Online poker games protect you from some of the methods of cheating mentioned above, but they also expose you to other internet threats. The fact that players cannot mark cards or have the dealer assist them does not rule out the possibility of cheating at online poker.
1. Coordination and Card Sharing
Players must design plans and strategies in order to exchange card knowledge and collaborate at a live table.
It’s a lot easier to do it online.
What’s to stop two pals from sitting at the same table, conversing over Skype or Viber, discussing hands, sharing information, and even teaming together to steal chips or money from other players? Although this is a difficult poker cheat to prove, it has been spotted in almost every poker room. While poker companies strive to improve their security and invest in software to protect players, I’m sure many collisions have gone unnoticed.
This form of cheating takes time to detect.
For starters, you’re probably going to presume that the people at your table just like to play a lot. Or, if you’re playing on a smaller site, there may not be many games going on, so having the same people at your table is rather common. People who only play together and win more frequently than they should be suspicious.
The simplest way to manage these situations is to swiftly report the players. They will not act on a single report, but multiple reports from various gamers will eventually result in action. With full access to hand histories and hole cards, rooms can readily identify collusion.
It’s not difficult to figure out if you have enough knowledge. If they validate the suspicions, the gamers will be blacklisted, and you will most likely be reimbursed for some of your money.
2. Bot Rings
Poker bots are becoming a major problem in online poker.
While some players may not consider this to be cheating, the vast majority believe that computer programmes should not be playing against humans, or that humans should be informed that they are playing against a bot.
A poker bot is any software that can play poker based on specified parameters or even its own advanced Artificial Intelligence algorithm. Newer bots can also change their strategy in real-time, making them extremely deadly opponents. Bots, in my opinion, are cheating and should not be permitted in online poker.
The idea that “you shouldn’t be playing if you can’t beat a machine” is no longer valid. Because of powerful solvers, tracking software, and other technology, modern poker bots can compete at a high level. But it’s not just about their abilities.
Even if it just plays average games, a bot will never grow bored, tilt, or misclick. And removing the human element from poker transforms it into a very other game.
3. Ghosting
Imagine getting a huge run of cards in an anniversary Sunday Million and making it all the way to the final table. You’re not used to being under such duress. With a buy-in of £5 on average and the highest score of £1,500, You’re suddenly competing for a £1,000,000 first-place prize.
Don’t you wish someone like Ivey or Fedor Holz could bring everything together? In the real world, this would never happen. The “one player per hand” regulation applies in all poker rooms anywhere in the planet, and you’re not permitted to even accept advice from your half-drunk pal who’s there to cheer you on (even if other players obviously wouldn’t mind).
However, in the MTT world, “ghosting” has become quite common. After reaching a major final table, players in staking groups frequently have someone else take full control of their computer. It’s a major deal – and it’s obviously cheating, but it’s difficult to prove.
There are two issues with ghosting. To begin with, having someone with superior abilities take over enhances your EV. This should be self-explanatory. Second, you’re fooling other players. They’re employing a strategy aimed to outperform players with an average buy-in of £5. That strategy will not work against a £1,000 tournament slayer.
Despite the fact that this is an extreme example, the point remains.
They would remove their revenue if a room could verify that someone else was pressing buttons instead of the account owner. This can be avoided by having the player click while the PRO dictates over the phone, which will leave no trace.
Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do to prevent this form of cheating. If a player’s style abruptly shifts, becoming more aggressive, for example, you should investigate the possibility that they’ve been ghosted.
You should stick to a strong GTO-based approach rather than relying on previous reads.