IPOKER 2 SPLIT EXPLANATIONS

iPoker has just implemented their division of the poker network. iPoker is known to be one of the largest network of poker rooms available around the world and this new change that has been taken place is one of the biggest shakeups for players since Full Tilt shutdown around 18 months ago. There were unexpected changes that were made the last minute and there was no press release from Playtech so there is still confusion and misunderstanding among the players, poker rooms, and the affiliates.

Here you will learn some important information that will help you understand and make sensible choices. For the readers understanding the new top tier is also known as the upper tier, recreational tier, new tier etc.-as “iPoker 2” and the lower tier as “iPoker 1”

How the network is divided

The plan was that iPoker 2 would have exclusive tables, but would still show iPoker 1 tables. Due to the change that took place yesterday now the Players in iPoker 1 cannot look at or play on tables in iPoker 2, and the players on iPoker 2 cannot see or player on the tables in iPoker 1

The games and stakes that are affected

NL cash tables and SNGs are split, from micros through to mid-stakes, across all currencies. No PLO, Omaha 8 or Limit Hold’em games are split, nor are MTTs or Speed Hold’em tables.

It has been confirmed that the following stakes have been split:

• Hold’em 6max NL: All stakes up to NL200, all currencies.
• Hold’em Full ring NL: All stakes up to NL100, all currencies.
• Hold’em heads-up NL: All stakes, all currencies.

The following SNGs are divided:

• Hold’em NL HU: Up to $30, €30 and £30 buyin.
• Hold’em NL 6-max: Up to $10, €10 and £10 buyin.
• Hold’em NL FR: Up to $10, €10 and £10 buyin.

Changes that have been made

• All 4-max tables were removed from all games.
• All NL2 HU tables were removed.

The poker skins on iPoker 2

The sites known to be in iPoker 2 are:

• Bet365
• Paddy Power
• Poker770
• Titan
• William Hill

Titan is known to be the original flagship iPoker skin, and has boosted numbers with the recent acquisition of CelebPoker and Dracula Poker players. According to some sources it has become known that Playtech may have some control of the skin, but details are unknown.

The Irish-based bookmaker known Paddy Power is also a big iPoker skin and is said to be catalyst for the split and has been assured an entry in iPoker 2. Poker770 took on players from Chillpoker in March so as to prepare for the division of the network and assure a place in the top tier. Bet365 is UK-based online-only gambling site and is one of the largest and most influential on iPoker.

The poker skins that are on iPoker 1

The most common skins on the lower tier include Betfred, Dafabet, Mansion and Genting. The less commonly known one is Winner Poker. However it still has entered on iPoker 1. There have been some skins that have said to pokerfuse that they will hit the requirements and make it into iPoker 2 in the next few months.

The play numbers on the two networks

A preliminary check in the lobby shows:

• Twice as many active micro-stakes (NL2-NL10) tables on iPoker 2 than iPoker 1 (56 active 6-max cash games observed on iPoker2, 28 on iPoker 1).
• The same number of active tables at low-stakes (NL20-NL100), with 16 tables observed at each.
• Twice as many active mid-stakes (NL200 and NL400) tables at iPoker 1 than iPoker2, with only 4 active tables on iPoker 2 and 8 on iPoker 1.

There are more recreational players for iPoker 3. This has been based only on single observations at different times of the day. In the next few days numbers might flux and promote certain skins and the iPoker players will decide on which side that they want to play.

Site-exclusive “premium” tables like on Bet365

Bet365 has upheld its exclusive tables, which refers to as “Premium Tables.” These tables cover stakes up to NL400. Bet365 promotes the tables on its website, through marketing, and features them prominently in the lobby. This is the reason why “premium tables” are a lot more popular among the recreational player; this is an action that will not be shared with other iPoker 2 skins.

Are the games really fishier on iPoker 2?

“Sense would dictate that if one network were to be significantly more “fishy” than the other, then equilibrium would return within a short period of time” There have been poker rooms and affiliates for iPoker 2 rooms that have been using marketing to get the players to switch skins.

Representatives from both Poker770 and Paddy Power have posted on 2+2 confirming they are iPoker 2 skins. PokerUpdate.com promotes both iPoker1 and iPoker 2 skins and is the first to identify the separation of the pool. It is said that iPoker 2 will be a lot more appealing and bountiful.

It has been said that the purpose of the division was to protect the quantity of recreational players on the skins who spend their time on marketing and trying to get new players to the market. Certainly bet365 is recreational-player heavy, but have their own exclusive tables outside the network. Titan and Poker770 appear more aggressive in marketing to high-volume players: they have competitive promotions for high volume players among affiliates. Both Poker770 and Paddy Power advertise with poker strategy forum 2+2, with sponsored representatives engaging the “grinder” community.

Can I play on both sites at the same time?

No, the players are not allowed to play on both sides at the same time. They are allowed to have active accounts on both sites, but they cannot connect to more than one skin at the same time and will have to choose between the two.

The networks that will grow

If the marketing efforts and affiliates of iPoker 2 skins are successful then there will be a large migration of players from 1 to 2. iPoker has said that "significant new licenses" will boost the network’s figures: pokerfuse has revealed that Everest was one with such licensees preparing to make the move; Betfair is also rumored to be considering the switch but it has not yet been confirmed. Both are large player bases. Everest can possibly bring a 20% boost to iPoker numbers and completely revamp the network.

Source: Pokerfuse