If you want to continue having fun at GGPoker, simply stick to the rules
We have talked about so-called bumhunting and table selection at GGPoker before, but there are still plenty of players who simply ignore – and continue to break – the House rules. As everyone should know by now, there are clear rules throughout the GG network regarding behaviour at the tables. Indeed, these are publicly visible for every player. Furthermore, at YourPokerDream we have made sure to discuss such important matters in our endeavours to reiterate the rules for our players, and to this end please feel free to read our detailed article on the security guidelines that are intended to ensure fair play at GGPoker.
Every online poker site is different, and has different rules. We also appreciate that, from the perspective of ambitious poker players, it is perfectly understandable that they want to achieve the highest possible profit, and one means to that end is to play against weak(er) opponents. This is fine if you do it at PokerStars, Unibet, PartyPoker, the iPoker Network or even 888, but at GGPoker it is absolutely not okay because there are clear, well-defined rules about bumhunting and table selection. If you want to play at GG and in doing so enjoy the numerous advantages that the poker room offers, you must accept these rules just as you do the others. There will inevitably be players who find this particular issue unfair and perhaps confusing, but disagreeing with a rule isn’t a license to ignore and flout it.
Like any other online poker provider, GGPoker is, of course, interested in keeping every player at the tables – this is to everyone’s benefit, with poker fans being able to take advantage of favourable conditions and offers and so on, while every player means income for a poker site. With this in mind, if a problem becomes serious enough that it leads to someone being excluded from playing at a network, it is certainly not without reason that such an action would be arrived at. It should be noted that, as a provider, GG has the right to block a player’s account immediately if the house rules are deemed to have been violated, so while someone might complain when this happens, according to the rules they agreed to when initially joining they cannot automatically expect some kind of appeal or review once the decision has been made. Moreover, since GG is clearly more interested in keeping players at the tables whenever possible, rather than banning them, they will give the player an official warning, complete with an explanation of what violation has taken place. This affords the player an opportunity to both understand the problem and, subsequently, implement whatever changes or abstentions necessary to avoid any further rule-breaking. It is all the more surprising, then, that there are still players who – apparently – do not learn anything, and just carry on. It seems that greed, the apparent need to win even more money, as quickly as possible, overrules logic and common sense in some people. Then, when the time comes and the player account has inevitably been closed and the player duly banned, they can be prone to pleading innocence, and complaining that they have done nothing wrong.
Comment from YPD: Please note that winning players are not specifically blocked! We have numerous professional players in our community who have already achieved very high profits when playing on the GGNetwork. None of them got banned or had the slightest problem with their accounts! To make the most of GGPoker, simply stick to the rules and, if for some reason you make a mistake and consequently receive a warning, act accordingly.
Our opinion is always factual and honest and has nothing to do with our association with GG! The interest of our poker-playing community at YPD is a priority. Our statement is based on facts and the clearly set out rules regarding them, as well as our own experiences and those of the players in our community.
Apply Balance and Common Sense
As in life, matters at a poker room are better when there’s a happy medium, so it is acceptable if you change tables sometimes or leave a table when a weak player leaves. It is also not a problem to choose a few profitable tables at the beginning of a session. However, it is a problem should you be guilty of constantly being on the lookout for weak players to target, as concentrating wholly on bumhunting is against GG rules.
The following are completely unacceptable and violate the house rules of the GGNetwork:
- Opening tables only at which an avoidably weak player is sitting.
- Leaving a table immediately after a weak player has left, and subsequently searching for another at which a weak player is sitting.
- Actively avoiding playing against other players at the table while concentrating on targeting the weak player.
Unfortunately, there are some players who do just that non-stop.
Why is bumhunting and related table selection allowed by other providers but not GGPoker?
As we said, each poker room has its own strategy, and thus different rules. GG welcomes every type of player, no matter if you’re a beginner, a casual player or a professional. Some might argue that certain rules are designed with a view to putting off professional players, but this is not the case.
There are many great promotions, such as the daily rake races, which are tailored precisely to the more serious, committed, full-time players. However, GGPoker doesn’t want to have an environment that favours these players at the cost of the rest of the online poker community, the goal being to provide a setting and a product that best benefits all players. For this reason they want to protect the players who play only occasionally and who deserve to have a pleasant experience. This enjoyment would disappear if, as a beginner, someone sits at a table with five professional players who are just waiting to take their money as quickly as possible before the next victim comes along.
Many poker players see matters from only their point of view, and rarely the poker room’s or, indeed, other players. GGPoker wants that everyone plays against everyone, on a level playing field. If someone opens a table to find, by chance, five good players, then so be it. If there happen to be three good players and two beginners, then that’s fine, too. It’s all about just playing poker and enjoying the game.
Again, it doesn’t matter what rules other providers have. Everyone has to adhere to the guidelines of wherever they play, and do their part to ensure a fair and balanced gaming experience.
A little food for thought for all professionals who think it makes sense to ignore the rules: If you win $25,000 in 3 months by bumhunting and get banned forever in the fourth month, you have earned $75,000 (If you are allowed to withdraw all your balance, that is!).
On the other hand, how much would you earn after a year if you won $10,000 per month without breaking the rules through bumhunting? Or after two years? Think about it…
The facts are clear
Let’s just look at the facts. According to pokerscout, the GGNetwork currently has a 7-day average of 5,400 cash players. The number of cash game players at GG is 3-4 times as high as at the other poker rooms, and the trend is increasing. The promotions/races are higher than with other sites, the software is more modern and there is a healthy balance between casual and professionals at GG.
Does it look like their strategy is so wrong? Probably not! As the adage goes – it’s impossible to please all of the people, all of the time and, while there are issues at GGPoker such as PVI, there is a reason why they have left others behind.
