| In a previous article ("Yes, You Can Cheat at | | | | strongly they say it, do not play the game of |
| Online Poker"), I make the point that cheating is | | | | poker well. Cheaters never develop superior skill. |
| possible when playing poker. That being the case, | | | | When they are in a game, their mind is not |
| you are faced with the decision whether or not | | | | thinking along the lines of skillful play. Cheaters |
| to do it. | | | | filter everything they do, every situation they are |
| My answer to you is NO. I advise you to learn to | | | | in, through the prism of cheating. As a result, they |
| play properly and to develop your skill so you can | | | | never develop an ability to play the game well in |
| win fairly. Do not get caught up in cheating. To | | | | honest competition. Simply put, if you have your |
| help you resist the temptation, here are five | | | | sights on notoriety in the poker world, do not |
| reasons why you should not cheat: | | | | start down the path of cheating. You will be |
| 1) Cheating is not fair. Don't scoff at this reason. | | | | unable to cheat in high-profile tournaments and |
| There is great value in playing according to the | | | | games with top professionals, and you will be like |
| rules. A sense of fairness is the essence upon | | | | a fish out of water without your cheating ways. |
| which all order and justice proceeds. There are | | | | Many cheaters reason that they can start |
| already plenty of injustices in our world. Why add | | | | cheating to acquire a bankroll, and then once they |
| to that total? The challenge of any game, | | | | get going, they can stop cheating and learn to |
| whether it be poker or any other, is to win and | | | | play the game properly. Trust me on this point: |
| beat your opponents within the framework of the | | | | that NEVER happens! Your best intentions aside, |
| established rules. That is the essence of | | | | you are living in dreamland if you think you will do |
| meaningful competition. When you cheat, you | | | | that. |
| break out of that framework, and you act in a | | | | 5) You might get caught. There are really two |
| way that is not within the bounds of what is | | | | separate categories of poker here: online and |
| acceptable. There is no challenge in cheating; you | | | | in-person. When playing online, there are specific |
| accomplish nothing of merit, since by not following | | | | ways of cheating that are virtually impossible to |
| the rules, you are not constrained by the same | | | | detect, so you may reasonably expect to remain |
| regulations that control others. For that reason, | | | | unnoticed when using one of those methods. (To |
| cheating is a travesty to everything that is | | | | explore a specific way to cheat online, click here: |
| decent and proper. | | | | Poker Cheat.) But playing poker in person is an |
| 2) Cheating is morally wrong. Whether or not you | | | | entirely different matter. Cheaters can, and often |
| believe in God, you surely have a sense of what | | | | do, get caught. In order to cheat effectively in |
| is right and what is wrong. Ultimately, | | | | person, you need to become really, really good at |
| righteousness is its own reward. According to the | | | | it. Pretty good is not good enough. Cheating in |
| laws of karma, what goes around comes around. | | | | person requires literally years of dedication and |
| By cheating, you are putting negative, destructive | | | | practice. You cannot simply learn a method of |
| energy into the universe. Some day, your actions | | | | cheating and then go out and execute it flawlessly |
| will come back to haunt you in one way or | | | | and expect to not be discovered. Most people do |
| another. That does not sound like an appealing | | | | not have the commitment and determination to |
| prospect, does it? | | | | become good enough at cheating in person to |
| 3) You are hurting others (and yourself). When | | | | actually pull it off. Therefore, their odds of getting |
| you play poker, whether online or face-to-face, | | | | caught are high. |
| you are competing with real opponents. The | | | | In short, cheating is a dangerous path to start |
| people sitting across from you at a poker table | | | | down. Cheating is harmful to yourself and others, |
| are living, breathing individuals. Your table-mates | | | | and the habitual practice of cheating typically ends |
| are people with real families and real lives. When | | | | badly. Here is a critical point: Even if you never |
| you compete with them in an unfair manner, you | | | | get caught, cheating is still unwise! Cheating is |
| are directly harming them, even if they are | | | | never anything of which to be proud. These facts |
| unaware of your activities. Furthermore, you are | | | | are reason enough to eschew any thoughts you |
| harming yourself. This is not always obvious, but it | | | | may entertain of cheating. If you are smart, you |
| is nonetheless certain. Self-esteem is a critical | | | | will learn to play the wonderful game of poker |
| requirement for happiness. You must possess a | | | | within the framework of the rules. You will |
| measure of self-worth to attain any sense of | | | | practice and improve your skill over time. You will |
| purpose. When you cheat, you deprive yourself | | | | build your bankroll, and you will achieve real |
| of your full measure of self-esteem. Even if you | | | | success and a true sense of self-worth. And you |
| think this does not happen, it does. | | | | will leave the cheating to those less informed than |
| 4) Your poker skills will suffer. People who cheat | | | | yourself. |
| at poker, no matter what they say or how | | | | |