New 4 table cap for cash games on PokerStars

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fundiver199

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I think, this is very good news for cash game players. I have been observing the traditional cash tables die a slow shark filled death for the last few years, and this is actually the main reason, I started playing on 888 a few month ago. I think, this will do a number of things, which are good for the game:

* New players will have a better chance of initial success
* There will be less waiting for someone to act
* People will be encouraged to play more hands
* People will be encouraged to improve their game and move up

I logged on to Stars this morning, and the results are already visible. There were less full ring tables playing, especially at 2NL and 5NL, but going through the lobby even at limits as high as 25NL and 50NL there were several tables with players per flop in the twenties. Which is just absolute amazing compared to, how it was before, the 4 table cap was introduced.


https://www.cardschat.com/news/pokerstars-institutes-four-table-cap-for-cash-games-84051
 
greatgame230

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I only play cash occasionally but I think this will bring discomfort in many cash players there are many who like to play in 8 or more tables and I do not see what is the advantage of this limit of 4 tables per player, I do not know what benefits a player who only likes to play at one table plays against another who plays at several tables of this new change, maybe the waiting time decreases but more than that I see no reason for this new change by pokerstars
 
Syltan

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I don’t even know how for me pokerstar draws regulars into Zoom poker, faster inra more rake poker room. Justification is excellent, just excellent, to improve the ecology of poker.
 
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fundiver199

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I do not know what benefits a player who only likes to play at one table plays against another who plays at several tables of this new change, maybe the waiting time decreases but more than that I see no reason for this new change by PokerStars


The benefit is, it create looser games. Before the change you saw people playing 15 tables at 2NL with stats like VPIP 11 / PFR 9. And its just not fun for anyone to play against these nits. Its especially not fun for recreational players, so the recreational players stop playing, and then the games are left with only nits trying to setmine against each other and get paid, when they have pocket aces.
 
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fundiver199

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I don’t even know how for me pokerstar draws regulars into Zoom poker, faster inra more rake poker room. Justification is excellent, just excellent, to improve the ecology of poker.

This does seem to be part of their strategy yes, since when you reach the cap, you are informed, you can add Zoom tables.
 
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pokerballsaa

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Yeah I feel like this is just to push them to play the zoom tables which create more rake. This is one of those where they make it seem like they are doing something for the players when really they are the main ones that get rewarded for it.
 
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Dlbcanuck

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The economics let some players in some counties make some decent cash playing multi tables but these guys will need to adjust. The move is good for rec players at the lower levels.
 
KristaK

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hi hi
if i even try play more than three tables at same time, feels my head goin explode
 
pentazepam

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I think it is to late to save online poker. But better than nothing and certainly a step in the right direction.

Agree with OP on most points. One of the most boring/tilting things for me (even if I also multi-table (4-6)) when I played NHL cash were some players that almost every hand used the time bank down to zero.

If people still want to play 16 tables or more they can of course play on multiple sites, but Pokerstars have them on less tables now. Good for them and good for the game.

Now get rid of the HUDs next step (like party poker).
 
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fundiver199

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Yeah I feel like this is just to push them to play the zoom tables which create more rake. This is one of those where they make it seem like they are doing something for the players when really they are the main ones that get rewarded for it.


Its hardly surpricing, that a business want to make money. Also traditional cash games were dying a slow shark filled death at Stars all the way down to 2NL, so something clearly had to be done to create a better balance, where more new players come into the game, and survive for longer. This is not just something, Stars say. It has been visible for a long term to anyone playing there and observing, what is happening to players per flop percentages etc.

And if you look here in Cardschat, there are actually quite a few people, who tell, they can not win at cash games, so they mainly play tournaments. This might also explain, why the cap does not apply to tournaments. Presumably Stars have concluded, that tournaments are not in the same danger of being "overfished" as cash games, so regulars can still play as many tournaments, as they like.
 
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fundiver199

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Now get rid of the HUDs next step (like Party Poker).

I hope, they dont do that, and I really hope, they dont copy PartyPokers mistake and deny players their hand histories. I think, what PokerStars have done now, is a lot more clever and better for online poker, than what partypoker has done.
 
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I do not like to play many tables at once, it's too early for me to play like this. I study other players ' games at cash tables more . But you can sometimes try, a successful game still depends on the strategy and aggressive game - this is my personal opinion. free time is not enough for a full immersion in the game and I think this is a big obstacle to success. in tournaments participate but rarely, again limited in time.
 
tauri103

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they had to realize that players who multitabler were gagant and very advantageous compared to other players. this allows them to decrease the effect of the variance on their games. there must be a lot of proffessional players who will not like this change.
 
kraemer

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Makes it less attractive for HUD users, so i think it is a good move, because it benefits "real" players. On the other hand they seem to allow you to add zoom tables instead, where HUDs are a huge advantage in the long run...
 
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fundiver199

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Makes it less attractive for HUD users, so i think it is a good move, because it benefits "real" players. On the other hand they seem to allow you to add zoom tables instead, where HUDs are a huge advantage in the long run...


HUDs are getting way to much attention from some people. What is important for the experience of new players is not, if regulars are using HUDs or not. Its how many regulars are at the table, and how many other players are also new to the game.

If you put 1 "fish" on a table with 8 "sharks", its common sense, that he will be eaten alive. If however there are 2-3 "fish" and only 6-7 "sharks", the experience become much better for everyone. Since "fish" play more hands, they now get to face another fish in a decent amount of the hands, they play, and not always a shark. They still lose, but they lose more slowly, so there is a bigger chance, they stick around and continue playing.

And its also a better experience for the "sharks". Rather than struggling to beat the rake, they now see a significant winrate, which also allow them to move up rather than being stuck at the lowest limits, where most beginners are found.

For sure limiting multitabling does not directly regulate, how many "sharks" are in the game. "Sharks" can adjust by playing longer sessions, or play on multible sites. But it does make it less attractive to try and grind a living out of very low stake online games, and its also difficult to see, what else could be done, that would be more effective and more fair to players.

"Sharks" can still play as much Zoom, as they like, but that does not matter, because Zoom is not the main place, where new players try to learn the game. Regular cash tables are, or at least should be, that place. "Sharks" can also play as many tournaments, as they like. And I guess, this is because, Stars find, that new players have a much higher survival rate, if they play tournaments. So there is less need to make changes in that game format.
 
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fundiver199

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they had to realize that players who multitabler were gagant and very advantageous compared to other players. this allows them to decrease the effect of the variance on their games. there must be a lot of proffessional players who will not like this change.

For sure there are. But the reality is, traditional cash games have been slowly dying online for the last decade. With less money coming in, there is less money to distribute between poker sites and professional players. And frankly this mean, that there need to be less full time professional players. More people need to treat online poker as a side hustle, or perhaps as a stepping stone on the way to become a professional live player.
 
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I used to prefer playing no more than 4-6 tables. I also like zoom tables, so this news did not upset me very much.
 
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