No, there are fundamental differences, for example:
I’d say the HHoF is rather running in parallel to our regular tiers.
Fellow Donks, please send a warm welcome to @Hellmuthsux who has recently joined the Donks. Thank you to @chuckcox for recruiting.
The good news is that there is plenty of time to hammer these issues down before the launch. I was thinking along the lines of quality of play more than number of players, I would gladly watch a table with just 5 Platinum players, lots of things going on and new things to learn from just one table. PL players should definitely play 2 games a week, Playing gold/Platinum would be a perk that is acceptable. The 9pm slot would be good for Platinum games on Wednesdays. The talent is already here and once the PL begins more talented players in the site will be attracted to join the Donks. Hopefully we will have a Platinum tier this year!
Quality of play is easy to quantify in chess, not in poker. Who wins is right. But in Golden donks with a lot of players with >400 games quality shows over the long run. IMO we dont need new tiers, do your best in the existing.
Cheers
G
For the most part Joe, I agree…but wouldn’t it be so cool to shoot for something else…Platinum. I believe new members and old alike would have some much needed incentive to achieve the absolute best. New members would see what I saw when I joined…3 tiers and I wanted desparately to play my way to the best. Incentive equals more players playing and in my opinion better play. Incentive always equals “elite” play…which was the word used when I joined…
My thoughts exactly! I started playing live $1/$2 no limit holdem many years ago and I always asked myself if I was “good” enough to compete in the $3/$5, $5 /$10 games, as a result I bought books and studied much harder to compete with the 'big" boys, most people need incentives to grow and get better in anything in life and poker is no different!
Hello @Yorunoame, we haven’t had a 'Donk of the Year" in awhile now, I have a perfect candidate for this award. BW has done a fantastic job organizing our league. BW created our app for the leaderboards and maintain them, created The Ring of Flames leaderboard and the 500 game Club. In the past year, BW has won The Ring of Flames, Tournament of Champions and three gold crowns. I don’t know who would honor BW with this award, just a thought.
Thanks
I find this conversation of new tiers – or more specifically, a new “PLATINUM TIER” really interesting. Thinking it through, I have an idea.
IF this new tier is the ‘summit’ – a goal for all of you to aim for – it must both serve as a real accomplishment and an honor for sustained excellence. And as the mantra was always play, play often, play well, advance, it gives the gold tier something to aspire to. That said, who comprises the platinum level?
I don’t think it is Hall of Famers. I think, my opinion, that a bronze crown won in 2018 is not equal to a gold crown won in 2021. Level of players and number of players in tier and many factors. Don’t get me wrong all crowns are an honor to be work with pride. And every Hall of famer earned their spot. But it would be odd to take a silver crown winner and just place them in platinum to me. I THINK the path is to create a Platinum Tier that doesn’t gut the gold tier at the same time. So how’s this;
There are roughly 60 plus golds? The top 20 from the composite for the entire year of 2022 make up the Platinum level. Those 20 players proved they played often and played well, not for a quarter but for a year! That still leaves over 40 golds (plus the graduating silvers each quarter) to keep gold healthy; I imagine you would like all gold tourneys to have 25-35 players a pop at minimum.
From that point on, to advance from Gold to Platinum, you must win a gold crown. Or in the case of two people winning all four crowns, the top composite player who doesn’t win a crown could be added as well. I leave the graduation rates to whatever you desire.
My thought is, make the top tier – the platinum tier, consist of the 20 people who competed at your highest current level – gold – and showed up and played consistent elite poker for 12 months. Again, I have no agenda or dog in this fight - just a suggestion.
Wow…a great idea!!! I personally don’t see a downside at all. It will check off everything it makes to go to Platinum and encourages participation and incentive will be paramount. I see no downside at all. In my humble opinion, it would make for an extremely competitive league. Wouldn’t it be nice to see those 65-70% participation rates again…well thought out Tom, great job.
And Michael, based on performance and contributions to the league…I would like to nominate Black Widow as Donk of the Year…no one deserves it more.
Dang,I wrote my "Platinum Solution’ in hopes I might be DOY. Whoops…Im not a Donk.
A very logical idea well thought out. I would have loved to have a weekly All Donks in tourney and at the end of the year the top 20 would advance to the Platinum League but the logistics of this would be very difficult. Saratogatom’s idea is logical and doable.
Well I must agree with Michael and John, Widow took over running the league at a very difficult time, there was a lot of dissention, and I for one was part of it. Not a great moment, as there was bickering going on back and forth with the league, however Widow has overcome all of that, the league is in a good place right now, I agree with the tier system that Tom had brought up, however, Widow has said, not apposed, but maybe timing needs to be delayed, maybe some may disagree, that is OK, we all have our own opinions, I believe we should support Widow in this decision. Also yourname, I believe that you have heard some oldtimers say that Widow should be DOY, and BTW, don’t let Widow weigh in on this decision, I believe it is yours to make, does anyone have a counter for this?
God Bless You All and God Loves You All!
I hope nobody is offended, not my intention
My two cents (worth maybe -2 cents) on Tom’s idea. By only taking the top 20 from Composite for the past year, you may be eliminating some very deserving players that have proven to be “elite” in the league. I would rather see an “elite” platinum league made up of all the Golden crown winners over all time. I know some of those aren’t playing any more, but you would still have about 25 current players. And the criteria for advancement into platinum is to win a Golden Crown.
Michael, great nomination for Donk of the Year…BW has done so much for our league, contributing, composing, and competing.
Ditto
My comments may not be as meaningful as some as I have only been in the donks for less than a year and have only been in the golden league for the one quarter but…
To me the PL is an obvious and desirable goal in principle . But it has to be workable
I am sure of one thing- It has to be three teirs and not two teirs with PL playes still allowed in the GL . That will not work , (IMHO) If you presumably advance into the PL by winning the GL the results will be altered by what GL games the PL players choose to play in.
So in that instance you would simply have three leagues at the same rime which would work as long as the numbers are there - which is the key and possibly not workable at the moment,
Congratulations PT on Donk of the Month; well deserved.
Well @SILVERTHECAT, I’ve been in Donks for 3+ years and if the Platinum tier was only initially composed of what @_snowman said{which is a great idea}, the total in Platinum would be roughly 20-25 playing. Now I believe Black Widow will attest to the fact that when the HOF tourney was only HOFers, we had 20-24 playing, sometimes less, but the games were the absolute best I’ve ever played in Donks. Games lasted 2+ hours and were the most competitive poker being played. To win one of those was an accomplishment, as anyone here that played those will attest. So the idea of not having enough isn’t true. If it were made like Norris suggested…well those games would make me play every one. And it could be worked that the Platinum tier played twice a week versus 4 times. Also would make them desirable. Just my thoughts…
I said possibly not workable at the moment and that if it was workable it is a great idea (as everyone seems to agree)