Bots Threatening To Destroy The Online Poker Universe

The phenomenon that is online poker has exploded onto the social scene over the past few years. Millions of people have migrated to online poker sites to test their skills against players from around the World. Now, there is a threat to the integrity of these poker websites.

Computer programs, or Bots as they are called, are programs that people have come up with that uses mathematical probability to create automatic players for the game of poker.

Since the games are online, and not live, most people never know whether they are playing against actual players, or if they are taking on one of these Bots programs.

Full Tilt Poker just had to refund some players accounts after it was discovered that, indeed, they were playing against a computer generated program.

Just because these programs are being used does not mean that the advantage automatically shifts to the program. There are pros and cons to players using these programs.

On the positive side, a bot usually just plays actual odds and player history, so there is no decision making to be done.

Negatively, there is no reading the opposing player, nor is there any emotions taken into account, which means it takes away a players ability to play a hand based on gut instinct.

The online poker rooms are doing their best to stay ahead of the technology so that they can ensure that their games are authentic, but it is not always possible to have the right defenses to expose the Bots.

With casinos popping up all over the World, it is likely that if a strong statement is not sent to the possessors of these Bot programs, that the online poker business will take a significant step backwards, and also endanger the sites that run these poker rooms.



2007-09-24