is soft play cheating?

[77dave]

i have been playing in a game where most people on the table know each other.

2 of the guys if they are HU in a pot will just check it down regardless.

if there are more than 2 people in the hand they play it straight up no colluding.

I dont have a problem with it as it doesnt affect me but someone complained about it the other day.

what would you do would you complain too  would you want the floor to make a ruling

answers on a postcard

[Hairydude]

I wouldnt be happy playing in a game like this- they might like to think its straight up every other way but say it gets 3 handed with both guys in the pot- the temptation is always there to squeeze the 3rd player out and chop the pot- also I think it could affect players playing against them as although they are saying there not colluding it will always be in every other players mind that theres a possibilty.

[RED-DOG]

I dislike soft play immensely. At best it spoils the game and makes me suspicious, at worst it's downright cheating.

tikay is probably the closest friend I have ever had, but if I play poker with him I try just as hard (if not harder) to get his chips/money as I do anyone else.

PS- I wouldn't mind soft-playing with you though Jim, cos you're better than me.

[77dave]

i dont need to soft play you Tom   i just wait till you have ordered a breakfast then i bet

easy

[byronkincaid]

used to be OK to do this on Stars, dunno if it still is tho.

[77dave]

would you say this is anyworse/better  than overbetting and saying fold i have got it repeatedly to each other and showing after the hand

[Hairydude]

would you say this is anyworse/better  than overbetting and saying fold i have got it repeatedly to each other and showing after the hand

Nah I dont like declaring hands to each other either but a plus point- if they continue to do this you could maybe get a wee bit more information on their game if they're continuously showing

[RED-DOG]

would you say this is anyworse/better  than overbetting and saying fold i have got it repeatedly to each other and showing after the hand

No.

[bolt pp]

I dislike soft play immensely.

[RED-DOG]

I dislike soft play immensely.

Lol, WHAT?

[celtic]

i think it's ok if the other player is your friend.

[totalise]

theoretically theres nothing wrong with it, assuming they really did play 100% straight up in multi-way pots.  The problems stem from the fact that theres always going to be doubt as to whether their actions in a multiway pot really are genuine and straight up, whether or not the doubt is justified.I'm assuming this is cash btw, because in tournies it obv should never be allowed.

[ariston]

Its cheating and should be penalised. The rest of the table in a tournament situation are at a severe disadvantage because if you two get AA v KK type scenarios then one of you isnt going to get knocked out or damaged as you probably should. Play the game properly or get a penalty, I would have no problem calling for a ruling if I suspected soft play and it is covered in the TDA rules.

7. Penalties and Disqualification
A penalty MAY be invoked if a player exposes any card with action pending, throws a card off the table, violates the one-player-to-a-hand rule, or similar incidents take place. Penalties WILL be invoked in cases of soft play, abuse, or disruptive behavior. Penalties available to the TD include verbal warnings and “missed hand” penalties. A missed hand penalty will be assessed as follows: The offender will miss one hand for every player, including the offender, who is at the table when the penalty is given multiplied by the number of rounds specified in the penalty; for the period of the penalty the offender shall remain away from the table. Tournament staff can assess one-, two-, three-, or four-round penalties or disqualification. A player who is disqualified shall have his or her chips removed from play. Repeat infractions are subject to escalating penalties.

[77dave]

i undertand what yur saying ariston

this was a cash game so how would you say it differs what penalty can you use for a cash game

[ariston]

cash games are a different beast and have no set rules as such. Rules vary from casino to casino vastly ( is there a straddle, where can you straddle/restraddle from etc- blinds on or off button etc etc etc) so it is a lot trickier. Soft play is still collusion but at the end of the day if everyone is made aware of the fact that if player a and player b will not bet into each other if heads up in a pot then I think its their perogative. If player A busts player B then he can reload to the same level he was at before the hand so there is no disadvantage to the table imo.  If player A and player B are doing this though I would be watching them carefully in multiway pots to make sure they aren't squeezing opponents out/isolating etc.