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As I discussed in Parts I and II there can be a large array of exploits when it comes to online poker. What may be considered immoral to some, may not be to others. Is it a question of morals? If something isn’t specifically banned by a site, is it still wrong?
For me the answer is… maybe.
I certainly consider everything mentioned in Part I to be cheating. In Part II I’d only consider the “Dark Grey” areas to be cheating.
My theory on the whole issue relates to a generational gap between the players. As a parent myself I know first hand that the way a child is taught to act and behave in our present time is different than I was brought up. Socially children are taught that everyone’s a winner. Every child gets a blue ribbon now, deserving or not. The reality of course is that not everyone is a winner. In fact there are very few real winners and society is not dong the children any benefit by shielding them from that fact.
With the online poker community being comprised of mostly very young adults it also lends to a technological gap. Home video games were around when I was young, but not until I was about to enter High School. Now every kid has a video game console, or a PC, or both. My kids friends are always wanting to use cheat codes to beat the games. It’s an accepted practice and the real struggle to improve and beat the game on your own is a foreign concept to them. This could, and I believe does, spill over into online poker. After all, to them their just using the cheat code equivalents.
The purists that believe online poker should be the mirror image of live poker will never be satisfied. Their just not the same games.
Those that believe in taking every exploit available will more than likely always be able to. These things just can’t be policed effectively or even detected for the most part.
In the end, its a matter of if your willing to accept the flaws so you can have the convenience.
I have several casinos in town where I can go play live, but I don’t. Staying home with the family is too important. For that I’m willing to run the possibility of being “cheated”.
It’s also a matter of numbers. Let’s face it. For every smart person in the world there are 20 stupid ones. No amount of help will make these people winners so in the end it will probably all even out anyway.
The differences between online poker and it’s brick and mortar roots are obvious. The online realm offers much more freedom and diversity. You can play in whatever attire (or lack of) you desire. Table selection is hugely varied. You don’t have to tip the dealer. You can even do and say incredibly stupid things and no one will ever know who you are.
That also leads to some drawbacks. You can’t see your opponent. Can’t tell what type of person they may be. Nothing to pick up a physical tell from. No accountability.
Blatant
With no accountability some individuals feels they have the right to abuse the system in any way they can. There are those that make a living by cheating online. Players with anonymous monikers like JJProdigy and ZeeJustin (though their anonymity has since ended). These players (and many others who haven’t been caught yet) would play with multiple accounts at the same time, in the same tournaments. Knowingly giving themselves an unfair advantage over the competition. These players feel no real remorse, “heck, your the sucker if you don’t do it”, right?
Then there’s the more subtle way. Start playing the tournament yourself but let a “better” more experienced player finish for you. This type of behavior is becoming more prevalent and the online sites have begun to crack down. The original player will sell their seat to the finishing player for cash and/or a percentage of the winnings. The ease of online access lets any player, from anywhere, take over which makes this a larger problem than any of us would care to believe.
How about those who claim innocence while chatting with their buddies over instant messenger. What’s the harm in having someone tell you what play to make in a specific situation as it happens? How about one player to a hand? No matter how you sugar coat it, your welcome to discuss a hand after its over, but while the hand is going on, your cheating.
Sadly, the players aren’t the only ones you have to be on the look out for. With the Absolute Poker SuperUser Account scandal even the online sites are getting in on the action. In this case an officer of the company used a test account designed to see all the players hole cards. Let’s just say poker can be an easy game if you know what everyone’s holding.
The financial loss to honest players in these documented cases is staggering. Just imagine the amount from everyone that hasn’t been caught.
Is it all doom and gloom? Before you decide let’s look at the more widely exploited gray area. Check back for part two of this ongoing series, Online Poker: Does Everyone Cheat?
