Full Tilt Poker to Make Big Changes

Full Tilt Poker - the world's second largest online poker room - is set to make some big changes in 2010, with one of the moves aimed at eradicating short stackers.

While tables requiring a bigger buy-in grew in popularity at rival site PokerStars in 2009, Full Tilt has increasingly become home to the phenomenon of "rat-holing," in which players come to the site for its small buy-ins, win a large pot and then immediately take off with the winnings.

But rumors of a change designed to combat the technique gathered steam last Thursday when a spokesperson for Full Tilt Poker wrote on the TwoPlusTwo forums that the minimum buy-in on standard tables would be raised at some stage early in the new year.

The spokesperson added that other changes would be made to the site, including a new 2-click exit feature and a dialogue box for the table asking if players "want to take this seat?"

In addition, the website is expected to cap off the changes with a new VIP system, offering a new promotion in addition to the current one named "Iron Man."

According to the spokesman, the new VIP program is merely a matter of months away from being introduced.

The changes signal Full Tilt Poker's intention to try to take on its major rival PokerStars, which it has long been in competition with for supremacy in the online poker world. The sites have been competing in every facet they've been able to think of, including a battle earlier in 2009 over the world record for the biggest poker tournament.