Ghost Players

[wingy123]

Now ive been doing quite alot of bad mouthing about a few poker sites over the last week, mainly because theyve been screwing around with me.

But im interested to know people's opinions on sites that have "ghost" players working for them on their own site.

Surely the site isnt going to let bad beat after bad beat hit their own player, and i know that the player who is working for them will be a good quality poker player, but however good you are, you cant beat the system if the cards arent going your way.

Surely the system is leant towards the ghost players????

[The Shark]

yeah I think you need to get over these thoughts that you are being cheated.

The large casino and poker rooms have nothing to gain from cheating their players and a whole lot to lose if they were to be found doing so - it just doesnt make sense that they would want to stage anything.

[Murph1984]

[veedub]

Err Murph this was a ghost player question, only your last sentence was regarding pro/ghost players?
By the way my lawyer has advised me that on line poker is niether bent or striaght (take from that what you will) but ihho stay away
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"Looking down on disappointment only blinds you for what's ahead, you can always benefit from a loss as long as it is a lesson to you." Anon

[Murph1984]

Yes it was a ghost player question(not that the phrase even makes sense)

But wingy has made several threads/posts giving numerous reasons why he is losing,none of which point the finger at himself.Not having a go at the guy but just giving my opinion.

Does your lawyer play btw? Im guessing he is rubbish

Amazing it only seems to be the players who lose online who are suspicious of the sites
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luck determines the cards,skill determines the chips

[Antony OLBG]

The poker sites make money from the rake

Hence it makes no difference to them if you win or lose, just like Betfair

All they care about is that you keep playing so that they can continue to make rake money from your play

[The Shark]

[jwoody]

[fairfranco]

I often think there's ghost players in my local game actually.

We all know each other and play down at the local pub. Every now and then we'll get a fresh face join us either someone at the bar or someone that knows one of us. They tend to usually be pretty shoddy players and make some horendous calls yet always make it into the money.

Usually happens partly through a bit of luck on their part, playing poor hands and hitting but mostly because we've no idea how they play. Because they are playing weak hands it makes it even more difficult to work out their play as well.

In the end they come a cropper, one guy played with us for the first time and , layed down a raised flop at the end of the hand he shouted out that he would have had a straight. He had a 7 4 off suit! He was annoyed with himself and said that he should have played it! All I could say was "you just keep thinking that and play those every time!!!"

Similarly online you don't know how most players play, you don't know weather they are good or bad players, new to the game or with years of experience. It's very difficult to judge in the one game you play them exactly what their style of play is and so you never know what your going to be up against. Your job is to play your type of game while trying to work out as much about these players who you've never played before so as to make best judgement!

[lochinvar]

Hi fairfranco,

I think wingy123 when he talks of "ghost" players working for them on their own site is refering to 'prop' players who, from what I've researched are there to help get sites started / boost the number of players at the tables so that there will always be a game at your prefered stakes. These props play with their own money and can win AND lose and are normally paid by bonuses / 100%+ rake back etc. Like others have said previously, sites have nothing to gain from cheating their players as money is made from rakes. Why would they want to risk everything by being caught cheating?

PS get studying wingy and go back to basics, only play premium hands, use position and limp in with small pairs / suited connectors if you can and be aggressive if you sense weakness (says the person that came third from last in his only OLBG Monday night game , albeit I was rivered by Zagreb when we each had trip A's and he went on to hit his full house). Good luck and see you all at OLBGs Sky Poker freeroll on 12th Sept.

[wingy123]

thanks for everyones comments although just to pick up on a couple of points, ive been playing poker for a few years and have made a nice little profit so i know i have the ability to play poker over a long period of time.

I admit i have made some bad calls in my time playing but the majority of bad beats i get angry about is when people get involved in hands before the flop that better players would fold immediately, i.e. seeing two suited cards is an automatic call for alot of amateur players (i think it improves your chances by about 3%, dont quote me on it)

When i say ghost players, i mean players who the online sites give a bankroll to to play for them and the players get a % of the profit, aswell as sponsoring them in tournaments. These are the kinds of players that have build up a good rep either online or in big tournaments and it is beneficial for the site to have them working for them.

I know this because i talk to somebody who has been offered this by a number of sites.

[Murph1984]