[Nate.]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
There is a very big variety of things that they do which they don't even consider collusion. Things such as playing tough in a multi-way pot and then checking it down after the stranger folds. Raising and three betting to steal blinds, posts, and especially kill pots and collection pots.



[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not sure I'm convinced any of this puts the stranger at a disadvantage, if he's wise to what they're doing and compensates. You have to put them on somewhat different hand ranges and adjust your implied odds.

[/ QUOTE ]

With some unsophisticated types it may not do much harm. But many are pretty savy. My buddy just called a raise and everybody is folding. I'll call also to protect him from being bluffed. He'll do the same for me. If we see any weakness from the other guy we can bet/raise, or even just bet and call each other and he'll have to fold.

There is a scene in the movie "Rounders". I believe they are at some AC casino. Anyway, the regulars are all sitting around playing. Then up walk two guys in suits, convention goers, with their convention tags on. The regulars all glance around the table at each other. They know they've just gotten two live ones and they can go to work. The narrator says, "Its like, we're not a team but we are a team."

[/ QUOTE ]

Emerson--

The whole point of my post wasn't that collusion is impossible; it's that it's unusual. It is infrequent for these daytime-regular types to get involved with hands they would have folded simply for collusive reasons. (Despite the evidence in ~Rounders~.)

It's sort of analogous to the question of whether these guys play well. However little a priori reason there is for them not to be doing it, they don't.

--Nate