Mixed Limit? A mix of a mistake with trying to improve the gameplay

Suggestions & Feedback
1

This is reported as a problem, although I am making suggestions as well. I chose to make it a problem because it is the first time that the Replay team have annoyed me.

Firstly, I understand the reasoning behind this new ‘‘mixed-limit’’ betting structure that you have introduced but there are some serious issues that I feel need addressing.

Firstly, and probably most importantly, this is a poker site. Whether its playing for real money or not is not important. It is still poker and it is made competitive by the chips that are won and the points top-lists. Replay also sells chips to people for money. Although I’ve never used this feature, I’m sure that many people do as that is where Replay makes it’s money.

So changing the rules and/or making up new rules and betting structures can not and should not be acceptable.

It is appreciated that you have implemented this on special tables for the cash games so it is up to the individual player if they choose to particiapte or not, but you seem to have implemented it for ALL the Bankroll Builder touraments.

I am a regular on the bankroll builder tournys as I am not bothered about my bankroll, I play for points, so I play tournys that have a buy in of whatever I have in my bankroll…so I am at zero a lot.

And now I have to play mixed limit games even though I don’t like them.

This is not important though. I think that the pre-flop all in is an integral part of texas hold em, and people who go all in all the time are just part of the game. If you play any real money poker site, particularly in the freerolls, you get bingo players on a big scale. It is about patience and waiting for these people to bust themselves so you can play properly in the later levels.

For those who know how to use the all in, it is a vital part of the game. And on this site, I never have any issue with people who go all in…it doesn’t seem to happen a lot, and when it does, I know when to fold and when to call.

Which brings me onto my suggestion. Rather than rewriting the rule book, which is a serious step that everyone seems to be taking lightly, I think Replay should be concentrating more on poker lessons and tutorial. This can be done with teaching tables for beginners, cheap newbie tournys, even games where your more experienced players, or even the moderators, volenteer to walk people through hands. This can be accomplished easily and would bring more people together in the Replay community rather than alienating those of us that like, and use properly, the preflop all in.

Replay Poker is an extreemly useful tool for people who are learning poker as well as a fun, competitive site for those of us with any experience and should be used that way.

And if Replay is in the market to make money and to run a business, it really has no right to make new rules for a game that many love and take seriously.

2

Thanks deadmanscout for the thoughtful feedback.

Let me try my best to address all of the points you raised.

You mentioned about making up new rules and betting structures, although we coined the name ‘mixed limit’ we can’t take credit for the actual format, as ‘pot limit preflop, no-limit post-flop’ games have been played in the past (a quick search on google will reveal various references to it on poker sites and forums).

And the idea was brought to our attention right here in the support forum by fleming over 2 years ago: http://support.replaypoker.com/replaypoker/topics/no_all_in_before_the_flop

Obviously it’s not a popular limit format, but I think as a play money site, we want to try and innovate to tackle some of the challenges like bingo players, who aren’t so much of a problem when real money is at stake.

The main criticism you have is related to changing all the bankroll builder tournaments to this new format. This was a decision taken by our scheduling team and I’m sure they’ll chip in with their thoughts too, but I think the reasoning was to avoid creating more tournaments (to keep a good balance between choice and liquidity) and picking a tournament which targets the lowest stake players that are more prone to bingo-style play. As always we love getting feedback and as we’ve done in the past, we’ll happily make changes if necessary. It would be great to get more feedback from other players too.

You also mentioned about concentrating more on poker lessons and tutorials, I think those are great ideas and I’m totally on-board with them. We’ve focussed on expanding the features of the site in recent times, but we do have plans, later this year, to turn our attention to education and really see what we can do to push the boundaries of what’s possible.

Finally, I can re-assure you we have the utmost respect for the game and would never mess around with the core workings of the game. At the same time I think it’s important we do try and innovate and experiment with different ideas and features, anything that can help us achieve our mission to offer a fair, friendly and competitive hand of poker.

3

That’s a very good answer Paul.

I can’t say that I’m convinced, but I am very happy thet the Replay team are aware, and take seriously, the issues that are raised by the players on the site.

Rather than jump straight back into an arguement about the changes Replay have made, I suggest that we wait for feedback from other players…maybe (hopefully) one or two will have something to say on this thread!

4

Absolutely, we love feedback and I really hope some of the other players will pitch in!