Some big changes to PokerStars cash games went into effect this month – the method used to award VIP Player Points (VPPs) has changed significantly – and unfortunately it will probably be unhappy news for many players.
Previously, PokerStars used the ‘dealt’ method, whereby all players at the table benefited equally from the amount of rake taken from the pot, regardless of whether they contributed anything or not.
Most poker sites these days use the ‘contributed’ method, which means that only a player who has contributed to the pot (including blinds) can earn player points, but all players who contribute earn the same number of points.
PokerStars has not gone this route. Rather, they have moved to the ‘weighted contributed’ method, such that not only does a player have to contribute to a pot to earn VPPs, but each player now earns VPPs based on the exact percentage of the total pot which they have contributed. So, if you pay a 0.50 big blind with 3 players going to the flop and then fold to the next bet, and the pot ends up at $20, you will
only earn 1/40th of the VPPs awarded (instead of 1/3rd as you would have previously) – a huge difference.
Of course, if you are an aggressive loose player, this is great news, as your VPPs are likely to increase dramatically, but for most passive aggressive bonus players, this will undoubtedly result in a lot less VPPs in your account. It’s unfortunate, but it was really just a matter of time (and in fairness, from PokerStars perspective, you can see how they would rather reward the players who actually contribute lion’s share of the rake).
If you haven’t signed up with PokerStars, our $600 poker bonus for new players is one of our all-time favorites. The good news is that we offer a rate of $1 for every 17 VPPs earned, compared with the standard PokerStars rate of $1 per 20 VPPs.