There are certain things in poker that you have to avoid and that you have to know only to know how to identify them in time. Today we are going to talk about collusion in this post, a concept associated with dirty play (and rightly so) that you have to know how to recognize in order to detect possible cheats or indecent tactics when enjoying a competitive game of poker.
We will answer such simple and important questions as what is collusion in poker, can collusion be avoided in online poker and how to proceed if you suspect that a case of these phenomena is taking place at the table where you are playing, or if there is some online poker collusion tips to identify it.
What is collusion in poker?
Straight up and to the point: Collusion in poker is the practice, often deceptive, where two players, apparently rivals, secretly collude to extract information and execute basic strategies together to go against a third party.
What is gained by this? For those who practice it, it has many advantages: a player at the table is neutralized, his experience and baggage are used to opt for victory, the same strategies are used and shared, and it is played in a coordinated manner against the interests of a third player or of several players at the table.
If they win, they split the pot halves, which is the ultimate goal of this tactic. It is something dirty, that breaks the dynamics of poker and that is reportable to the teams of the main poker platforms, since these illicit associations are prohibited for breaking the proper functioning of the table and unduly harming the rest of the players.
How can you avoid collusion poker?
If it’s that bad, is there a way to avoid it? From a player’s point of view, no. There may be suspicion of collusion if it detects that two players are playing in a coordinated manner, if everything “fits” too well for one and the other, and they always go against you or against other players.
But from the point of view of the houses in charge of organizing these games, yes, it is possible to avoid collusion thanks to the integration of security tools that analyze the game at each table and allow them to identify when a user’s game is against of the natural dynamics of the game.
The investments that bookmakers make to update their good security tools and optimize the strength of their network infrastructure seek to keep their algorithms precisely in shape to detect any fraudulent tactics at their tables. And its level of effectiveness is very high, being able to collect the necessary evidence to expel those members responsible for executing cheats during their game sessions.
Ways to avoid collusion? Depending on the prism, there are several aspects that can be taken into account. These are the ones that usually have the most weights:
- Constant monitoring. It is the base, and a good part of the software tools that poker platforms use is for monitoring. If the algorithms constantly monitor the tables, they can detect illegal practices in their rooms and proceed to take the corresponding measures. Without monitoring, it is impossible to prevent collusion from taking place and punish those responsible accordingly.
- Education and formation. The new generations of players must be trained in poker while maintaining a strong sense of honor and fair play. Poker is a game where there is no room for arrogance, arrogance or cheating, and the best way to ensure that new players respect that good dynamic is to train them properly.
- Severe sanctions. Collusion is an illegal practice with serious consequences and, as such, must be punished with the same proportionality. Penalties for engaging in such a tactic often range from expulsion to compensation or the return of all money won to make amends necessary and illegally done to the player who lost his money.
- Rotation of seats. The rotation of tables and seats allows the flow of players to be constantly renewed, among other reasons, for communication between two players who could be using this trick to win undeservedly.
- Improvement of technological resources for security. It is vital that the houses bet on cutting-edge technological solutions, which can detect these cases and offer all the necessary evidence to take the appropriate measures against cheaters. Investing in security is crucial to detect cheating and prevent good dynamics from breaking.
In the event that you believe that you are being a victim of collusion, it is best to report the case to the platform team, providing as much information as possible (player ID, type of table, game time…) to facilitate the work of locating and contribute to putting an end to bad practices on the platform.
