Well it has finally happened. I often prided myself on being open minded. I believed that people are inherently good. I thought that if you behaved yourself throughout the year, Santa Clause would visit with great stuff. I was wrong. As it turns out, there is no Santa Clause.
There was a time when I would listen to people lash out at online poker. They would say things like "It's ridiculous. It's rigged. They're criminals." I would always give the benefit of the doubt to the service providers. Usually, chalking it up to the belief that those complaining were just really bad players. After all, on one of the sites, I was doing quite well.
Then the cards started crumbling down. The investigations started a number of years ago. The government did the best they could to control or limit these online poker companies in their operations. My first reaction was the belief that they were jealous they weren't getting a piece of such lucrative operations. So of course, they're going to try and shut them down. I was also of the mind set that nobody would consider jeopardizing such a cash cow by doing things that they shouldn't.
As it turns out, there's a good chance I was wrong. After the cheating scandals and the limitations placed on money transfers by the American government, it has only seemed to get worse. Forget for a moment there is a possibility you are playing against bots who represent the house. Or, forget the possibility the online poker program is working against you. Forget all the conspiracy theories you have ever heard. Imagine that somehow the actual operation of an online poker site from a technical standpoint, is completely on the level. There's only one explanation for what has happened with Full Tilt. With all the success they supposedly have had, if the government's accusations are correct, it could all be dirty.
I remember wondering why would any of these online poker companies risk the gold mines they possess when the first accusations began to circulate years ago. And then I remembered Enron. And then I remembered Adelphia Communications Corp. They do it because it's never enough. They do it because they think they can get away with it. If the accusations are true, it casts doubt everywhere.
It can't be ignored that the online poker site I have played at from time to time over the years, has lost many players. It is only a fraction of the size it was back when I could say I was making money on it consistently. Where there used to be ten tables going at the level I enjoy, now you are lucky to find one. And it is rarely full. There are a number of explanations for it. The government crackdown on American players is highly likely. But those who really want to play can find a way. Instead, they clearly choose not to.
I would also have to say that hanging on against a single challenging opponent after you flop a set has become more difficult than I could have ever imagined. I wouldn't go so far to say that it is rigged or that I'm playing against the computer program thinking it's a live player, although, this may very well be the case. I won't say it. I'll simply say, it's so hard to win now, I just don't see the point.
It is so much more enjoyable to go to a casino and play with people and cards I can see. If you play your best game and make the right decisions, sometimes you will win and sometimes you'll take the beats but if you win a little more than you lose, you'll make money in the long run. That's all it is about. As for online poker, it just doesn't seem to be the case... anymore.
I hope the accusations against Full Tilt are proven to be false. I hope that none of the online gaming community is engaged in elicit activity. I hope when you sit down to play online the program is not designed to slowly siphon off your money. I hope that your chances of success in an online game are exactly the same as a brick and mortar casino. However, when it comes to my hard earned money, I have to be able to do better than just hope.
If you are one of those people who decided that online play is still great and exciting and maybe you are even making money, I congratulate you and wish you all the best. I will be cheering for you from the rail.
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