Re: quick ethics checkup: are any of these cheating?
Obviously, opinions are going to differ greatly.
I think that ethically, #3 is the only one that is not dodgy. You're clicking the buttons, but essentially, you're filling the role of the guy that read the cards to that blind pro in WSOP. You have zero decision making, and you didn't play in the tournament yourself.
The other two are simply flat out dodgy. If it's unethical in live poker, it's unethical online -- it's just often harder to prove to have taken place. Lots of people in life have to leave lots of things unexpectedly. Unless that same benefit is made available to everyone, it is an unfair advantage.
Of course, if you played in any of the above tournament examples, then stepping in under any circumstance is highly unethical.
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