Tuesday, September 21, 2004

Can You Trust Online Poker?



Here is an interesting story about "poker bots," automated computer programs that could be playing against you in an online poker room near you. Snippet from the MSNBC.com story:

Widespread use of bots capable of beating your average player would pose a significant problem for the red-hot online poker sector, which has grown exponentially in recent years and is expected to top the $1 billion revenue mark this year. Without some way of verifying the identity – and humanity – of players, the business could be significantly undercut.


Hard to believe, but online poker is now a $1 billion industry, thanks in part to reality television and the celebrity poker tournament TV shows. What made for VERY cheap television programming (what's cheaper than setting up some lights and a few cameras around a card table) has now created a new industry.

What' perplexes me is that a few weeks ago, I wanted to buy some decent poker chips for my friendly in-person poker games. It was almost next to impossible to find a store in Atlanta that sold them. HELLO - stores need to make "poker" hay while the sun shines.

Read the full story here.

P.S. Finally bought this set of poker chips from Brookstone. Very cool.

-aB

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