It’s no secret that online poker sites use a tremendous amount of security and encryption to protect their software from poker bots, shills, and cheaters. However, one secret that they cannot protect is the deterministic algorithms that they use in their software that decides the outcome of the hands. Also, anyone who knows the algorithms can easily and simply win more often in online poker.
Why are they using algorithms anyway?
Initially, online poker sites had no need to use additional algorithms to ‘level the field’, as simply using a Random Number Generator (RNG) would seem to produce a fair mix and seemingly accurate play. However, in 2001, after several programmers were able to expose the flaws of the RNG and the inability of the RNG to produce an adequate number of random decks (making it easier to predict the flop, turn, and river), online poker sites had to make changes.
After several changes were made to RNG seed generation and sophisticated measures were taken to produce a wider variety of random sequences of decks, online poker sites faced a new problem: collusion and cheating by players without scruples. This problem was addressed with a new set of algorithms that would produce a fair game by avoiding collusion using sequential deterministic algorithms.
What causes all those constant bad beats?
The implementation of those sequential algorithms meant to stop accomplices actually created a new problem, it took away the true statistics and odds of the game. In other words, if you have a hand of aces and the flop comes A 9 Q, you basically have a better than 91% chance of winning the hand in live play. When the board ends with 10 J or flush cards and you lose to your opponent’s flush or straight, that’s called a bad beat.
Simply put, the true odds of you winning the hand are no longer part of the game, due to the sequential algorithms used. These algorithms replace actual probabilities and determine the outcome based on their own mathematical decisions. That is why many people will claim that online poker is rigged.
What is the secret?
The secret is to understand how algorithms work and use that knowledge to reduce your own consistent bad times. In other words, the program makes a deterministic decision on the winning hand without taking into account the odds, your outs, statistics, or any other actual measure of the game. Therefore, if you want to win at online poker, you need to understand the algorithms and implement them in your game.
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