After last week’s torrid flurry of competing press releases, there’s been little word from either the Microgaming Poker Network or its former skin 5050Poker regarding the latter’s abrupt exit from the network. Last week, Microgaming stated its desire to improve the lot of its recreational players by announcing a new rake system, set to take effect July 1, which favored operators that brought in new depositors. While it was making this announcement, Microgaming imposed a reduction on the number of tables simultaneously available to 5050Poker’s players from a maximum of 10 all the way down to two. That this reduction has apparently not been imposed on other network skins such as Ladbrokes, as well as the fact that 5050’s Microgaming-powered casino and bingo products are still available, leaves little doubt that the demise of rakeback-generous 5050Poker – whose players, in the site’s own wording “mostly belong to the category winning players” – was the result of a targeted killing rather than collateral damage.