partners at tables

this may be a sore subject for some, and i don't know what to exactly call them but is there any way i could tell if there are any teammates at a table during live play? and how should i go about a situation like that? if i'm in the hand.

It's called collusion and if you suspect it you need to tell the Poker Room Manager. When people are colluding they likely won't showdown many hands against each other but they will be in a lot of hands together so they can build a pot before the one without a hands folds. This is straight up cheating and the floor can usually spot it and ban the offenders.

A different type of thing is when buddies softplay each other. Generally they'll showdown against each other a lot more because they often won't put in bets they might against another player (either to bluff or for value) because it's just a "friendly" game or whatever. This type isn't generally as bad but it can still end up costing you $$s that you otherwise might have won.

houstongrinder said:

this may be a sore subject for some, and i don't know what to exactly call them but is there any way i could tell if there are any teammates at a table during live play? and how should i go about a situation like that? if i'm in the hand.

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Professional cheats will be good at their craft. Most players at your local casino or poker room will be regulars that play day in and day out and will know most of the other players. Look for odd hand jesters. Someone that is beside you looking at the same player a lot more usual. I have noticed a time when two players seemed to be a little more involved with their hands than usual. I've also have noticed people looking at cards of other players. Ok that was me. But only when your not careful.

WV. ive recently been playing at the closest casino near me and every time i go in there it is usually the same people. thanks for telling me what to look for with the persons i suspect of collusion and defining the meaning

houstongrinder said:

WV. ive recently been playing at the closest casino near me and every time i go in there it is usually the same people. thanks for telling me what to look for with the persons i suspect of collusion and defining the meaning

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I understand the concern especially as the "new guy" sitting down at a table where everyone else knows each other but honestly I doubt you're going to see real collusion in that circumstance. Maybe some softplay and certainly some local knowledge type plays were they know each other's tendencies enough to know how to play almost perfectly against each other in some situations.

Are dealers who witness collusion supposed to raise a flag?

My first time at a 1/3 limit game in La Center, WA; Pocket 3's (3s3h.) Flop is 24Ah. A mild raise, which everyone folds to except for me and btn. 5s comes on the turn giving me the straight. UTG bets $6, I call, BTN is all in because he is down to $4 in chips.

River comes Kh. UTG bets, I think hard about my 3h, realize I must be beat because he's gonna have to show anyway. I fold.

He OPENLY DECLARES as he he shows his hand - no hearts to be seen - that he was protecting his "buddy" who was already all-in, in case I had a heart.

Dealer does nothing, simply shuffles the cards and redeals. This was across the table, clearly heard by all players at the table. It was my first time, so I really didn't understand etiquette or what I was supposed to do, so I didn't say anything, but rather stood up and left with what I had left in chips.

Even they are 2 and they play "togheter" you can still win the hand

In a Cruise at a Cash Table 2 guys seating side by side speaking in Spanish,
I told them in Spanish and warn them that I was watching their moves. they left after some minutes but I don´t know why the Dealer never warn them at all.

houstongrinder said:

this may be a sore subject for some, and i don't know what to exactly call them but is there any way i could tell if there are any teammates at a table during live play? and how should i go about a situation like that? if i'm in the hand.

Click to expand...

Yes. Looking back at some hand history has made me pretty suspicious of some of the games I've played. Look out for players not getting in big pots with each other or re raising each other preflop. The reraising preflop can effectively steal blinds in live games or against players who dont have tons of hand histroy on them and then often the preflop pots aren't raked. Rake is alos the reason they wont usually showdown big hands heads up--good colluders may do this however to throw off the scent.