Absolute Poker Scandal: An Inside Job

[phishstiiix]

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Do we have any evidence that user #363 is the only superaccount? IMO this number is disturbingly large to apply to an account with this sort of power, any idea as to how many other superaccounts could be in use or could have been used in the past?

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The relatively high user number should not suggest that this is not a superuser. Depending on the robustness of the software development practices many testing accounts with different access privileges could have been created on the fly.

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True, and this is what worries me.

[hasugopher]

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need more popcorn

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QFT.

In all seriousness, I've been starting to follow this more closely the last couple days. Very interesting stuff and I want to give a collective 'thank you' and 'nice work' to everyone who has been working on this.

[NNNNOOOOONAN]

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Do we have any evidence that user #363 is the only superaccount? IMO this number is disturbingly large to apply to an account with this sort of power, any idea as to how many other superaccounts could be in use or could have been used in the past?

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The relatively high user number should not suggest that this is not a superuser. Depending on the robustness of the software development practices many testing accounts with different access privileges could have been created on the fly.

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True, and this is what worries me.

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it worries me in regards to other sites too. hopefully i'm just being a tin-foil-hat weirdo, but it seems that other sites would go through some of the same processes that AP did when creating the site in the first place.

who's to say that there aren't these super accounts at other sites? granted i really really really doubt that anything like this would ever happen at stars and if it did, they would probably be a little more honest with us than AP.

[phishstiiix]

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Do we have any evidence that user #363 is the only superaccount? IMO this number is disturbingly large to apply to an account with this sort of power, any idea as to how many other superaccounts could be in use or could have been used in the past?

[/ QUOTE ]

The relatively high user number should not suggest that this is not a superuser. Depending on the robustness of the software development practices many testing accounts with different access privileges could have been created on the fly.

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True, and this is what worries me.

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it worries me in regards to other sites too. hopefully i'm just being a tin-foil-hat weirdo, but it seems that other sites would go through some of the same processes that AP did when creating the site in the first place.

who's to say that there aren't these super accounts at other sites? granted i really really really doubt that anything like this would ever happen at stars and if it did, they would probably be a little more honest with us than AP.

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I would be very surprised if these types of accounts weren't used in the development of most sites' software programs. The creation of an account like this without the forethought to delete/permanently deactivate it is very surprising, unless perhaps it was still used regularly by AP programmers to test new software updates, new games and the like?

At least this whole episode will likely make the other sites review their own security procedures regarding their superaccounts (if they in fact exist).

[Phil153]

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who's to say that there aren't these super accounts at other sites?

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It's a possibility for sure. These are unregulated sites sometimes with shady owners - no third party is looking at the source code or doing spot inspections. In reality many of these smaller sites consist of nothing but a couple of server racks, low paid customer service workers/coders, and a payment to whatever "gaming commission" they choose to get a logo from. There's no oversight and no one with the power to out them or shut them down.

I would have thought the 8th biggest site would be above this kind of thing, purely from the financial interest side of things...but obviously not

[phishstiiix]

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I would have thought the 8th biggest site would be above this kind of thing, purely from the financial interest side of things...but obviously not

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If you are referring to gross negligence, lying to customers and laughable security then yes; but if youre referring to some sort of financial motive then i doubt it.

This has been shown to almost certainly be an inside job, but I think it is far more likely to be a rogue a programmer than something that implicates Absolute Poker as a whole... The superaccount, as far as I can see, was created for testing purposes. AP is guilty of massive negligence in not deleting/monitoring this account, but I very much doubt the company as a whole it had any financial interest in it being used to cheat.

[TheWunderkind]

I wonder how ppl are that dumb and cheat in such an obvious way while they. Seriously if I could see my opponents holecards Id just play my normal Game making that extra valuebet bluff and fold every now then and ill have an constant income.

How much was they buyin and how many entrants were there? I really want to know how someone is that stupid.

[TheTruthSpeaks]

Obviously every site has employees which are privy to hole card info. Where there are humans there is greed. Unfortunately greed apparently got the best of one Absolute employee.

Hopefully this won't happen anywhere else, but it's obviously a possibility. Anyone who tells you different is lying. I consider it unlikely, but the threat is always there.

Also, Ikestoys, the fact that you are still playing at Absolute after being victimized is unbelieveable. The fact that you are making so much money is no excuse. Have some pride and dignity for yourself. You are a true disgrace to this story. Sometimes making money isn't the most important thing(greed) , which ironically is probably what got us in this mess in the first place.

[phishstiiix]

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I wonder how ppl are that dumb and cheat in such an obvious way while they. Seriously if I could see my opponents holecards Id just play my normal Game making that extra valuebet bluff and fold every now then and ill have an constant income.

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I think he was probably justified in thinking he could get away with a lot, before this any 'poker is rigged' complaints were laughed at by most players, and especially because his massive river agression means you often wouldn't see his cards. Also, the way he was caught (AP accidently sending Marco all the holecards and IPs of players/observers) was very unlikely, leading many to believe that the log was sent deliberately by a whistleblower. Having said that his over-the-top play, expecially the ten-high all-in call in the last hand, was probably a factor in Marco asking for the hand history anyway.

The buyin was $1000 plus fee. I believe there were around 20 players.

[brianpower]

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Obviously every site has employees which are privy to hole card info. Where there are humans there is greed. Unfortunately greed apparently got the best of one Absolute employee.

Hopefully this won't happen anywhere else, but it's obviously a possibility. Anyone who tells you different is lying. I consider it unlikely, but the threat is always there.

Also, Ikestoys, the fact that you are still playing at Absolute after being victimized is unbelieveable. The fact that you are making so much money is no excuse. Have some pride and dignity for yourself. You are a true disgrace to this story. Sometimes making money isn't the most important thing(greed) , which ironically is probably what got us in this mess in the first place.

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Like looking directly at the sun, if the sun was made entirely of stupid.