Online Poker Games

Collusion in Online Poker

Playing online poker is quite a different experience than playing poker in a land-based casino. Because of the automated actions of the computer, a poker player is inclined to think that cheating will be impossible in online poker. Perhaps, the traditional ways of cheating such as marking the cards or using a visual equipment will not be useful if one plans to cheat in online poker. But cheating is still possible in online poker games. This cheating is called the collusion among players.

Collusion happens due to the very main feature of online poker, which is anonymity. That is, a poker player can play against someone who might be residing at the other coast. And the online poker players will never know the real names or the faces of their opponents. But it is also possible that the players of one casino game can be staying in one room only.

When these players, perhaps two or more of them, are found in one room, they may know each others’ cards. They will have an easier time inferring about the cards held by their opponents. And they will help each other beat the other players of the virtual poker table. Obviously, this activity is still cheating. And such is unfair to the honest online poker players .

Collusion also happens even the cheating poker players are not in the same room. These players may talk to each over the phone and plot the way they can beat one of the honest players. Again, such is cheating.

Fortunately, online casinos are very much aware of the possibility of collusion by their online players. This is why they took some form of measure that will hinder and locate the players who are in collusion. That is, the online poker rooms have a software that records the acts of every player during each hand. The same software is also capable of searching and detecting unusual or suspicious betting patterns. When such patterns are detected, the players in collusion will be forever banned from the online casinos.

Of course, how effective is this method has not yet been established. And the extent of collusion among players in online poker has never been documented. At worst, the computer software may be banning an honest player. But at best, it will deter those who are planning a collusion.

All online poker rooms advertise integrity and honesty in their games. But the owners or operators of such online poker rooms are never sure. This is why the honest online poker must rely on his own gut instinct. That is, if the online poker player feels that something is quite wrong but cannot pinpoint it, then he should just quit and find another poker game.