Gossip Column: GGPoker’s Pro Categorization Angers Players & Ali Imsirovic Wins Biggest Recorded Online NLHE Pot

It’s been a crazy few days on GGPoker, and it’s not all because of the ongoing 2020 World of Series of Poker (WSOP) Online series. In the fallout of the Tobias Duthweiler ban controversy, GGPoker extending an olive brand to previously banned players on the site, released a statement allowing them to get themselves reinstate themselves on the site. In doing so, it released a categorization of pros, “the Good Pro,” “the Regular Pro,” and “the Bad Pro.” The site’s choice of words mentioning “bum hunting” under ‘the Bad Pro” characteristics elicited mixed reactions from the poker community, with many poker pros reacting negatively to the announcement.

While on the hand, GGPoker was facing a lot of criticism from poker players; on the other, it is experiencing a sharp surge in traffic because of the ongoing WSOP series that has got the nosebleed cash game action going on the site. The GGPoker Network has already broken the record of hosting the biggest NLHE pot in poker history twice this month, with the biggest hand taking place on August 20. The hand in question saw Ali Imsirovic winning a ginormous $974,631.

GGPoker Gives Banned Player 2nd Chance; Pro Categorization Angers Players

International poker network, GGPoker, seems to have landed itself in more controversy while attempting to get back some goodwill.

At the start of August, high-stakes German pro, Tobias Duthweiler, had alleged that the site had confiscated $180,000 from him after freerolling him for a year and a half. GGPoker, via email, had informed Duthweiler that his funds had been seized because he wasn’t allowed to play on GGPoker in the first place. Apparently, an earlier ban from Natural8, supposedly for ‘bum-hunting,’ resulted in his subsequent ban from GGPoker as well. GGPoker Ambassador Fedor Holz defended the poker site’s actions.

Recently, in an attempt to placate players who were upset with GGPoker’s actions against Duthweiler, the site decided to give some of the banned players a second chance. Those who wish to return to the site have until September 5 to apply for reinstatement. Per the company’s recent Twitter post, applications must include the player’s previous screen name, the approximate date of their ban, the name on their passport, and a copy of a government-issued ID.

For a limited time only, we will be extending an olive branch to previously banned players on GGNetwork. If you have been banned and wish to return, we will be taking applications for the next 2 weeks (~Sep 5). Please read our stance on pros here: https://t.co/kV6m8QbFHy
1/3

— GGPoker – HOME OF WSOP 2020 ONLINE BRACELET SERIES (@GGPokerOfficial) August 22, 2020

Once your application has been reviewed and approved your account will be reinstated as a Real Name account. Applications should be emailed to security@ggnetwork.com and titled “Application for return to GGNetwork” and include the following information:
2/3

— GGPoker – HOME OF WSOP 2020 ONLINE BRACELET SERIES (@GGPokerOfficial) August 22, 2020

While the decision to reinstate players was a commendable move, in doing so, the brand released a categorization of players describing them between “Good Pros,” “Regular Pros” and “Bad Pros.”

According to the statement, “a good pro as someone who contributes to the poker market’s growth. Successful poker players will naturally get the spotlight of the media and attain wealth.”

The brand classifies that “a regular pro mainly focuses on their gameplay and win rate. They continuously study their own game, improve, and crush the field.”

The last category, i.e., the bad pro, “focuses on manufacturing unfair advantages over their opponents and exploiting other perceived weaknesses.”

In a nutshell, the poker site claims it won’t ban players for winning unless they use solvers, cheat, or bum-hunt.

Poker vlogger Joey Ingram asked players to share their views on this classification on Twitter.

GGpoker clarified its stance on what type of poker pros it is looking for on its website….

What do you think?? pic.twitter.com/3Uatj5h2GZ

— Joey Ingram #passion (@Joeingram1) August 22, 2020

The response was overwhelming. Some of the biggest names in poker lashed out at the crude categorization that put bum hunting together with more serious misdemeanors like ghosting and collusion.

At this point I think they’re insulting the poker community’s intelligence. https://t.co/CGo10XJulN

— Phil Galfond (@PhilGalfond) August 23, 2020

Their terms basically say that you aren’t allowed to game select, or you’re “bumhunting” and therefore a “bad pro”.

They bury bumhunting within a list of obvious ban-worthy offenses such as collusion and botting, hoping you don’t notice.

Horrible, bullshit policy.

— Todd Witteles (@ToddWitteles) August 23, 2020

Yeah it’s tough like we should all try to stop the things in the bad pro list but can’t confiscate funds maybe warning then ban system type of thing. Because once that is just willy nilly up to site it’s scary precedent but the bad pro activities gotta be worked on overall

— Ryan Depaulo: Degenerate Gambler (@depaulo_ryan) August 23, 2020

The problem is the “the regular pro” often gets labelled as “the bad pro” for no reason and then banned – like the guys winning lbs and getting banned, u could even argue those guys are “good pros” since half the games wouldnt run without them going for lbs

— Ryan Hutchinson (@razh54) August 23, 2020

Does GG ban Huds? Because if not then this is just bullshit posturing

— David Levene (@DavidLevene) August 22, 2020

Don’t like the caption “bad pro”. It should be named unacceptable behavior / reasons for termination. Possibly also include a warning system if these behaviors are detected or say it is an immediate ban.

— Maureen B. (@mjbloech) August 23, 2020

Though GGPoker may have had their heart in the right place, sadly, their poor choice of words seems to have backfired.

Ali Imsirovic Wins Record-Breaking NLHE Cash Game Pot on GGPoker

Before Black Friday, Full Tilt Poker was known for hosting some of the wildest cash games ever. For over 12 years, the poker site had held the record for the biggest online No-Limit Hold ’em pot, which was finally broken on August 13 on the GGPoker Network. Incredibly, the record pot played out on August 13 was overshadowed a week later on August 20.

The pro from Bosnia & Herzegovina, Ali Imsirovic, won a monster $974,631 pot. Tan’ tan4321’ Xuan was the player on the losing end of this historical hand. Playing $500/$1,000/$200 six-max NLHE with a compulsory $2,000 straddle, the latter`s flopped two pair got dusted by Imsirovic’s rivered flush.

Record for the biggest NLHE online pot didnt last long, this time a #herocall went wrong and @aliImsirovic scooped at our VIP Games a $1M pot.#highstakes #nosebleeds pic.twitter.com/Y5h6I5KClG

— N8 Poker | Casino | Sports (@natural8) August 21, 2020

That set a new record for an online NLHE pot, topping last week’s effort by Wiktor ‘Limitless’ Malinowski in the same high-stakes VIP game on Natural8. Malinowski had pocketed $842,438 in a classic cooler, where his aces held up against Aussie crusher Michael Addamo’s kings.

Michael Addamo on the receiving end of this cooler from Wiktor Malinowski for a $900K pot at our VIP Games#coolerbro#natural8 pic.twitter.com/gq8u8SQxDY

— N8 Poker | Casino | Sports (@natural8) August 11, 2020

With the super high rollers at GGPoker and Natural8 now consistently sitting with more than half a million stacks and seemingly unafraid of getting it in the middle, it’s only a matter of time before we witness a $1+ Million No-Limit Hold ’em pot.