Video Poker

Introduction

Cheaters of the Poker Table

A cheater, for those playing in a private and friendly poker games, is less honorable than a thief. And they're right because a thief robs strangers, while a cheater robs his friends. The impulse is to kick the cheater out from the game, which in many cases result to physical injuries.

To those players who've developed discipline in a game, they deal with cheaters objectively and without resorting to emotions. He acts on it with his best long range financial interest in mind. And what does that mean? Pros sometimes let cheaters stay in that game. The main reason will be discused later.

But, first of all, let's discuss cheating. Cheating is the manipulation of either the cards, the money or the betting. Cards are manipulated by switching, flashing undealt hands, or by culling the deck to change the sequencing. Cards can also be manipulated when they are marked or nicked secretively.

Money is manipulated when it is stolen from the pot such as wrong change is intentionally taken from the pot or lights (money owed to the pot) are not paid. Cheating can also come into a form of secret agreement between partners who signal each other when to bet, raise or fold.

But if poker is a game of deception. When does the deception end and the cheating begins? A good answer to that would be poker cheating happens when a player resorts to such advantages not available to his opponents, while deception in poker is when a player takes advantage of a strategy that is available to all.

Letting the Cheater Play

So why does a pro let cheaters play? This happens when the cheater is actually a loser. It often happens that a cheater loses more financially than he does when he plays the game honestly. This is because his attention is more focused on cheating than the game itself. By cheating, his tells become more readable. Moreover, a frequent cheater overestimates the benefit of cheating.

So why does a player continues cheating even if it increases his loses. More often than not, it's more of the satisfaction of his emotional needs rather than financial desperation.

How to Reject a Cheater

Generally, cheating can have a financial liability to good players because it discourages other players to continue the game. But being cheated at is not always an excuse not to be a professional.

Players can boot out a cheater by publicly accusing him of cheating; or, as what many good players do, by indirectly during the or privately after the game. The best form of action depends on the attitudes of the rest of players.

Still, if a good player catches a cheater, there's still opportunity in this. Other remaining players would see him as trustworthy, which can be used as a form of manipulation (honest deception, that is).