We are poker. It is not only our business, it is a passion too. But those people who work at PokerStars and whole Tilt Poker are in slightly a netherworld. We offer probably the most online poker games of any company on this planet (by far), but we cannot play in those games for real money. We provide what we and plenty of other believe are the most efficient run live poker tournaments within the world, however the main events of most of these tournaments tend to be off limits to us.
But this past October, we did an experiment: Rational Group (PokerStars and whole Tilt Poker) employees were allowed to play within the UKIPT main event at the Isle of Man - we needed to peer the way it felt to us and the way the community responded. I wrote about that during an earlier blog post.
So it was pretty exciting for us when our colleague Chris Jonat ended up on the final table of the primary event, ultimately finishing 4th for £34K. In fact, we had the general table live webcast up at the TV's on the Isle of Man office, and when Chris busted out, there has been a spontaneous standing ovation everywhere in the office.
After the UKIPT event was over on IoM, the banners were down from the Villa Marina, and the last player was seen safely home, we asked ourselves the way it went. As with anything you do, we felt there have been ways lets improve. But to the question of Rational Group employees playing more often than not event, the solution was a nearly unanimous "Yes!"
First, and most importantly, the players loved it. They saw the elegant patches on our sleeves and said "SO THAT YOU work for PokerStars? What department?" Our people said, "SO THAT YOU play on PokerStars? What do you prefer? What do you in contrast to"? And we were off to the races - individuals with a typical interest (poker played on PokerStars) finally sitting down at a poker table together and sharing thoughts, ideas, and stories.
We were a little bit worried how people would respond when one among our employees hit a two-outer or whatever. And as chances are you'll expect, PokerStars and whole Tilt employees gave and took their share of bad beats. The penultimate PokerStars employee to leave the principle event was Chris "What a shirt!" Straghalis, who busted 19th to a three-outer. Everybody said, "Bad beats. In a poker game. Whouda thunk?"
Furthermore, we were delighted by the response inside PokerStars and entire Tilt. Greater than 30 people from the Rational Group post their very own money to play within the UKIPT event, and the excitement within the offices was palpable. All throughout the week of the event, the context of just about every water cooler discussion was what was happening down on the Villa Marina. Who's playing, who has chips, and when are you taking place to look the show?
With this primary success under our belt, we are going to expand this trial to the UKIPT stop in Dublin (not coincidentally, also home to a Rational Group office). So that you will see PokerStars and entire Tilt Poker employees playing within the UKIPT main and side events at Dublin. In accordance with our experience within the Isle of Man last year, we predict you'll adore it. Our employees might be sporting patches (or every other clear type of identification) and can be at liberty to reply to almost any question you'll be able to throw on them about working for the Rational Group.
But with that said, don't expect us to be pushovers at the table. We spend most of our time running online poker games and live poker tournaments. But if we take a seat on the table, we're there to play.
See you on the felt; bring your A-game.
Lee Jones the top of Poker Communications at PokerStars; he first joined the corporate in 2003. He was all in favour of the pro poker world for the reason that mid 1980's.
Read More... [Source: PokerStarsBlog.com :: Corporate Blog]
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