PokerStars Withdraws – Rake Calculation Method Remains Unchanged

Under pressure from the player community, PokerStars has withdrawn from changing its rake calculation method from dealt to weighted contributed. The distribution of VPPs, however, does change in 2012.

As I have recently written, PokerStars has released an official statement to announce the implementation of the weighted contributed rake calculation method in place of the current dealt system. After the release earlier this week, the room withdrew its plans yesterday, due to major discontent with the expected consequences from the high stakes community’s part. Several PS players even started to organise a strike (occupying tables then sitting out).

In accordance with its players’ will, PokerStars drops the planned changes and sticks with the dealt method in 2012 as well.

“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,” PokerStars representative Steve Day wrote.

The introduction of the weighted contributed system would have favoured micro limit players above all, in addition to the smaller rake at some full ring tables, while in every other game the rake would have been raised.

However, only the changes in the rake calculation method are cancelled; the distribution of the VIP points (VPPs) will be reformed to the weighted contributed system, effective 1 January, 2012. Players continue to protest against this change as well.