"p.s. I think it's kinda funny how you state this is simple marketing. I think people will be far more likely to come back if it's free rather than losing 10 bucks a pop"

Buying points would be optional, you could carry on playing the 'idiots' if you want or you could get more points and challenge the players with more points.
I am speaking from the point of view of a player that has played one of the highest number of 5 point games than anyone else on this site, I would be interested to know the stats on this if they are available.

I rarely play a game with more than a 5pt stake. Never seen the point of it. The atmosphere's better from the cheap seats anyway. Looking at your stats you seem a solid enough player, but you're not exactly sweeping the floor with the opposition. What makes you think that you, as a slightly above average player with a reluctance to bet big would be appreciated in the games of the high stakes brigade?

A simple solution to this non problem would be to up the basic point tally from 100 to 1000. Methinks it would annoy more people than it pleased though.

Increasing the points is a good practical solution ..... I like that.

I'm missing your point here
"What makes you think that you, as a slightly above average player with a reluctance to bet big would be appreciated in the games of the high stakes brigade?"
... as I said before it is not actually about me and who I can and can't play

Indeed, it's about whether those with lots of points wish to play with people who haven't earned lots of points. If they want to they can do so quite easily. There is no problem. Changing the system simply makes it harder for them to discriminate along the lines they currently enjoy.

Thank goodness we can password protect games then ..... but I like your solution, you are a very clever man.....

But it doesn't gain anything :p

If it leads to more games being played then it is helpful because when you have few points you may have committed 75 of your points to non-live games and then a live game comes up for 26 and you cannot join it, this would allow a bigger pool of players to play both non-live and live games without being points-restricted.
It may have been a long time ago since you had a 100 so you have forgotten the frustrations that only having 100 can cause. Also if you are quite good but new it allows you to get into higher quality games quicker rather than spend 6 months thrashing noobs for 35 a pop ..... you sound a little out of touch with what is happening in the real Webdip world mate, I suppose if you don't play LIVE games or play that frequently then it is not so much of an issue ..... that is the trouble with the rich, they don't know how the other half live :-)

I used to play live games a lot, and points were never a problem. Lack of points has never been an issue at any time I have been a member here. Practically anyone can set up a 5pt live game at any time they choose, and the pool is everyone. They can set up a password game and select people individually, or they can select by points. All raising the base level of points would achieve is make it impossible to differentiate a player like you from a complete noob with the points system.

I play gunboat so it makes no odds about points or people to me .... having more people with more points just means more people can join and play more games more often for more points...... simple as that !!