How much does poker collusion go on?

Question

This is where two more individuals will play on line poker with the aid of a chat program for example msn messenger to gain a slight advantage over other plays letting each other know there cards. I think I have been a victim of this many times at sites like pokers Stars and Party Poker.

Answer 1

You are correct! There is a lot more collusion online than many people realize.

First, there are players who do collude via IM. Many have been caught at it by the major sites, and these sites do have some controls in place to try to stop it, but the smarter colluders know how to avoid this. I have seen this on several sites, and caught it on player notes, seeing the same names playing whipsaw, raise and fold, etc.

Second, there is low level collusion, where players use multiple logins on sites with multiple skins. You can even play using your two logins in the same single table SNG tournament as long as you are on two different computers. I know this for a fact and have seen it in action. And some players work together on these sites, using a couple logins each and can control 4 out of 9 or 10 seats. This is a huge advantage! I also know this is done, and players who have done it. They have even posted their results.

If you are playing on a site and it allows multiple logins from the same IP address for different accounts, you are vulnerable to this.

Third, there is large scale collusion. Certain Poker Forums will cut an affiliate deal with a site. They then encourage their member to join the site via bonus offers or freerolls. The forum then encourages the players to join and when they see each other at a table to "go easy on other forum members".

Sometimes it get worse, certains forums encourage collusion by having each member will create an identity that reflects their forum, ie for a forum called KnightsPoker, they may each pick a login that contains the word, Knight, or the letters KP, or other ways of identification. Plus every member player name for each site is usually listed on the Forum site. They can also identify others in their group via chat code. Then when this happens, they can collude by external IM, IM through the forum site, signaling through bet amounts, and then cooperate to help each other win.  

Here is a link to an article about poker cheating that talks about online cheating for most of the bottom half.

http://www.thedoverpro.com/pokercheat.ht...

Good luck at the tables!

Answer 2

http://www.pokerstrategy.com/uV5L8J

click in the link

You could choose between these rooms in order to play

TITAN POKER (RECOMMENDED)

PARTY POKER

FULL TILT POKER

POKER STARS

http://www.pokerstrategy.com/uV5L8J

Answer 3

It probably does happen.  Part of the risk of playing on-line.  It probably happens more often then some people like to admit, but probably not as much as others think.  If you think you've been a victim, you can send the hand histories to the website support, and they can investigate for you.

Answer 4

About the only spot where I'd worry about it to any degree are single-table sngs. For multi-table games, the players are moved under control of the software, so the colluding players would be unlikey to be at the same table unless they were both good enough to get down to the last table or so (and if they're that good, probably wouldn't have to cheat to begin with)

Answer 5

Well poker rooms take this very seriously and have sophisticated programs which analyze play and find patterns that indicate colluding.  Having said that the effect of collusion is overstated and is pretty minimal.  If it were 2 good players colluding I'd be a little concerned but a couple of donks teaming up doesn't really matter.  If anything they can become overconfident believing they have a real advantage and play even more carelessly.  If you suspect collusion you can report it to the room and they will take it very seriously.

King Cobra Poker  

http://kingcobrapoker.com