The Ethics or Poker Technology:
Category: Poker
Recently, I have found myself a little bit concerned about some of the modern day equipment players are using online. I recently read about a tool being used by players called a sharkscope. With this, players can (to my understanding) look up statistics on any player, whether they have perviously played against them or not.
Whilst I certainly feel that learning about players you sit down at the table with, and even making notes, is fair enough, this type of technology crosses that line in my opinion. The very nature of poker is reading your opponents play, and formulating your own plays based on what you expect your opponents to do, and this is where the skill lies.
I do not think that this type of tool should be allowed, as it basically gives those who have the software, a chance to help themselves to information they are simply not entitled to. Just as with players talking about cards they have folded whilst a hand is still in play, it is not in keeping with the ethics of the game.
Apart from anything else, you should have a right to keep this information private if you wish it to be.
Also, you wouldn’t want to play a H.O.R.S.E tournament against someone who can quickly access your past tournaments and see which games you are strong at, and which are your weakest.
But above all else, if you need to use information gathering tools other than your brain to desperately try and create an edge for yourself, you are obviously a rather weak poker player. In my opinion this should be classified as both cheating, and a breach of player privacy, and as such, should be outlawed within the online poker community.