AutoSeating & Fixed Buy-Ins to Be Used on Phil Galfond's Run It Once
Run It Once Poker, an online poker site headed by Phil Galfond, is set to launch this summer. It’s already been announced that heads-up displays (HUDs) won’t be allowed while dynamic avatars and table aliases will, and now Galfond has released a new blog introducing even more changes.
In the lengthy post, Galfond suggests there is a problem in the online poker community in that recreational players aren’t given the respect they deserve. As he says, many in the community view recreational players as “intellectually inferior” despite having been recreational players themselves at some point in their career.
In order to enact new and improved online features and policies, Galfond suggests it’s important to stop painting all recreational players with the same brush and treating them different than professionals.
“If your position on any specific thing is that it will upset recreational players but it wouldn't upset you, you should be ready to explain why you're so different from all of them,” said Galfond.
It appeared the online poker legend was attempting to bridge the gap between pros and recs all in the name of building a better poker site.
Curb Predatory Behavior
Galfond states that poker is an experience-based product. He uses an example of a man who returns multiple times to Disney World. If he has a good experience, he’s prone to come back time and time again if only for the entertainment value.
“If the games are more fun, more value is created, recreational players will spend more in exchange for that added value, the pros and the poker site will profit more, and nobody needs to be tricked,” Galfond wrote.
Galfond’s belief, and the way Run It Once will operate, is that it’s in the best interest of everyone, poker sites and pros included, that the playing experience is a good one. To ensure this, he suggests several alternatives to current practices.
In Galfond’s opinion, you can’t blame poker pros for looking out for their bottom line as long as they’re doing so within the rules of the games. That means, if allowed, they’re free to take advantage of seating scrips. Furthermore, it’s not the player’s responsibility to ensure recs are having a good time, but rather the responsibility of the poker operator.
In Galfond’s case, he’s holding himself accountable for the Run It Once experience. As such, he shares two new policy decisions that’ll be enacted.
“We not only want to level the playing field and make the games more fun for recreational players; we want to improve the experience for pros, too.”
Establishing AutoSeat
At Run It Once, players will be able to choose the stakes they want to play, but once they do, they’ll be automatically seated. That means there will be no scouting tables and no seating scripts.
“We believe in the beauty of poker,” said Galfond. “We don’t want it to be about deciding whether or not to maximize your edge by exploiting technicalities. We just want you to show up and play.”
Predetermined Buy-Ins
“Many of us refer to €0.25/€0.50 as ‘€50NL’ and €5/€10 as ‘€1k NL,’ but on most sites that’s not actually what they mean; the buy-in is variable,” said Galfond.
On Run It Once, the buy-in will actually correspond with what’s listed. So, in the former game players will be required to buy in for €50 and €50 only.
“This quick, clear buy-in process aligns with the experience we are trying to achieve at Run It Once Poker,” Galfond added. “I’ve tested it, and it feels good.”
By having a fixed buy-in, both practices will become obsolete. Likewise, Galfond believes it’ll also force players to practice bankroll management. Instead of playing the highest game they’re able to, they’ll need to carefully consider the stakes and attached buy-in. Ideally, this leads to deposits lasting longer, which for most translates into a better playing experience.
“Relax and enjoy the ability to focus on what made you love poker in the first place: the actual game of poker,” Galfond concluded. “Open our lobby, pick your games, and just play.”
