As some of you may know, I haven't played online poker for close to a month now. After the pullout of Neteller, I decided to sit on the sidelines while things sorted themselves out.

I'd like to hear from those who continue to play on Stars, FullTilt, UB, and Bodog. How has the loss of Neteller affected the PLO and PLO8 games? Has the traffic decreased noticeably? Are the games more difficult to beat? Are you forced to play lower limits due to a lack of higher limit action? Also, what are you using to move money around amongst sites?

Tom, I am still playing but only on Poker Stars. I have not cashed out or redeposited since a month or 2 ago, so I can't help you with that.

I can only speak for O8 games here:
Games are ok, but not great.. On an average weeknight there are anywhere from 2-4 NL50 games, 1-3 NL100 and 1-3 NL200. Weekends are about double that.

PL games are better, there are probably double that on average, maybe more if you mix in the 6 max games. I have been playing exclusively NL for a couple of months now, so I can't be 100% sure on that.

I play normally in the morning and afternoon and very little at night. I have noticed that the table selection is down during that time frame. I have also noticed that many of the high (PL 200 and above) players are coming down to the lower tables (PL 100 and below) to play.

From talking with some of them, they are having to do that to make money. As one of them put it, "you dont make money while waiting for other players."

From the tables that I have played at since the Neteller pullout, I think they have gotten tougher due to the lack of easy money at the tables. At the lower tables, I have always felt that you make money from others mistakes, not your good/fancy play (getting freerolls, having them draw for half, etc). It doesn't seem like those situations are happening as much.

This may just be my impression, but it also might be reality also. Due to the time frame that I play, I feel that I am facing tougher competition than I would if I played at night. I believe that I face a higher percentage of online pros/solid players than the average 9-5er who plays at night and weekends.

In summary from my perspective, it has toughened up significiantly. The good players who want to get their money out there will setup other methods to do so. The bad players who are gambling/learning will go broke and not have an easy reload method and therefore will take their entertainment dollars elsewhere.

Tom