The concept was simple. Bring the online poker world back to the U.S. Players, in a 100% legal way. Founder, Owner, and CEO, Charles “Chuck” Kidd had this vision when he established the PIC Club over a year ago. This model could very well revolutionize the online poker world and provide players an additional profit avenue.
Please explain the PIC Club concept.
Well the concept is really just taking advantage of the exclusions that were attached to the UIEGA. They cannot shut down the trading companies and build those exceptions into the new law. So I bought a trading company for poker players.
When did you envision this concept? And how did you work towards making it a reality?
The day after the law was signed I was furious. As a patriot, a veteren of Viet Nam and an avid poker player I was angry at my governments intrusion into my personal life. I make my own money and can choose how and where I spend it. So the 1st step was to get a copy of the law and look for loopholes. Having found what I believed to be a way around the law I contacted some lawyers and got a legal opinion of my idea. Simple solution was to form a poker playing business and contract people to play for us. Then use a trading company to handle the transactions and secure each player’s position as a contract player by having them own a share of this business. 3rd step was to convince my wife to allow me to invest my retirement money to make this happen (this was the hardest step).
How can an online poker player make a profit through the PIC Club?
Well obviously if they are good players they can make money at the tables, but we offer a whole lot more. As a condition to using the PIC-Club services, you must own a piece of the company. So 5% of every deposit goes toward a purchase of common shares and is deposited in a common account that is interest bearing at 3.5%. This is not a fee, this is your money and you can take it out at any time. However the longer you leave it in the account, the more interest it earns. We run this as a savings club and you become vested after 6 months and begin to be eligible for a share of the interest profits. So even the worst poker player that loses at every table will get a shares/dividend check at the end of the year. You may also invest if you choose in the various commodities that our trading company is currently moving on.
You held discussions with U.S. Representative Barney Frank and his staff. How did that go and what came out of it?
I wish I could comment more on this but I can’t at this time. I can say that we have supplied information about this companies operations to the congressman’s office before he took a stance against the UIEGA and at his request have continued to co-operate as a means to show him how the goverment can regulate and collect taxes on poker.
How has the perception of the PIC Club been with poker magazines and other poker related forums?
Well, we are the buzz of the industry, just google pic-club.com. Our full page ads in BLUFF and ALL IN have been running for 4 months now and we even have a celebrity endorsement Ad from Veteren Actor/Musican Ronny Cox.
Any issues/problems that members have had?
Just bugging me for more poker rooms. We are in process of bringing online the DGS network of 16 rooms and have active negotiations with many more. Our 24/7 support online staff is exceptional and they keep all our members happy. They are all poker players and understand the player’s issues. My support staff and I played online at Hollywood Poker for 2 years together. So I hired them to support our membership. This truely is a company Built by Poker Players for Poker Players.
How can you and/or the members improve the PIC Club?
Just get the message out about our services and keep us growing. There is strength in numbers.
Where do you see the PIC Club in 2 years?
WOW, good question. I really don’t know the answer to that. I just wanted a way to play poker. I never intended to be a Banker, Trader, Processor all rolled into one. It’s been a heck of a ride so far and if this company grows as expected I guess the sky is the limit for me and my investors.
I will say this, at every negotiation I am involved in we work on the player’s behalf to get the best deal for them. As long as we keep that focus we will be around and a force in this industry.
Do you still play online poker? Which sites? What is your game/stakes?
Now that is the irony in this whole adventure, I don’t have time to play that often. I am too busy trying to get more places for the membership to play and more ways for them to fund their accounts. We do have private membership tournaments each week and I try to make them as there is a $25.00 bounty on me anytime I play.
Site preference is any site associated with the PIC-Club and my stakes range up to 2/4 NL Holdem.
What piece of advice has helped you the most in the game of poker?
Simple statement there. Patience is a must and position play must be learned. If you can acquire these skills and apply them consistently you will find yourself in the money pool much more often.
On September 27th, 2007, the PokerPlasm/PIC-Club $200 ($400*) Freeroll will take place. Click here for more information.
Post a Comment