The popular poker site PokerStake (formerly known as PocketFives) has made a controversial decision to remove its prestigious rankings, effectively wiping out decades of online poker history. Well-known players have voiced their opinions on the matter.
For years, PocketFives was to online poker what Hendon Mob is to live poker: a comprehensive resource that tracked tournament results, statistics, and world rankings. Since 2005, it was the go-to platform to follow the progress of online poker pros like Niklas “lena900” Astedt, Chris “moorman1” Moorman, Simon “C Darwin2” Mattson, and Patrick “pads1161” Leonard.
However, in 2023, the site rebranded to PokerStake, shifting its focus to player staking. On October 4, 2024, PokerStake officially discontinued its rankings feature, erasing a vast historical record of online poker achievements. This move also left the 2024 Player of the Year title undecided, with top contenders such as WSOP Main Event 2020 champion Damián Salas, Niklas “Lena900” Astedt, Ramiro Petrone, Boris Angelov, and Brazilian players Pedro Padilha and Felipe Boianovsky left without a final resolution.
Why Did PokerStake End the Rankings?
When approached for comment, PokerStake explained:
“PokerStake has shifted its focus to enhance the player staking experience. This includes offering staking opportunities for live poker as well as on GGPoker. As part of this strategic shift, we discontinued our rankings services as of October 4, 2024.”
Despite requests for further explanation from Josh Arieh, PokerStake’s Director since 2021 and a four-time WSOP bracelet winner, neither he nor the company provided additional comments via social media.
Players React to the Decision
The poker community was quick to react, with numerous players sharing their disappointment on social media:
- Damián Salas expressed his sadness: “It’s a shame. Rankings and statistics lend prestige and significance to any activity, and from the poker community’s perspective, this feels like a step backward.”
- Chris Moorman, one of the most accomplished online players, tweeted: “PokerStake eliminated all online rankings last week. These rankings have been a huge part of my motivation since I became a professional MTT player in 2006. Please retweet and comment to raise awareness and push for their return. We can’t let PocketFives die like this!”
- Patrick Leonard was emotional in his response: “One of the saddest moments in recent online poker history. Even people disconnected from the game, like parents, would follow these rankings. The impact this had for so many cannot be underestimated. It’s like deleting the Hendon Mob. I believe that platforms like PocketFives and Hendon Mob should belong to the players. It’s terrifying that a company can just erase so much history.”
- Tony Dunst shared a personal story: “My parents were skeptical when I turned pro, but seeing me ranked in the top 100 on PocketFives helped change their minds. The rankings were a fun way to compete with the online community, and I hope they return.”
- Katie Stone speculated on the technical reasons: “I doubt the data is still available. Maintaining a database of that size probably costs a lot, and every search would add to the expense. Let’s hope they saved it somewhere.”
- Joao Vieira was more critical: “In my opinion, the rankings became obsolete a long time ago. They made sense before Black Friday when MTT pros kept their profiles updated. While the rankings lost relevance recently, they still hold historical significance, so it’s sad to see them disappear.”
- Pedro Padilha seemed indifferent: “I don’t have a problem with it. The rankings didn’t offer any prizes, and it never guided my career. The metrics became outdated, so I wasn’t affected negatively by this decision.”
- Adam Levy simply asked: “Why would they do that? It feels like the rankings should always be accessible, or at least archived somewhere.”
- Nathan Tuthill was frustrated by the lack of notice: “It’s disappointing that this decision came without warning. I wonder who made the call. Couldn’t they archive the data? At the very least, they should’ve given players a couple of months’ notice so we could take screenshots of our stats and rankings.”
