I read a few blogs written by grinders or professionals on a semi-regular basis. It is fun to read what limits they are playing, prop bets they get involved with, and other random musings. Within the last few months most players have lamented the fact that there are fewer and fewer fish. When there’s fewer fish at the table the only thing left for sharks to feast on are themselves. Playing regulars is not always the most fun prospect for a few reasons. Often time the regular players are quite good compared to the rest of the competition. They tend to be winning players and will have comparable win rates to other good players. If you see a few players building a game around one player it really is like watching sharks circle. With the advent of online poker there are a few ethical issues that come along as well.

Players who consistently play at the same stakes may see the same people over and over. It is natural to have some table talk and get to know your opponent. Over time becoming friends is not out of the ordinary. In fact trading phone numbers or instant messaging screen names is common practice friendships developing due to poker are inevitable. The problem with this friendship is that it is simply not fun to take money from friends. For any random player it can be daunting enough trying to win a few stacks and it can feel downright impossible if you are playing against four or five opponents who all know each other.

Whenever friends are playing with each other there is the potential for ethical shenanigans to take place. Consciously or subconsciously, players may do or say certain things to tip their hand. If you find yourself in a situation where you are playing with friends you might find yourself facing a tough choice like this. While ethics may vary from player to player, it is universally against the rules to collude at any internet poker room. It is not only important that you follow the rules but you should also go the extra mile to avoid any appearance of impropriety. If you play online you should keep in mind that poker room security has access not only to all table talk but hand histories, win rates, and other statistical values that will clue them in if players are doing anything improper. Anyone who uses instant messaging while playing at a table with friends need to keep in mind that sharing hands or hand histories with friends is probably considered collusion and ethically improper since both players would have additional access to information that not everyone else does. Playing poker with friends should be a fun experience, steering your way through any ethical obstacles can help keep it that way.