An Explanation of PVI on the GGNetwork

An Explanation of Player Value Index on the GGNetwork

The player’s PVI is calculated for each blind group, which includes VIP, High, Medium, and Low categories, and it is updated after every session based on performance. This variability in a player’s PVI affects the rake calculations and points accumulation for cashback programs.

This system aims to balance the playing field, ensuring that recreational players are rewarded for their participation. Understanding how PVI rake works is crucial, as it highlights the significance of player performance and its impact on rakeback. Recreational players typically have a higher PVI, which affects their earning potential regarding rakeback.

A recreational player typically has a PVI closer to 2, while winning players usually have a PVI below 1. This indicates that recreational players, who do not engage extensively in the game, are rewarded differently compared to more competitive players.

What is PVI and How Does it Work?

The Player Value Index (PVI) is a unique system employed by GGPoker to monitor and evaluate player behavior and performance. This index ranges from 0 to 2, with recreational players typically having a PVI closer to 2, while winning players usually have a PVI below 1. The PVI is calculated for each blind group, which includes VIP, High, Medium, and Low categories, and it is updated after every session. This dynamic nature means that a player’s PVI can fluctuate daily, reflecting their recent activity and results. The PVI significantly impacts the amount of rakeback a player receives, with a lower PVI resulting in reduced rakeback. This system aims to balance the playing field, ensuring that recreational players are rewarded for their participation.

How PVI Affects Rake and Rakeback

The PVI system directly influences the rakeback a player receives on GGPoker. Essentially, the PVI determines how much of the rake is returned to the player as rakeback. Players with a higher PVI factor, typically recreational players, benefit from more rakeback, while those with a lower PVI, often winning players, receive less. This rake structure is designed to benefit recreational players, encouraging them to continue playing by offering them more value. By adjusting the rakeback based on the PVI, GGPoker aims to create a more balanced and enjoyable environment for all players, particularly those who are not consistently winning.

GGPoker PVI Rake Structure

The GGPoker PVI rake structure is tailored to benefit recreational players, making the platform more appealing to a broader audience. The rake structure varies depending on the game type and stakes, with higher stakes games generally having a lower rake percentage. Typically, the rake is calculated as a percentage of the pot, and this percentage decreases as the stakes increase. This structure incentivizes players to participate in higher stakes games and rewards them for their loyalty and volume of play. By designing the rake structure in this way, GGPoker ensures that recreational players receive more value, enhancing their overall gaming experience.

Key Factors that Influence PVI

Several key factors influence a player’s PVI on GGPoker. These include the player’s playing style, performance, and the blind group they are in. Winning players, who consistently perform well, tend to have a PVI value below 1, while recreational players, who play more casually, have a PVI value closer to 2. The blind group also plays a significant role, with players in higher blind groups generally having a lower PVI. This system ensures that the PVI accurately reflects a player’s behavior and results, allowing GGPoker to tailor the rakeback and rewards accordingly.

YourPokerDream explains all about GGPoker PVI Rake and its significance

Anyone playing on the GGPoker Network will have heard the term PVI. Unfortunately, you won’t find any explanation there, so many players will not be familiar with what it is. It’s good to be properly informed of how things are calculated in terms of the deals/promotions we offer. You should also know that the PVI affects also how fast/slow you earn points for the Fish Buffet Cashback Program. So here’s YPD’s in-depth explanation of PVI.

It is important to know that everyone who plays on the GGNetwork, regardless of the particular poker skin, receives a PVI, or Player Value Index. Theoretically, this can vary between 0 and 2. For a recreational online poker player who enjoys the occasional session now and again, and who isn’t yet a winning player, the PVI should tend towards 2, while for winning players it should be below 1. Our experience shows us it is never higher than and usually always much less.

It is interesting that the PVI does not feature in all variants on the GGNetwork. No PVI is currently used for mtt tournaments, Flip&Go tournaments, or Battle Royale SNG (as of 09.08.2023). It is possible that this will change for these and other variants in the future.

How is PVI used?

PVI is used on standard cash game tables and Short-deck Hold’em as well as on Pot Limit Omaha (PLO) and tables (Fast-Fold Poker). By the way also for the All-In or Fold Games(AoF)! However, only the GG network itself knows specifically how things are calculated, and there is no precise information.

We know that a player’s PVI can change after every session, and that Hold’em and Omaha games are divided into 4 Blind groups (VIP/High/Medium/Low), with every player receiving their own PVI for each Blind group. When a session ends, the PVI of the Blind group to which the session belongs is updated. That means the PVI can change every day, and even every session!

Nobody knows how much rake the network values for a player — not even the poker room itself. So it would be entirely possible for a player to be seen to generate $1k rake when it’s actually $1.3k due to the PVI or, in a negative case, only $500, for example.

Factors that are likely to affect a player’s PVI are:

Playing behavior/number of tables
Betting behavior
Deposits and withdrawals
Who money comes from (regular or casual players)

Similar models also exist in other networks – such as iPoker – but with a different name.

The PVI of a player also affects how quickly they collect points for the Fish Buffet. If a player’s PVI is very low this will slow down the process. Additionally, a welcome bonus can enhance a player’s earnings based on the adjusted PVI, significantly affecting the overall rakeback received after a gaming session.

Experience with the PVI

We have analyzed hundreds of our players over a few months and have obtained the following results(see below). The first 3-6 weeks usually not much happens and the PVI usually stays in the range of 1 until it suddenly drops. For players who do not have a good run at the beginning, it is also not uncommon for the PVI to stay at 1 for longer. The PVI also increases slightly with winning players when they are stuck in a larger downswing.

Cash Game (NLH, PLO): The PVI fluctuates between 0.3 and 0.7 here. The average PVI for a good winning player is 0.5. The real crushers only have 0.35, which is rather rare but possible.

Rush&Cash: For whatever reason, it is actually standard here that all good winning players have a PVI of 0.35-0.4. Very few make it to 0.5.

Spin&Gold SNGs(Spins): The average PVI for a good regular player is 0,3-0,5. It fluctuates between 0,5-0,7.

Is the PVI on the GG Poker Network fair and do recreational players benefit?

It is not good that not all rake is counted for a consistently winning player because it affects the poker room, the player and also an affiliate. Consequently, we would prefer that there is no PVI.

On the other hand, the players’ pool on the GGNetwork is very soft. There are many weaker players and beginners – even at higher limits. There are also numerous monthly promotions worth several million dollars, and these must be financed somehow.

Nevertheless, the issue is not the PVI itself, rather the lack of transparency in how it is calculated. We don’t want to judge whether PVI is fair. There are certainly arguments against PVI, but on the other hand there are justifications. Furthermore, the lack of transparency is a general problem in our industry, and definitely not an isolated case.

Ultimately, there are only two options: you accept it as it is and enjoy the many advantages that the GG network undoubtedly brings with it, or you play with another provider.

Impact on Recreational Players

The PVI system is designed to benefit recreational players, making the games more enjoyable and rewarding for them. Recreational players, who typically have a PVI value closer to 2, receive more rakeback, which enhances their overall experience on the platform. This higher PVI factor means that recreational players get more value for their money, encouraging them to continue playing. By reducing the edge of poker pros, the PVI system creates a fairer and more balanced environment, ensuring that recreational players can compete and enjoy the games without being at a significant disadvantage.

Impact on Winning Players

For winning players, the PVI system presents a different set of challenges. With a lower PVI, often below 1, winning players receive less rakeback, which can impact their overall profitability. The system is designed to reduce the edge of poker pros, making the games more competitive and fair for recreational players. While this means that winning players may receive less rakeback than they might expect, it also ensures a healthier and more balanced player pool. Ultimately, the PVI system aims to create a more enjoyable and sustainable environment for all players on GGPoker.

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