Hey, poker playas!
In our last article, we spoke about how new things are fastly overtaking poker. you can read more about it here.
Yes, Axie and online Sabong has definitely taken the Philippine market by storm. A lot of poker players are now agents of Sabong or playing Axie.
As we spoke about how Axie may not last as long as people want it to be.
We also spoke about how even if Axie was to shut down it does not mean players will go back to poker. It could but it still depends on the poker sites and organizers.
Why did players started and love poker?
How did you start playing poker? chances are you were invited by your friend and it was fun. That is actually how most players started playing poker. The second one is actually you saw it on TV.
Who is your idol in the international poker scene? Chances are it will be Tom Dwan, Phil Ivey, Fedor Holz, and so on so forth.
But how about Bryn Kenney? Justin Bonomo? Erik Seidel? Dan smith or David Peter?
How about Joseph Mckeehan? Almiden Imsorovic? Viet Van Ho? Adam Hendrix? William Foxen?
How many names of those we have written do you actually know? the first set is actually Hendon mob all-time money list players. While the next 5 were the GPI top 5.
But people might know about Dan Bilzerian.
Just imagine, the biggest players in the world but we do not even know their stories.
Poker’s biggest asset and the biggest attraction will always be its player.
The truth is that poker’s biggest asset will always be its players. most of the time it is because of your friend that is why you started playing poker.
When poker started out, it mainly focus on the player. promoting the players. that is why old names are still known including Stu Ungar.
It is only natural that you wanted to play after you saw or realize that your friend is making a living by playing poker.
Then things started to shift. The focus became on the pot money and the game.
Poker became less of the people more on the pot.
Nowadays, the game is about who has the biggest guarantee and the smallest buy-in.
The only problem with this setup is when you promote that this is your biggest asset. It can be followed by others.
When it becomes the battle of guarantees. It loses its connection to its player base.
This problem has actually plagued the poker industry for so long. In.a sense you promoted you have a tournament to attract players. After the tournament players left.
You kinda only promoted your tournament. What do you expect?
Then they started pushing that player must play cash game. Like a poker site whose history has been doubtful ever since.
Now they are heavily promoting a string of tournaments but if you win you have to play cash game in order to cash out.
But the truth is. if it focused more on the players and not make it just a transaction. it could gain more.
Poker’s biggest asset will always be its people.
Poker’s biggest asset will always be its people. The stories it brings and the excitement it offers.
It has to give more excitement for players to enjoy the game.
Right now, the push is to make people be agents to earn money. But does the agent itself still plays and enjoy the game?
We know one union head who is active only when there is a big tournament to promote his club and union.
It is very simple, let say you found this cakeshop that offers the best chocolate cake you have tasted and is affordable.
Compare it to an agent who is trying to attract people so he can earn money.
Which one will be more effective?
Sites and apps should focus more on this than just big pots. Because it is easy to defeat a big pot by offering a bigger pot.
Poker sites should focus more on people rather than the pot.
Because of the experiences we give to the players, it is what makes the community grow. it is what makes the site better.
Stay safe poker playas!
