ActionJeff says Stars is "rigged"

[jimmytrick]

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if it happened on AP it could happen anywhere

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think so? imo thats not true. I dont even really understand how pokerking thinks this is valid enough to post an article because even if somehow PS was rigged...how? So certain players miss out on AI equity, but why? Or am I missing something

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Most obvious reason would be to keep the fish around. Take away a small percent of strong player's equity, pass it on to the fish. The winning player is still a winning player, the fish takes a little bit longer to go busto, and it's effectively impossible to ever prove it's anything more than variance.

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This is almost certainly going on. Deep down inside we have all considered the possibility and it wouldn't be wise or logical to dismiss it entirely. Human nature is at work here, we often chose to believe or disbelieve not based so much on evidence as to our desire. We want to believe its not rigged so we adopt that position, though our understanding of human nature dictates that it must be going on. A transfer of a small percentage of equity really couldn't be detected and translates to enormous profits for the sites.

Everyone knows that the problem with NL is that fish go broke too fast. Poker rooms avoided it for good reason. Add to that the fact that online play is so much faster then you have to see that the fisheries have to be preserved in some fashion or the party is over.

So almost certainly all sites do it to some degree or another. Its not like there is any legitimate and trustworthy authority overseeing the operation of these rooms. (Is there such a thing in this world as trustworthy anyway?)

But here is the fact. Rigged games are good for us in the long run. We lose equity to the fish but that preserves the game. It slows down their rate of loss which extends the period that they are willing to continue to deposit and "enjoy" the activity. So, in the long run, it works to everyone's mutual advantage, the fish have more fun, we make more money over a longer period of time, and of course, the site owner's explotation of the us all is greater.

When you think about it, poker site operators are pretty much doing for the poker business the same thing that the rail barons did for their business, and likewise, the steel and auto moguls, oil pirates, and of course, Bill Gates.

Its the same old story, screw em and make em enjoy it. Welcome to reality.

Poker is rigged, but still beatable.

We always knew.