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BGonline.org Forums
Cheating/Gaming the System
Posted By: Bill Riles
Date: Friday, 5 September 2008, at 8:26 p.m.
As someone said earlier, if there is a way to cheat in a tournament someone will ultimately discover it and try to take advantage of it.
I also agree here with Neil in that I think there are extremely few, if any, players, certainly among the regular ABT circuit in the States, that would cheat; however, it happens.
One of the largest areas for abuse in the States is with side pool pots. If the winner of a given match is guaranteed a large side pool it may well be to the advantage of both him and his opponent to work out a financial arrangement ensuring the desired result. It is my understanding this occurred in the quarterfinals in Las Vegas a few years ago and was somehow discovered before the finals. The offending party was disqualified from the finals and his semi-final victim was advanced to the finals. At least this is what I've been told.
In a smaller regional tourney early this year a similar thing occurred. It was established that the losing finalist would play the consolation winner for second and third place. The side pool pot would be awarded based on overall order of finish. One of the finalists was the only person that did not enter the side pool -- the side pool was three times the amount of the entry pool. I was the consolation winner. The finalist who was in the side pool did not want to risk having to play me for 2nd/3rd and the side pool. So, he offered the other finalist cash to forfeit. The inexperienced TD allowed this to happen. The forfeiting finalist was inexperienced/naive as well and agreed to the deal. The consolation finalists, including me, found out about the arrangement during our match. I'm sure the TD will never allow such to happen again and the participating finalist (the inexperienced/naive guy who took the money to forfeit) later apologized and I'm sure will never do anything like that again. The offending party ... I'm not so sure about.
So, it happens. But the rule should remain, no two parties can make any financial arrangement that affects any other party or parties without the full knowledge and agreement of all parties. Such shenanigans should result in immediate disqualification and, in my opinion, suspension for some period of time and/or number of tournaments.
The integrity of the game and of the tournaments is paramount.
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