[Texas72]

Wired Magazine recently ran an article about the use of bots in online poker rooms. The article features the creator of WinHoldEm, who states that bots are an inevitable part of online play and a great tool for smart players to use.

Most poker sites scan for the use of these bots. Party closed a lot of user accounts earlier this year because people were suspected of using the WinHoldEm software.

What's your thought on this issue? Are bots truly inevitable to the online poker game? Do you care if you're playing against a bot? If so, would it change your perception if you KNEW there was a bot at the table, and which player it was? Do you think that using a bot is just another online poker tool, much like PokerTracker? Or are you so afraid of the potential of bots that you'll seriously think about no longer playing online?

[royalflush525]

I've always thought that there a few people who use these things, i myself thinks its because of the money, or they just can't play poker and they have to cheat, I just wish they had software to detect these things. [color=Magenta]LOVE, LIVE, LAUGH AND PLAY POKER BUT KNOW WHEN TO QUIT.[/

[Texas72]

Most poker sites do use some sort of detection software. For a while, Party was actually grabbing a screen shot of your computer, and that would show if you were running any of these "helpers". A lot of people, even those innocent, left Party because of what they considered to be a violation of privacy. I mean, think of some of the things people do while playing - pay bills, check bank accounts, etc - they didn't want some random programmer having their info. Party apparently quit that method of detection, but still uses others, along with most sites.