Entertaining thread to be sure. I play or have played over 3 or 4 ongame sites...and I dunno, I kinda feel bad that my only real gripe is how long its taking them to implement separate loss limits between sports book and poker. Seems really quite simple.

Obviously there are a ton of other issues but in my experience the difference between betfairs customer service a number the larger ongame skins really isnt as large as the negative feedback would have you believe imho. I can only think of one notable exception.

In any case, may the gods be with you brave representatives.

p.s. Mccoy...have a lilt my friend. Life is too short.

The loss limits are interesting. Before the changeover a sports bettor could restrict how much he could lose playing poker and vice versa. After the switch the sports bettor still had this option, but suddenly the poker player could no longer set a loss limit for his sports betting.

Somebody, somewhere, must have sat down and decided to make this change, presumably someone at BETFAIR who didn't want winning poker players withdrawing money, rather than reinvesting it or at least having the temptation of reinvesting it sports betting.

Obviously it is in BETFAIRS interest to have the money of its customers continuosly turning over, but it does cast a shadow over its committment to Gamcare that its customers playing a game of skill on its site are STILL unable to set a loss limit for their gambling.

Several of us asked for the loss limit to be re-introduced 12 months ago. We were told 12 months ago it would be re-introduced. It hasn't been. Why ?

Thrappers / Chip

I understand the principle behind the essence c ake back system but am concerned re the lack of transparency.

Could you please ask exactly how it works, how would we go about checking if we thought it was wrong and how BF would prove the figures were correct?

Thanks

IMHO the move to ongame signalled that BF no longer took poker seriously as a business (too hard to get right, needs too much investment, whatever). They now just sit back and take a percentage of ongames percentage, without the hassle of trying to make a dodgy piece of software stable. (I did lol at the use of pokerchimps as a tourney password recently).

My question is simple.....are BF serious about poker, and how have their actions over the past year backed up the answer to that question. Or do they think that they can be a big player in online poker thru ongame? And if so, why do they think "their core UK customer base has upped and gone"?

I think that not having the search option for other players has eased the bullying and has made it not so clique which i personally prefer.I feel if you want to chat to people on a personal basis you can use the forum and even private message them if need be.Also you have the communial chat box to have a chat to others on the main poker site.I feel some people are very nasty and use the search option to intimidate others and put them off their game.

             I  think it is totally ridiculous that you can not block people from chatting to you at a table because the dialogue always appears above the person chatting.This should be sorted out as a priority imo .

         Bring back the the final tables which the old software had.This made the table change colour and when somebody was eliminated there was a 'BOOM' noise.I thought that was great and i wish i would be re-instated.

           I also like the knocking noise with the old software/platform when you checked,i miss that also.

        I find the new platform a bit tinny and some of the noises like the money etc to be a bit annoying.Pokerstars is the best site on-line imo .The timing the whole set up and many things can be learnt from this tremendous site.

   Good luck at the tables

1st and formost thing we know to know is bf poker staying with ongame, because if not most of this exercise is totally pointless.

if so, waiting lists are never gonna happen as its there policy not to have them for the reasons explained prevoiusly.

on the poker software , i would put player locations as 1 of the top  things to do ,  for a few reasons, 1 espically it would decrease  the chance of collusion and would give many of players peace of mind.

i would also put late reg onto the mtts.

i would also form/provide a dedicated poker customer service number mainly for poker reletated quieries.
most others sites provide a live chat feature, bf used tohave this,im not sure why it was discontinued?



this last request is maYBE OF Self  INTREST, BUT I WOULD STRIVE TOPROVIDE MORE UP TO DATE INFORMATION ON LEADERBOARDS/CAKE RACES.
these really should b updated at least twice daily.
during the last cake race the points were updated at least every 5minutes for the majority of the 8week run,thouth the stt 1 it was a struggle for it to b done daily.

McCoy Carp's apology [:D]

I think that can be covered in software updates. You used to be able to turn the chatbox off, can somebody confirm thisis no longer possible ?

Dont think we will be eating any pizza. HF has to dash straight to Euston for a train, and I'm meeting a nurse who will be looking at a recurring football injury for me as she has healing hands.

Chipfire your expenses do not cover "happy endings"!
[:p]

I'll put that in as question 6 POP! [;)][;)]

"disgraceful shower of f.cking gangsters" is one of the best lines I have heard all month !!

Get rid of the meaningless promotions that are virtually impossible to win and create something that is real value to the players.

I don't know .What did you say?

Thats right change your game stategy and play like it is fixed and you will do ok

oh yes

weres my hoody?

We are going down there on Friday morning ( both myself and HF are setting off around 9 and looking at about 4 hours travelling time ) and the meetings start about 3 pm and will run till about 8pm. I believe HF is going to try and get his last train north on Friday night, mine leaves Kings Cross at 7 pm, so its impossible to come back the same day. Its also pointless as I'm at a football match in Stevenage on the Saturday anyway.

I'm putting together a set of questions tonight and will hopefully post them later. We intend to ask the questions then report back to the forum with the answers. Which is as much as we can do really. Both HF and myself have taken a day off work to do this, so I will be narked if it is just a PR exercise.

Potential list of questions :

1) Essence system : Is the essence system here to stay ? How does it work, and who do players contact if they believe they have been incorrectly paid their cash rakeback under this system ?

2) Software upgrades/changes : 12 months ago we were told that requested changes would be implemented in coming upgrades. These haven't happened. Things that we had previously, and which are available on most sites are still missing, as are things we asked for. This list includes the facility to search for players, players geographical location being displayed, late registration for mtts, observer chat, the ability to set a sports betting loss limit. Why were we told we were getting these things, and why have they not been implemented. Does BF have ANY influence in these matters ?

3) Promos/Leaderboards : Why has the much promised MTT leadeboard not materialised ? Why are there so many issues updating STT leaderboards ? Why are there so few promotions aimed at those players who are " recreational " players i.e. not playing full time. Why are there so many issues with promos where tickets are issued for tournaments i.e. players having to chase BF staff for tickets which should be issued automatically ?

4) Customer Service : Why is it so poor ? Poker related queries by phone or email are routinely met with a reply stating the query will be passed to the relevant department, and then go unanswered. Misinformation is regularly given by frontline staff who also seem totally unaware of any major outages or issues affecting the site.

5) Security : Why are there still so many outages ( planned and unplanned) and issues affecting players trying to login. What is the current policy on cheats/colluding ? Why do BF staff routinely delete threads/posts on the subject of collusion ? When there are allegations of routine collusion on the network on reputable poker forums why do Betfair/Ongame never make an official statement about them ? If Ongame are responsible for policing the site what assurances do BF get that this is actually being done ?

We will also be doing our level best to snaffle a hoodie for Barnsey, even if it means disrobing a member of staff. [;)]

You deserve a hoodie each [;)]

Could I make a suggestion for a question to raise?

"What efforts (if any) are being made to try and get players back who used to play here but no longer do"