Absolute Poker probed for insider cheating

Player named Potripper received invaluable intel from part-owner

By Dan Goodin, 18th October 2007

Absolute Poker is being audited by an Indian gaming commission in Canada following reports of an internal data leak that appears to confirm that an insider with the online poker site used real-time access to a recent tournament to engage in cheating.

The Kahnawake Gaming Commission has hired the auditing firm Gaming Associates to investigate Absolute Poker, according to reports here and here. The audit follows the mysterious disclosure of a file showing someone with an Absolute Poker IP address observed a game in which a player by the handle of Potripper had an uncanny knowledge of his opponents' hole cards.

During a contested game, Potripper folded the first two hands. But when the insider, named in this blog as Absolute Poker part-owner Scott Tom, showed up as an observer, Potripper didn't fold a single hand for 20 minutes. The player then folded his hand pre-flop when another contestant had a pair of Kings as hole cards (hole cards are face-down cards known only to the player to whom they are dealt).

Potripper's streak of luck was so amazing that most serious poker players have concluded it could only be the result of cheating.

The disclosure came after Macro, a player who came in second, requested Absolute send him a hand history. What he got was an Excel file that contained a bevy of additional information, including complete hand history for every table in the tournament, every hole card and the IP and email addresses of people observing each game. It's unclear if the disclosure was an accident or the work of a whistleblower.

Representatives from Absolute Poker did not respond to a request for comment by time of writing.

"We have appointed experts to conduct a thorough audit of all circumstances, provide findings and recommendations to the Commission," David Montour, chairman of the Kahnawake Gaming Commission told Gaming Intelligence. As a license holder of the commission, the online poker site is obliged to to adhere to the commission's rules. ®

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Posted Monday 22nd October 2007 13:35 GMT

Adriaan Brink

Stu - not so

If you think using stats programs will make you win at Poker you have a way to go. Yes - the stats programs help. But in no way do they define a winning player! I used them for some time - and learnt the odds of the various hands. I dont use them any more (if you go for conspiracy theories what about the one that says the stats program knows your hand and could be sending it back to a server?).

As for online poker being rigged - I see very little evidence of it. No doubt there are bots, and no doubt there is collusion. These are inevitable but the big operators are aware of the risks and have in place solutions. The AP thing certainly looks dodgy and I would say shows up a blatant security breach at AP. But I do think this is an isolated (and stupid) thing. In general when a poker network is taking in vast amounts in rake and tourney fees every day there is really no incentive to cheat. They make money anyway!

Enjoy the game and gamble with what you can afford to lose.

Posted Friday 19th October 2007 18:38 GMT

Marit

RE:Stu: not cheating

Using statistical analasis programs to help you improve your poker play is not cheating, it just stops u having to work out the odds in your head, in fact a lot of sites encorage the use of these programs, some program writers even get kickbacks from the sites for advertising and such.

Is it cheating if u'r a maths genius and can work it all out for yourself?

Posted Friday 19th October 2007 13:52 GMT

Stu

Clearly hackable.

I've recently taken up Texas Hold-Em myself. You know, the kind that works in front of actual people.

I have NEVER believed that online poker would be safe to play, and would never do so. This news only ascertains my opinions.

There are several factors why -

-Firstly, everybody who wants to win will be using, at the least, software assistance during betting, ones that tell you your odds based on your starting hand, and possibly statistical software over lots of games. If you're sat at home and nobody can see, wouldn't you if your money was on the line, and knowing that other people will be, hence reducing your chances?

-Secondly, won't the servers who you entrust your credit card to be very vulnerable to external hackers, over long periods of time, vulnerabilities will reveal themselves. Also your online poker accounts are likely to be open to attack, a la Ebay.

-Thirdly, Has nobody watched Scarface!!? It all smells a bit dodgy, esp if they can hide behind a webserver on the other side of the planet.

-fourthly, this current shit happens!

-etc.

Dont trust em as far as I can throw em.