I'm the first to admit that I've not been 100% on top of the recent occurances in the online poker community. I do, however, manage to catch up in my reading. One of the things that has popped up is the total mess of a so called poker site known as Absolute Poker.
As you may or may not know, Absolute Poker (AP for short, considering I'm increasingly lazy and won't be bothered typing out their formal name) was acquired by Ultimate Bet (UB).
Prior to this acquisition, AP began opening skins (i.e. Vegas 24/7). It was around this time where I pulled my money from the AP realm. Not because they skinned themselves, however... It was in fact because I no longer felt comfortable with the integrity of the poker room.
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I was playing a private tournament, talking to one player... and another player responded. In fact, it seemed to me that this regularly occured. Almost as if the same person could be in the same tournament under two seperate accounts.
I emailed AP support and did not get a response in which satisfied me. As a result, I pulled my money and deleted their software from my computer. I'm not one to complain about the way things run or how a given place conducts business. If I do not agree with how things run or how someone conducts business, I simply do not give them my business. To do otherwise is hypocritical, among other things.
I was convinced their was cheating in their poker room. I presented what I believed to be hand history evidence and the corresponding chat log to support my belief. AP simply blew me off. They did not thank me for my concern, they failed to address my complaint. They left me less than satisfied. As a result, I no longer play there. No more Beer Money for AP from this kid.
Fast forward some time. An unknown player goes deep and wins the AP $100K. A player requests hand history of the tournament to go over a hand that was played. Instead of getting said hand history, he is given the entire tourney hand history, which includes email addresses, account numbers, ip addresses and observers for EVERY HAND in the tournament! What the...?
Long story short, this is far from an oops. This is a ginormous breach of integrity here! How does a support person at AP come accross this? Furthermore, how does a player get ahold of this file? Additionally, can just any player access said info at will?
It turns out, the player in question has ties to AP. It appears to me as if AP has either embraced or enabled cheating of this sort and is choosing to do little, if anything about it.
Had I not boycotted AP some time ago, I'd have done so a million times over right now.
Mike
More detailed info on the AP Scandal
http://loukrieger.blogspot.com/
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2008/01/28
| [+/-] |
Cash out and Boycott Absolute Poker |
2008/01/06
| [+/-] |
Happy New Year's Update and stuff... |
I did mention that I'd be posting once a week or more. I guess I failed to mention said posting would kick off after the first of the year? So, on that note, Happy New Year!
I suspect the burning question in everyone's mind (at least the one or two peeps who drop in on the Poker Pub Poker Blog) is "BeerGuy, where the hell have you been?" Perhaps (no promises) I'll answer that... Keep reading.
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For starters, after UIGEA, the online business previously known as CheckRayz was all but dead in the water. The douchebags in congress took what was a nice home based business and drove it into the ground. That being said, I had to seek out opportunities outside the household. Unfortunately, said opportunities keep me out of the house for the majority of my time. The free time I do have (all be it miniscule) is earmarked for family.
That being said, I finally turned the lights off at the old CheckRayz site recently. The lights were left on for a while, but really... no one was home. CheckRayz does still exist, but no longer in it's online form. If anyone's ever in the neighborhood, feel free to give me a shout - I'll give ya directions to the Club. Here, the lights are on five days a week, tourneys run often and the NL game is quite juicy. I'm also starting a league to send one of my friends to the 2008 WSOP. I look forward to the challenges that this task presents.
I'm working to get back into soccer after my unprescidented tenth retirement. This may be my last comeback, however. The back is aching and I'm no longer feeling like the 21 yr old I've been for the last 13 or so years. The team, Beer FC, still exists, but it too has taken on a new form.
Additionally, I'm planning to go back to school for the fourth time, as well as take on a task of being a guest writer for a local online publication.
2008 is a rebuilding year for your's truly - evolving with the times as conditions dictate. I look forward to said evolution in the times to come. Here's to the new year. I wish everyone the best of fortunes, and may variance in life and on the table be on your side!
Mike
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