Cheating�..is it that Common?

[fixertime]

I was having a conversation with a friend that has moved interstate in the last few months and he has started a weekly game up there, he has 6 regular players (mostly work friends) but has had 10 to 12 players in the last few months.Since the new players have joined the game he has found that on one occasion he had Gained 8 chips to his set 2x $500 and 4x$100 and on another he gained 3x$100 chips he also thinks that two of them may be colluding in play. These are small money games (usually $50 tourney with re-buy on the first 3 blinds) he has told his regulars (that he works with) about the chips and they are reluctant to play anymore�. If this can happen at a small stakes home game I would assume its happening at larger venues??Is this an isolated incident or is it happening more often?

[harper81]

Well I personally have labels on my chips that make them original. There is no way for anyone to slide in extra chips in my game. I am sure that most larger venues have the same system of identifying there chips as opposed to fakes that someone brought in.

[Peanuts]

To answer the question of the thread -yes cheating is common and happens mostly in home games. The game of poker is designed to bring out the weaknesses in human nature. Home games are the most vulnerable partly because the ramifications of being caught don't seem as great as in the public arena.

[fixertime]

Thanks to all for the sugestions for stoping the cheats. I think he has it covered.PeanutsAlthough I don�t agree that "poker is designed to bring out the weaknesses in human nature" I do get your drift, I know many poker players that would not sacrifice their personal ethics to win a pot but I also know that there are a lot of dishonest people out there.As far as the ramifications of getting caught, I played a home game a few weeks back (they are great guys and run their game very professionally) but if they had caught someone cheating they may have....how can I put it....come to grievous bodily harm...so I think you need to be a complete nut or have some huge minerals to cheat in a home game. NoLimit(In other post same name sorry dont know how I did that) Thanks will keep it in mind, shame we cant play the game we enjoy without people like that taking the fun out of it.

[Vile Merchant]

The best way is to actually use real Crown chips, that way they really are worth their value and slipping in extra chips would only ever break even

[Peanuts]

Walter Matthau said something along the lines of: "Poker exemplifies all the worst aspects of what makes America great!"Don't even consider using cash chips from a casino for reasons obvious and not so obvious and particularly not in a tournament. They tried this in a tournament at Adelaide Casino once - against my advice - and of course as soon as someone won a big pot he got a phone call to say his mother was dying and to come home immediately.