Cheating at Poker in Real Life -What to watch out for!
Cheating in home games usually isn't a problem. People are there for fun
and not the money. It's when the pots gets big or the outside games that
you have to watch out for. There is more incentive to cheat when the pot
is huge, or if you're playing against strangers. ProPokerGuide strongly
advise people from cheating. It could result in the lost of friends and
you getting hurt, or worse.
There are a few major forms of poker cheating that you must remain on
guard against; marked
playing cards, imported
chips, bottom
dealing, collusion,
and angle shooting.
The easiest form of cheating is peeking at other players cards. Glimpsing
your neighbor's cards is sometimes unavoidable due to the cramped quarters
of a home poker room. Remember to keep your cards low and covered when
viewing them. If you notice someone holding their cards in a way that
it is easily seen by another player, then let him know.
Marked Playing Cards
Marked cards can be easily purchased on Internet sites such as Ebay or
at your local magic/trick supplies shop. Marked cards use a dye that is
only visible to players wearing special glasses. You can purchase brand
new sealed version of Bee, Bicycle, KEM, and other major brand of playing
cards marked. Some cheaters don't even need to purchase a special dye
to mark their own cards. They just mark the back of a card slightly in
a way only they can notice it. Some dealers may try to mark cards by tearing
or nicking them with a fingernail. That way when dealt, they'll know who
has the high cards.
Imported Poker Chips
If you're playing with a common brand of chips, you have to watch out
for people bringing their own chips. Easiest way to combat this is to
buy a custom set of poker chips. If it has your initials or logo, it'll
be hard for them to sneak extra chips in. Can't afford to get a custom
set? Then just use a permanent marker to mark your chips. Make sure all
your chips are accounted for at the end of the night.
Bottom Dealing
You should always pay particular attention to the dealer as this is where
the majority of cheating can occur. Mechanic's Grip and an even harder
to detect Master's Grip allows a dealer to deal a card from the bottom
without people catching it unless they're looking very hard. People can
also deal from the second card from the top instead of the top card.
Poker Collusion
Collusion is where a group of players sitting in the same table is working
together to win. Collusion is the hardest form of cheating to detect,
and one of easiest to pull off with a group of players.
Some common forms of collusion are: Dumping chips: Deliberately losing to a partner so the partner
can have a better chance of winning the tournament. Signaling: Trading information between partners. Signals can take
many forms, from the placement of the chips on the cards, to coughing,
to Morse code tappings on the table. The key ingredient in all signaling
systems is the ability to be repeated without being noticed. If you catch
signaling, you can actually use it to your advantage. When a cheater is
signaling the value of his hand to his partner(s), he is also signaling
the value of his hand to everybody else at the table. Soft play: Failing to bet or raise in a situation that would normally
merit it because of your opponent. In home poker games it is common to
be playing against someone you know well but the best advice is to leave
friendship outside the door, especially in tournament poker. Soft playing
a friend is cheating all of the other players at the game who would prefer
to see you bust out your friend, getting them closer to the prize money.
Switching or altering hands. Two people sitting next to each other
might try to switch hands or alter them in some way. Whipsawing: Partners raise and reraise each other to trap players
in between.
Poker Angle Shooting
Angle shooters try to use the rules or procedures of poker to their own
advantage. A classic example of an angle shooter is a player who is suppose
to act behind you, but verbally declares at showdown that he has a flush.
You muck your hand and he then reveals his hand which is not a flush.
You would have won the pot had you not mucked your cards. A more common
example is someone who is a head of you in position. He would raise or
go "all in" out of turn, but then pretend to realize that he
is out of position and pull the chips back until it is his turn. The players
who might have been thinking of betting will of course check it to him
to let him bet, which he will then decide to check the cards to get a
free look at the next card.
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Cheating at Poker in Real Life