Posts Tagged ‘cheating’

To Cut the Cards

Hi,

In a home game or tournament, do you have to offer someone to cut the cards?

Hope to hear from you soon.

Many thanks,
Jules
Jules,

It is customary to offer someone to cut the cards, but it is not a rule of the game. I offer a cut. It cuts down on the suspicion of cheating.

Teamwork Cheating

Hi,

Just recently, I played in a $50 NL tournament held at my friend’s house by which second placer would win back his buy-in and first would take the rest. The tournament was actually composed of 8 players, 4 I personally knew before. I’m not boasting here or what but I believe I was the best player back then but was just eliminated first when my pocket Kings ran into Aces preflop. At some point, game was down to 3 players, a friend and two others I don’t know personally. Much later, it was already a heads up play. One of the two had approximately a 2:1 chip lead. The said guy had not spoken any word since the game started but suddenly exclaimed he wanted to split the pot. I then thought there was something unusual, I suspected for a teamwork cheating. Others also suspected for the same thing. After a while, one of the two suddenly said that he doesn’t like to play heads up and it was his right then to split the pot. He then told the third player that he would be getting his money back.

To me, it really appeared as a teamwork cheating. In fact, they don’t even bet into one another. Well, an argument appeared but not a hostile one.

Any thoughts? What would you consider a teamwork cheating?

Thanks in advance!

Best regards,
Johnny Bekham
Johnny,

This was not cheating. When players get down to two or three players in tournaments, it is not uncommon for a deal to be struck to split the pot. Heads-up poker a lot of times can be more luck than skill, especially with high blinds and cutting a deal helps to offset some of that luck.

I would consider two players colluding if the were sitting there and clearly slow playing each other. Such as someone making a large raise and then folding to a small bet from the other player. Another example would be someone making a big raise, someone going all in for a little more, and the other person folding. Things that look really out of place are usually signs of cheating.

There Was Cheating!

Hi,

I was in a $50 NL tournament recently. The said tournament was held at my friend’s house. There was an agreement that second place would win back buy in and first would take the rest. The game started with 8 players, four players I actually knew then.

Unfortunately, though I was good, I was the first one to be eliminated as my pocket Kings ran into Aces preflop. Later, it went to 3 players, then much later to 2. One of the two had approximately a 2:1 chip lead. However, suddenly such player requested for a split pot. I then felt something was wrong. I can feel then something was agreed upon, there was a “teamwork cheating” if I may quote it. Well, I believe poker is an individual game and so players are expected to act out alone.

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

Gierren
Gierren,

I have been involved in quite a few deals. This is not illegal. It’s a normal part of poker. All players remaining in the tournament must agree to a deal in order for it to be valid. It must be unanimous.

Chip Dumping

Hello,

What is chip dumping? I saw the term listed in 2007 WSOP Rules. I know you’re the best person to help me on this.

Thanks,
Lutz
Lutz,

This is a form of cheating.