Ethics Question

[Talking Poker]

Oh, as for the ethics of it - I don't think it is any more ethically wrong than changing your screen name, which some of the sites allow people to do. They certainly don't encourage it, but it happens.

[Zybomb]

WHAT? How is this even a fuckin discussion?

Is it ethical to Check Raise someone.... tricking them that your you're weak and then really being strong? This is a game of deception, if you see an edge then take it. Is it ethically wrong to follow around bad players and try to sit at their tables so you can take their money? Come on

[GTDawg]

I'd like to hear some of the descriptions of ethically wrong. If you thought this is ethically wrong...you guys must feel terrible when you bluff or when you tell someone you were strong when they ask what you had after the hand.

[Reel Deal]

If it doesn't violate the terms and conditions set up by the site, then I don't see a problem.

[eejit101]

hell no it aint. Make 15 accounts and take turns. All part of the facade

[JDMcNugent7]

I think these are very different things. While I don't think playing different screen names is necessarily ethically wrong, I don't get your comparison.

Everyone knows you are trying to be deceptive and tricky in poker, it's the point of the game, how could that ever be ethically wrong? You go into poker knowing that will and should happen. You don't go into a poker game thinking you may play the same person 5 different times in the same week under different screen names and never know it's the same guy.

[Zybomb]

You also dont go into poker thinking that players will put you on their buddy lists and follow you around because you are a bad player... so that should be ethically wrong as well... and what if you go into poker thinking that its just a game of luck and cards your dealt... is it then ethically wrong to check raise a person like that? You're not cheating, so you take every edge you can get,

Again I dont even see how this is a discussion

[Talking Poker]

Don't forget about using PT/PAHud/Sixth Sense/various ahk scripts/datamining, etc. I suppose there are people who this using all those tools - even though they are legal and allowed by the poker sites - is unethical too.

[PShabi]

Zybomb and GTDawg,

Your comparisons are wayyyy off base.

[Zybomb]

So lying (telling someone you had a bomb when you had a pretty little 2 2 but you knew the ace on board scared your opponent's pocket Jacks) is more ethical than playing under a different screen name

I dunno maybe I don't have morals, but my head is still that this discussion is taking place

[GTDawg]

How so? I'd like an explanation if you have it.

Poker, and especially online poker, is based on getting every edge you can.

There's sixth sense, there's PAHud, there's PokerTracker, there's a dozen programs that can be used to find the very best poker table to sit at.

Is it ethically or morally wrong to get on a waiting list...but not sit at the table if the table fish leaves or the chip leader/strong player is right next to you?

Is it ethically wrong to play someone heads up if they challenge you during a ring game, when you know you are better than them, and then proceed to take them for all their money?

It's a game built on gaining an edge on the competition in order to make money. You aren't gaining an unfair advantage over the competition (as compared to playing two accounts at the same time or something). And, to my knowledge, it's not illegal to change your screenname.

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For example, poker pros...[although it doesn't work that well because people love to play them no matter the losses they suffer]...

Is it ethically wrong for someone like Phil Ivey to play on an unknown screenname because people won't play against Phil Ivey? Why?