The popular Microgaming Network is trying to motivate players to throw more chips on the felt with a change to its rake calculation policies, which will now follow the “weighted contribution” method instead of the previous “contributed” method. In a contributed rake, all players in a hand are allocated an equal share of the rake regardless of how much they actually spent in the hand, so the player who only paid the small blind would accrue as many rake points as the one who went all-in. This is, of course, very attractive to tight players, who accumulate rake points without a great investment.
The weighted method is arguably fairer, as described in Microgaming’s press release: “The new Weighted Contribution method is similar to the contributed method, except that the rake is allocated proportionally based on the amount contributed to the raked pot, enabling a fairer rake distribution.” This means that a more aggressive player will get a larger share of the rake points than a tighter one, making promotions easier to obtain to players who invest more.
Ladbrokes Poker, a member of the Microgaming network, announced the change to its players with the following communication:
Ladbrokes Poker will be changing the rake calculation method to “weighted – contributed rake”. This method is 100% accurate as only active players are allotted rake contribution. Individual contributions are determined in direct proportion to the amount of money players have contributed to the pot. Please note there is no increase in the total rake taken per hand. This is merely a change in how rake is allocated to individual players. The more you contribute to the pot the more player points you will earn.
In order to bring you more players, Ladbrokes Poker will be opening even more levels to the Microgaming network. Open network levels will now include No Limit Texas Hold’em Euro tables at 0.02/0.04, 0.10/0.20, 0.50/1.00 and 2.00/4.00.
The new levels announced by Ladbrokes illustrate the bottom line behind this change in rake calculation, which is to make the fish come out and play. Microgaming Poker Channel Lead Andrew Clucas explained: “The introduction of the new Weighted Contribution will reward operators with a greater proportion of looser, fishy type players, encouraging them to target these players proactively.” Grinders and shark are bad news for a poker network, since they discourage new players and leave very little money behind them, while loose and aggressive players inject more money into the poker networks, which is a good thing for the players, the rooms and the network.
The other consideration that motivated this decision is the desire to discourage tight players who are only after easy rakeback. As individual rooms offer more and more rakeback to entice new customers, the rooms’ and the networks’ coffers suffer from slimmer and slimmer profit margins due to smart players who make the most of the system. Clucas commented in this respect: “It is believed this initiative will encourage the right sort of contributing players into the Network whilst discouraging the grinding type of behaviours which can be so negative to the health of the Network.”
Other large networks, including Bodog and Boss Media, have taken similar measures to encourage looser play, while taking even more severe measures to restrain rakeback practices among their operators.
