory even works in the poker world. So far anyways. Stay tuned.
 
Jostone6

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I still see many fish, but is declining, I think missing more publicity, promotions to continue attracting recreational. Also think back when the USA, we will have a good period of fish.
 
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joe777

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Too many shark and less fish also not good for the industry.
 
TheBigFinn

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I think due to the stupid gambling laws that have caused the players from the USA to be set aside and therefore the whole industry of online poker is way down i would think so the casual players have all but washed up and i think thats where most of the fish came from, you know the casual player who saw it played a few times on late night tv and who likes to gamble so they rode the wave of poker until it crashed

Amen brother. There is much less new (fishy) cash coming into the games post Black Friday, but with legal on line in New Jersey, Delaware and Nevada I have hope for the future.

The game needs another Moneymaker winning the world Series and getting lots of press. I volunteer to fill the role.
 
doncaster

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I have been playing poker for years and I think I am still a fish.There are too many new young fearless players entering this "sport" and they either use their pocket money or work at Maccas and earn a few dollars then go All In and catch fish like me.
 
S

Sohmurr

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After Black Friday I stopped playing until just recently. I know friends of mine who quit then too. Regulation of online poker in the US will certainly help bring back players, as will more poker TV shows. But as someone alluded to earlier, eventually interest will reach a peak, and then decline to a steady level no matter how legal or well advertised the industry is. People will move on if they get bored.
 
Carl Trooper

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Yeh 03-07 were the glory days.

I remember being in HS and everyone having card games at home every weekend. I miss those days :(

There was more shenanigans as well at the tables, things you dont see anymore. Its too serious now which I think hurts as well. New players dont want to sit down at hoodie, earphones table. They want talkers and people having fun.
 
TeUnit

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it is getting harder, but that just means you have to work harder to stay ahead of the game
 
rickypr18

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Sharks are actually an endangered species. Get your facts straight.
 
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nmolliso

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Lack of Internet gaming in the USA is possibly the biggest reason for the decline of fish.

Think of all the hundeds of thousands of American idiots that don't get to play anymore.
 
Gorak

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it is getting harder, but that just means you have to work harder to stay ahead of the game

You can work on your game all you want but there is a limit. Besides studying is not as fun as playing.

Bring back the loose passive calling stations fish please!
 
Daniel72

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I see still tons of weak players at the micro tables!

And sharks are also some kind of fish, right? (in the animal world)

:)
 
5

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I suppose I am a fish. It is intimidating and not real fun to know there is a label attached to being not the best player at the table. And who decides? i mean is there criteria to determine ones place in the hierarchy?

I know if over say 3 months, I have lost money then obviously I must not be at the top of the food chain. At that point most people will decide to improve their game or move on to something with at least fixed costs.

I see most of the posts so far have come from the elite group known as Sharks. Really? My suggestion to attract new less skilled players might be something along the lines of avoiding making them feel inferior, hunted and about to be devoured.

I know I hate that.
 
aa88wildbill

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I was playing at Bovada today on the .10/.25 table six hand. At any given time at our table there was about 3 to 4 solid players, the empty chairs fish would pop in lose their money, and then another fish would take their place. So basically, it was a matter of which one of the solid players turn it would be to take the fish's money. LOL
 
pfb8888

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the interweb killed poker.

and sites like cardschat , 2+2 .

information is almost too easy to get now.

live coaching , Skype , player analysis sites...
 
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