Overall, the Everest Poker VIP Summit Club structrue is set up very similarly to its biggest competitor, PokerStars VIP system.
Within this analysis we will also offer a comparison of the VIP Summit Club vs. PokerStars’ VIP system to enable readers to have a thorough knowledge on what loyalty system would suit them.
Where it all began
There is no need to go too far back in the past to find the birth if Everest Poker’s VIP Summit Club. In October 2008, the original monthly bonus systems were replaced by the Summit Club, which didn’t receive much support from players. Everest Poker players were not eager for the change, because the general opinion was that they would receive less benefits than before.
The Summit Club system has undergone several revamps since its launch in October 2008. In our analysis, we will be looking at the current system.
Can You climb Mount Everest?
The whole VIP system structure is based on climbing Everest.
Beginning at Base Camp, the dream of every Everest Poker player is to conquer The Summit. The higher you go, the higher the return, opening doors to a bigger selection of benefits.
But on the other hand, the higher you go, the more it hurts if you slip and have to start again from a lower level.
As illustrated in the table above, this competition is not for the weak.
In order to reach Base Camp, players are required to obtain a minimum of 300 Summit Points per month.
It is very important to note, that enrolment into the Summit Club is not automatic, but does require registration. Via clicking on the VIP button within your Everest Poker account, the registration process will be completed. Be aware though, there is no point in making your way to Base Camp if you are not prepared to climb the mountain.
The system is based on calendar months (which has similarities to the PokerStars system), but the benefits are not yet available in the first month. The first month is really all about building up an accumulation of points, which will count towards you status in the following month. Every step of the way from Base Camp to The Summit, your progress will be taken into account at the end of the month.
For example, if you happen to be at Camp 1 and collect the 2500 Summit Points within the middle of the month, you will not instantly be able to pitch your tent in Camp 2, until the beginning of the next month.
Players can thus be discouraged by not receiveing any benefits within the first month, but they do need to take into account there is a first deposit bonus to make up for the shortfall.
More evidence to prove that the VIP Summit Club has been based around the PokerStars VIP Club is when we look at the levels.
The lower levels only provide benefits for one month, while by reaching one of the two highest levels, players can secure their status for three consecutive months.
One of the key advantages of the VIP Summit Club system over the PokerStars VIP system is that they offer a shortcut to obtain the highest level. This way, instead of waiting for several months at PokerStars to achieve Supernova or other higher levels, Everest Poker makes it possible for supercharged and dedicated players to reach The Summit in as little as a month.
Now, let’s look at a quick comparison with the biggest rival, PokerStars, within the table below.
The Everest Poker System
As already stated above, the higher levels of the Summit Club provide a higher return for players.
Here, we need to make an important distinction between ’Base’ Summit Points and ’Bonus’ Summit Points.
Base Summit Point: The standard score unit, similar to PokerStars’ VPPs, but it is also exchangeable for cash.
Bonus summit Points: Points rewarding your loyalty, according to your VIP level (see table above).
This is an example on how exactly the Summit Points system works:
Let’s suppose your current status is Camp 1 (to achieve this, you needed to collect 1000 Summit Points during the previous month) and you sit down to play a session. Firstly, you will receive Base Summit Points for your gameplay (let’s say you collect 100 Base Summit Points), and then, because of the 300% Summit Point Bonus Rate, you are able to get an extra 300 Bonus Summit Points.
Taking this into account, you will have accumulated a total of 400 Summit Points, which is open to be spent in th Summit Shop, or cashed out.
In order to remain at Camp 1 status within the next month, you are required to collect an extra 900 Base Summit Points on top the 100, as the Bonus Summit Points do not count towards your monthly progress within the levels.
For the players that advance to higher VIP levels, other benefits will be available besides the better Bonus Summit Point Rates.
These benefits include: faster Live Support, help with registration to live tournaments and exclusive invitations to Everest Poker VIP events. All extra benefits have been excluded from our rakeback equivalent calculations.
Summit Points and rake
Everest Poker works on the dealt method in their calculations of Sumit Points as listed below:
By using the table above, we can calculate the following rakeback equivalents for Short Handed, Full Ring and Tournament players:
Click on images to enlarge
The calculation method that was used for the tables above is as listed below:
In order to reach Camp 2 status at a 6-handed table, a total of 2500 Summit Points are required, which equals:
2500 / 1.4 = $1785.7 in rake.
If we use the assumption that an average of 5.5 players play at a 6-handed table, our share of the rake is as follows:
$1785.7 / 5.5 = $325
If you happen to be at Camp 2, besides the 2500 Base Summit Points, you will entitled to receive a 400% Bonus Summit Points rebate (10,000 Bonus Summit Points). Achieving a grand total of 12,500 Summit Points for your bankroll, all points are then exchangeable for cash.
When examining the exchange rate of Summit Points to cash, it’s visible, that one Summit Point values $0.004, which means that 12,500 Summit Points is the equivalent of $50 in cash. So, working with a $50 cashback, the rakeback equivalent will be:
$50 / $325 = 15.4% rakeback equivalent.
Using the method of calculation above, rakeback equivalents for all other levels and types of games can be calculated.
All variations are listed in the table below:
Summit Points and the Everest Poker Shop
The team at Rakerace.com have evaluated and compared what your Summit Points are worth in dollars within the Everest Shop.
So how much are your hard-earned Summit Points worth in the Everest Poker Shop?
In order to answer the question above, we have randomly selected 10 electrical items available within the Everest Shop and used recommended retail pricing. All these electrical items are listed in the table below, with our calculations and calculation methods.
As it is visible from the table above, some items are not worth the exchange rate, whereas others do have a better exchange rate than the cash-out option.
Working on the table above, the average conversion of 1 Summit Point is the equivalent of $0,0037. Taking into account the exchange rate, possible warranty problems and the fact that almost all countries have different wall power outlet configurations, we came to the conclusion that it is not in your best interest to exchange hard-earned Summit Points for goods.
Everest Poker vs. PokerStars
Now that we know the rakeback equivalents at Everest Poker, we can compare these to the biggest rival, PokerStars. Using the table below, it’s easy to see the differences between the two:
From the data that has been collected, we can clearly see that PokerStars offers a better return than Everest Poker, but there are a few things we must not forget:
• The return at Everest Poker can be improved by participating in cash races organized by Rakerace.com
• This may seem subjective, but it is common word among players, that Everest Poker players tend to be way more loose and inexperienced.
Conclusion
After analysing the Everest Poker VIP Summit Club, it is easy to come to the conclusion that its structure is based around PokerStars VIP Club system. The Everest system is a bit easier to see through, but bears a few minor differences.
Most players would tend to sway more towards PokerStars’ VIP Club system because of the following few drawbacks:
• Separate registration for the Summit Club is required
• The loss of return for the first month of gameplay
On the bright side, one of the greatest advantages Everest Poker’s VIP Summit Club is, that players have the opportunity to directly exchange their Summit Points for cash on a monthly basis, with a fixed rate.
In conclusion, Everest Poker Vip Summit Club system, together with monthly cash races offered by Rakerace.com, stands its ground against PokerStars. As all players play differently, the team at Rakerace.com recommends that players try both systems, in order to make the best decision on suitability of these loyalty systems towards their gameplay.
