Ghosting In Poker | Why It Should Be Avoided Or Banned?

August 11, 2024

Table of content:

What exactly is ghosting in poker?
Why ghosting should be avoided or banned in poker?

Poker has come a long way from what it used to be a hundred years ago. Technology has enabled everyone to learn and play poker without having to go for paid or continuous classes, allowing you to imbibe the nooks and crannies of poker in your own time and space.

However, it does have a downside - people can cheat in an undetected manner. Poker ghosting is one such practice that that should essentially be banned or made illegal, preventing players from getting cheated on and allowing for an ethical forum that everyone can trust. This article entails the meaning of ghosting poker and its various aspects.

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What exactly is ghosting in poker?

Ghosting in poker refers to accepting or receiving help from another person to decide on your poker hands during the game (basically coaching the player). This could be a telephone call, video call, in-person, or even if someone else is substituting instead of you. This practice of poker ghosting is considered to be extremely unethical and is a form of cheating in online forums. The major hurdle with this practice is that ghosting is difficult to detect in poker and can only be known if the players surrender to using this cheating to get better at the game or even win it.

Why ghosting should be avoided or banned in poker?

Poker uses ghosting and collusion interchangeably and almost refers to the same phenomenon of cheating using another person's help. This indirectly says that the player getting help isn't skilled or experienced enough to play at the table and can become a sign of disrespect to the other players who put all their effort into the game.

Ghosting in poker briefly originated when skilled poker teachers were found schooling their students during live games. Even though this practice observed an evident decline as they began broadcasting poker tournaments, there were still suspicions of ghosting in poker happening behind the scenes that were not necessarily shown on television.

Cut to the 21st century, where everything happens online; ghosting in poker also switched mediums. There was no possible way of policing these players who played online poker games behind computer screens that could not monitor the players' activity and assess their honesty. You can now see skilled poker players taking to YouTube and other streaming channels to broadcast them playing live and accepting suggestions from their audience. This can also be considered modern-day ghosting in poker.

Some of the types of ghosting in poker that are prohibited are –

Going offline and letting someone else finish the online game for you.
Entering an online poker room in the middle of a transit and allowing other proficient friends to finish the game you were supposed to play while changing your location.
Playing along with friends for the same online game and later agreeing to play instead of your friend if you get busted before them or get ejected from the game.
Call your friend over the telephone or Facetime when you have reached the game's final legs, and ask for advice to maximise your cash and win rate.
Using your friend's or partner's account to play along with yours and cheating everyone else at the table to believe that two different players are taking part in the game.

Now that you know all about ghosting, it is time to play poker online and not indulge in ghosting one bit. To do so, download the GetMega app now and register yourself.

FAQ's

1. What is ghosting in poker?

Ghosting in poker refers to when a player receives outside assistance during a game, often from a more skilled player, to gain an unfair advantage.

2. Why is ghosting considered unethical?

Ghosting is unethical because it undermines the integrity of the game, giving some players an unfair advantage, which violates the spirit of fair competition in poker.

3. How does ghosting affect other players?

Ghosting disadvantages other players by allowing one player to make decisions based on external advice, which can distort the fairness and outcomes of the game.

4. Is ghosting banned in most poker games?

Yes, ghosting is generally banned in both live and online poker games, with strict penalties for those caught engaging in this unfair practice.

5. Why should ghosting be avoided?

Ghosting should be avoided because it is dishonest, disrupts fair play, and can lead to penalties, including being banned from poker platforms or tournaments.