Bodog launched a new poker platform today. It was met with widespread criticism by players. This new poker software removed all player usernames from all poker tables. This means that when a player sits at a table all they see is a number where the username used to be. That number is the seat number of the player at the table. In tournaments, it is the order that the player entered the tournament.

While anonymous tables are used at some poker rooms, Bodog is the first poker room to make all of their tables anonymous. Bodog has been creative in the way they have made their poker room undesirable to high volume players that use tracking software. In June 2010, Bodog stopped allowing new players to sign up for rakeback. Later in 2010, Bodog changed their rake formula to give the existing rakeback players less rakeback if they were winners. This formula was similar to Ongame Essence. Now, in an attempt to combat datamining and give winning players less of an edge, anonymous tables have been implemented.

In addition to anonymous tables, the rake has been changed and a couple of features have been added. The new features include rabbit hunting and the ability to enter up to 20 multi table tournaments at one time.

Players are very angry about the changes. Anonymous tables make tracking software useless in catching colluders and bots. Tracking software and dataminers have caught many online poker cheats. Without those tools, players are forced to rely on Bodog to catch any cheaters. Players were also upset that the points to cash program was removed. Players can no longer convert their points to cash, they must convert them to tournament tickets now. There are also dozens of bugs in the new software.

At the time of this post, Bodog traffic is down over 80% from its seven day average according to PokerScout at what would normally be their peak time. This traffic collapse could be the cause of angry players leaving, or because there are so many bugs many players feel the software in not playable.

The next few weeks will be interesting for Bodog. Will this move be an innovative way to lure casual players to their poker room, or will it cause their players to look for other online poker rooms? Only time will tell.