PDA

View Full Version : Profitability of Collusion


10-17-2001, 02:31 PM
Everyone seems to talk about teams playing on paradise.


I was wondering just how much you think colluders are taking "extra" out of a game.


ie, if you have two expert players at the same table, each of whom earn a standard 1BB/hr, what kind of increase in the hourly rate can they gain by fairly undetectable collusion. ie, not pumping and then folding when it's heads-up.


I'd think it's not all that much maybe 20%? but that's just a pure guess on my part, but I don't think profitable situations for colluders occur every hand. Many times, it's fold - fold for the partners. Or one player see's that his partner folded two offsuit cards so his flush draw is now a 9/45 chance of hitting instead of a 9/47. Another example, I don't think it's profitable for one colluder to play anyhand just to pump when his partner has less than QQ, b/c the cost of playing any two cards is so reduced, thus I think the big money makers are where one player has the best hand and the other player has the best draw and they can pump w/ value going to both hands, but I don't think that is a common situation(and given the right # of opponents, it's a play made by non-colluders as well).


Any thoughts?

10-18-2001, 02:42 AM
The profitability of collusion is likely proportional to the square of the number of colluders at the table. Two is worth something but four working together must be a whole lot more valuable.

10-18-2001, 11:19 AM
one on one play is more typical for No Limit, also makes it more

fun and interesting. Having one on one for all these games is

proof by the houese that collusion is a problem and it works

against honest players. Use your head !!!

10-18-2001, 05:59 PM
That makes sense, and it should increase the # of colluding opportunities for the colluders, but it reduces the # of 'suckers' that the colluders face. ie, there has to be a optimal # of colluders vs honest players where the money gained by more collusion is outweighed by the money lost by the honest players. ie, 8 vs 2 should be more valueable than 9 vs 1 b/c you only gain a hand, but you lose half the moeny available.