I sat down with PokerStars.com poker room manager and poker book author, Lee Jones. We covered the upcoming 2005 WSOP, the recent poker boom, and the recent 3-table Sit-and-Go change.

KiD[ReD]: Before we commence with the interview, I'd just like to thank Mr. Jones beforehand for taking the time out of this busy schedule to participate in this PokerForums.org interview. Thank you, and welcome Lee!

Lee Jones: Thank you Tyler - it's good to be here.

KiD[ReD]: You've worked in silicon valley as a software programmer for 20 years, and you are an accomplished poker player and author as well. What prompted you in your decision to create PokerStars.com?

Lee Jones: Heh - I didn't create PokerStars.com.
Lee Jones: Not even close.
Lee Jones: PokerStars.com first went online in September of 2001, and then went live for real money in December of 2001.
Lee Jones: I didn't join until June of 2003.
Lee Jones: I was working away in Silicon Valley doing memory chip design verification when PokerStars.com called. They'd heard of me via my book, "Winning Low Limit Hold'em".
Lee Jones: When they first called, I assumed it was for some kind of one-off promotional appearance, book signing, whatever.
Lee Jones: I very quickly figured out that they were talking about a full time (er, full-time plus) job.
Lee Jones: BTW - it was actually *25* years that I'd been working in the computer business. I recall that because PokerStars.com called me within a week or two after I'd wandered into my manager's office and commented that I'd been in the business a quarter of a century.

KiD[ReD]: This would be a merger of two of your passions then: poker and technology - sounds like a good gig to me...

Lee Jones: Eh, technology isn't a passion of mine. It was a fun way to make a good living, and I met some great people, but I don't get passionate about 1's and 0's.
Lee Jones: But this is a very good gig for me.

KiD[ReD]: With almost 2 years now working at PokerStars.com, do you feel you made the right choice to climb aboard that June 2003?

Lee Jones: I love working for PokerStars.com. I believe we're the best online site there is. Our software is the best, our touranment offerings are unsurpassed, and our customer service is legendary.
Lee Jones: That and I get to work with a great bunch of people.

KiD[ReD]: Being such a busy person, do you still find time to play a decent amount of poker? Ironically, I assume you do not play on PokerStars.com due to a conflict of interest, save for the private PokerStars.com staff tournaments.

Lee Jones: I try to play now and then, but I don't get much time to do so.
Lee Jones: You're absolutely correct though - PokerStars.com staff members are not permitted to play on PokerStars.com if they have access to the customer database (which is the only way to do business, in my opinion).

KiD[ReD]: That's one downside to working for PokerStars.com then, I guess :)

Lee Jones: We've had people join us and then go "What?!?! I can't play here now?!?!?"

KiD[ReD]: lol.

KiD[ReD]: Poker has undoubtedly exploded in popularity due to the greater coverage of WSOP on ESPN, the World Poker Tour, and the dozens of other poker shows hitting the airwaves. Just how much of a change did this medium of televison change poker's exposure, and do you think it has reached it's climax?

Lee Jones: Big question - I'm thinking :)
Lee Jones: How much did television change poker's exposure?
Lee Jones: How much did World War II change the politics of Europe?
Lee Jones: Poker is completely different now than it was pre-TV and pre-Chris Moneymaker.
Lee Jones: As many of your readers know, Chris won a WSOP seat at PokerStars.com and then won the 2003. It was right around that same time that the World Poker Tour was becoming very popular. The combination of those two things had an effect bigger than any of us could have imagined.
Lee Jones: Whether we've hit the top of this curve? Who knows? I have given up trying to predict. I just keep working hard to keep PokerStars.com healthy and growing.
Lee Jones: But if I were forced to bet - no, I think there's still room for growth in the business. In particular, I'd like to see more women playing poker.

KiD[ReD]: Speaking of the WSOP, The 2005 World Series of Poker is just on the horizon, and it is expected to be the biggest and best ever. Will PokerStars.com be covering the event live again this year?

Lee Jones: Will we be covering the event live? I just don't know yet. I know we'd love to, but it's huge technological challenge. Also, we're working with a completely different team of folks this year (the Harrah's/Rio staff) and we'll have to see how they feel about doing it.
Lee Jones: But believe me, if we can work it out, we will.

KiD[ReD]: Many may agree that the new generation of young internet-poker players are much more aggressive and fearless than what many experienced professionals have been used to. Would you agree with this statement, and do you think poker is evolving on a strategical level?

Lee Jones: Hang on. One more thing about the WSOP...

KiD[ReD]: Sure, go on..

Lee Jones: You asked if we're going to cover it live. One thing I'll promise - we're going to cover it like a blanket. We have already qualified over 630 players to play in the main event; I think we'll hit 1000.

Lee Jones: So one of every six or seven players at the WSOP is going to be wearing PokerStars.com attire.
Lee Jones: Okay - your next question...
Lee Jones: Aggressive and fearless?
Lee Jones: Hmmm.
Lee Jones: I do think that poker is evolving on a strategic level, yes.
Lee Jones: And it's hard to argue with the results of people like Negreanu and Hansen. But I'm not yet persuaded that this take-no-prisoners game is a long-term winning strategy except in the hands of a small number of very capable people. I think Dan and Gus have some other (less recognized) skills to go with their unalloyed aggression.
Lee Jones: One final thought on the "young guns" vs. "experienced pro's" battle.
Lee Jones: Name the one guy that was at the WSOP main event final table in *BOTH* 2003 and 2004?

KiD[ReD]: Good point :)

Lee Jones: It was Dan Harrington - known as "Action Dan" because he plays super-tight and never gets involved in a hand.
Lee Jones: And, by the way, he won the whole thing in 1995.

KiD[ReD]: Yes - I was actually somewhat amazed he lasted to the final table again in 2004.

Lee Jones: When the high-speed damn-the-torpedoes players start showing those kind of results over that time period, we'll have something to think about.

KiD[ReD]: Haha, okay :)

KiD[ReD]: Moving on back to Stars, PokerStars.com just recently added $5 3-table Sit and Go's. Many players are anxious as well as curious as to why higher limit 27-man Sit and Go's are not present. Are the $5 ones being used as a 'trial-run'? Can we expect to see $10 and $20 3-table Sit and Go's in the future?

Lee Jones: We started with the $5 events because they're the lowest buyin and so get the most business.
Lee Jones: We can count on those to fill quickly, and that's a *key* component of sit and go success. You want those trains to leave the station every couple of minutes.
Lee Jones: When a S&G doesn't fill fairly quickly, people get bored or impatient and drop out.
Lee Jones: In fact, you'll see a lot of people that won't even sign up for a S&G until there are just 2-3 seats left.
Lee Jones: The answer to "Will you have bigger 3-table S&Gs?" is easy: yes, as soon as we're sure we can fill them quickly enough.

KiD[ReD]: The $10 NLHE SnG's fill out quite fast, we will probably see 3-table $10 SnG's in the near future then, I presume.

Lee Jones: Well, we are obviously watching both the three-table $5 events and the one- and two-table $10 events. We don't want to hurt the $10 business (one and two table) with three table events there. But like I said - it's just a question of whether we can keep the trains leaving the station fast enough. If we can, then we deploy 'em.

KiD[ReD]: Related to the last question: What changes or improvements, if any, are "in the works" or "under development" for PokerStars.com?

Lee Jones: Well, there's always something new and different going on behind the scenes. We're working on a couple of promotions now that are going to blow your socks off. In fact, I'll give you the details of 'em right here...
Lee Jones: @(@@))@@))))(@&%(@#*&(@#*$&@(*$&@#(*&....221329871981798759874414.
Lee Jones: Hmmm. Something wrong with my keyboard.
Lee Jones: I guess you'll just have to wait until we announce 'em.

KiD[ReD]: You joke, but little do you realize we have an expert team of decipherers and code-breakers...

Lee Jones: Darn.

KiD[ReD]: That's fair enough though. Moving on to the next question...
KiD[ReD]: On a serious note, would you like to take this opportunity to apologize to the poker world for your horrible puns and play on words during the $500,000 guaranteed tournaments on PokerStars.com?

Lee Jones: No! Never!
Lee Jones: I really enjoy doing those final tables, and seeing what I can do with the various userIDs and comments that get made.
Lee Jones: One of the reasons I make the puns is this: when somebody busts out of that tournament, they're miserable.
Lee Jones: Nobody wants to bust out of a final table when they have a chance to win $100K or more.
Lee Jones: And usually when you bust out of a tournament, nobody notices - you just slink away, the players breathe a sigh of relief (one more guy gone) and forget about you.
Lee Jones: My punning with the player's name (or even just acknowledging his departure) is my (and PokerStars.com's) way of noticing him. Of saying that he did a great job to get as far as he did, and he can be proud of that.
Lee Jones: Not only that, but I get in some great material....
Lee Jones: A couple of weeks ago, one of the players inexplicably typed "e9".
Lee Jones: "e9"
Lee Jones: I replied "Okay - but I don't see what mistake the right fielder made."
Lee Jones: The baseball fans in the crowd were probably rolling on the floor.
Lee Jones: I *love* in-jokes like that.

KiD[ReD]: lol, it's great you and other PokerStars.com hosts keep it light though. I remember watching a friend in the $30 rebuy, and a host was called to work out a split deal, and he stayed to watch it finish and brought some humor to the table.

Lee Jones: I mentioned before that we have world-class customer service, and it's one of the things at PokerStars.com about which I'm most proud.
Lee Jones: Our people work stupendously hard to take care of our players, and yet, as you point out, they do a great job of bringing humor and lightness to the game.

KiD[ReD]: Yes, Stars does a good job of balancing the down-to-earth nature as well as the professional tactfullness in their support.
KiD[ReD]: Mr. Jones, thanks again for taking the time to participate in this interview. If anyone is interested in checking out PokerStars.com if they haven't already, the address is PokerStars.com.

Lee Jones: Thank you, Tyler, for the opportunity to chat here - I've really enjoyed this. And yes, I hope we'll see your readers at PokerStars.com.