Collusion

As a tournament directors you deal with many different issues that are as plentiful as there are people with different personalities. One of the hardest to spot and deal with is collusion at the table. It can be very obvious at times, but most of the time it can be undetectable. It can also sometimes be an unconscious thing that even the players don't realize is happening. Here are a few forms.

Dumping chips - This may be the easiest to spot. When one player plays a hand with another with a poor hand or mucks their hand without showing thus passing chips to that person to keep them going. In bar poker there are many times when a table has multiple players that are friends or relatives and you are relying on their honesty that they are playing the game to the best of their ability.

Playing every hand another player plays - This is a different kind of collusion that many might not consider it to be. This happens when my wife and I are at the same table. She will play every hand that I do because she wants to take me out. By doing this you may be passing chips to other player without even trying to, but because you wouldn't play the same hand against another player it is a form of collusion.

Signals - This maybe the hardest to catch if the players are smart enough. Players will signal the strength of their hand by a pre determined way to make sure the other doesn't lose too many chips or stays out of hand.

Checking down - If two players check a hand down with a hand that one of the two normally would bet with but don't because of who's in the hand also called soft play. This will happen many times over a night when two players that ride together are on the same table. The other form of check down collusion is when someone is all in and the player not to act first starts tapping the table in a check motion to try and get the other player to check down and even sometimes will verbalize it but saying " you know that the other player is all in".

Talking about hand when others are still in the hand - This one happens all the time. Two players will begin talking about the hand as people are still playing their hands. They may think that they are being quiet about it, but it can still affect how someone else may play their hand.

Card Flashing - Another big one in bar poker. When a player exposes their cards to others as they are folding, but doesn't show the whole table. You are giving one player information that the whole table is unable to get such as were you bluffing or did you have the best hand.

Language - When two players speak a different language then the rest of the table. They are able to talk about hands and what they have without anyone else knowing.

These are only a few that tournament directors have to deal with. Some are conscience and some are unintended. They are things to watch for on tables you play. If you notice something you think is not right just let the tournament director know and if they are any good at all they will deal with it, by talking to players, making announcements, moving players or if need be take the players out of the game.