Data-mining's threat to online poker

[I_Robot]

Data-mining in online poker – the ability to automatically collect, store, and analyze the play of potential opponents – is a threat to the game. If allowed to continue, online poker will diverge further and further from the B & M game and discourage new and existing players from playing. Poker sites should no longer cooperate with software vendors that require access to their data stream for analytical tools.

Automated analytical software for online play, like many things, started innocently enough. Poker Tracker just automated the tracking that many players already did for themselves and added some very powerful analytical tools for self-improvement. The next logical step of using the same analysis for other players – even when not even involved in the game – is what has taken this practice to the point of being dangerous for the game.

A great example of how this is done can be found here:

http://www.bet-the-pot.com/index.php...position=26:26

When used as described above, online poker becomes more about automation, and less about human capabilities. I want online poker to mimic the game I find in a real poker room. Data-mining software makes that less likely.

Poker sites that allow access to their data streams need to reconsider their decision. If online poker gets the reputation of being the playground of the computer geek rather than the poker player, this venue will cease to exist.