When you look at all that happened the past day or so from an outsider's point of view it is almost funny.

The sad thing about buying points is that these people had to in order to be placed in 1st. How could a person be pleased with their "win" when it was through those means? You don't even get to pretend you played well, those stars are for all to see, screaming "I paid for those points, ain't I clever?" Rather pathetic I think.

I always have thought that the whole concept of points for money is unethical within the context of the game, even if just a game. Now you get to buy shortcuts to the top-100 for money, which doesn't sound like gratitude towards the game but rather like a bribe.
Money shouldn't buy you points but rather priviledges which will make the person who paid feel special. Isn't that what it is about? You pay as a token of appreciation and you are set aside from the rest for having done so by getting back-stage access, so to speak.

So hand out the ability to make a room, create your own map, boot people off tables, have private rooms, your own color, or whatever widget or gadget that makes people happy.

At the end of the month, that top 100 list should reflect accurately who played how. Whether you paid or not should not matter. No headstarts or whatever, if you are that good a player then surely you will only hang out in unrated rooms the 1st couple of days if even that.

I still like the game and I have been playing it for some time now. Would just be even better without all this complexity of people desiring a virtual image at virtually any cost.
Have fun :).