SnG Collusion

[Travis]

I just got an email from Stars about a couple of players colluding in SnG's. They refunded $24.63 to my account - kind of a strange number but I since I've been playing $25 turbos recently I guess its my share of what's left of their bankroll for one turbo.

My question is this I guess --- and maybe this is a stupid question and there is an obvious answer --- what sort of an advantage do these guys have in a Turbo SnG. It seems pretty obvious the advantages a team has playing limit or no limit cash games but its less obvious that team play is exceptionally helpful in SnG's. Especially turbos where post flop play is less important. If your team is buying in for 2 buyins, you need to be averaging at least a 2nd ever time to make money.

I can't remember seeing anything that screamed out at me as team play recently. Playing turbos you see frequently some really silly allin play early but I always just chalk that up to "Turbo Madness." If these guys strategy was to chip dump early giving one player 3000 chips and busting out the other early, I can't imagine that this would be a cost effective strategy in a Turbo. Maybe the strategy is that both play their "best poker" and if one player gets a large stack he helps the other slide into the money? Perhaps when they get to 3 or 4 handed play the big stack only attacks the other two players and allows his buddy to coast and build a few chips?

Anyone have insight into what to look out for or worry about? I hadn't really been concerned about team play in SnG's and wonder if I should. Nice to see that Stars caught these guys.

[Magic8Ball]

Yes.

[pooh74]

ive seen attempted collusion at the stars 25s before and wrote to PS...they closed the accts then let them off with a warning and never to play together again i think...anyway, here is the correspondence:

Hello xxxxx,

Thank you for your report, just a 'progress report' for you. I have closed
both players accounts and written to ask them for an explanation of their
play in certain hands - as is our procedure in these cases. When our
investigation is complete I will be in touch with you again with our
findings.

Regards,

xxxxxx
PokerStars Support Team


----- Original Message -----
From: xxxxxxxx@hotmail.com
Sent: 2005/01/02 04:32:36To: support@pokerstars.com
Subject: Possible collusion 25 turbos

>Hi pstars,
>
>Just wanted to report a possible case of collusion. I am definitely not
an
>alarmist of any kind and have been playing with you guys for 2000+
>tourneys/SNGs and have never reported anything of this kind but this
struck
>me as such a blatant act of chip dumping I couldnt resist doing something
>about it.
>
>I posted the hand below where it occured (hand #9 in the history) and it
>occurs B/t hayknee9 and poker1723. (hayknee raises to 200 and folds to
>poker1723's all-in of 30 more). Furthermore, they seem to be both from
>Pittsburgh area PA...not that that matters...and i know someone could
fold
>in this situation for info value (preventing us from getting it)
but...Ill
>leave this to you guys obviously.
>
>>
>
>
>*********** # 9 **************
>PokerStars Game #1028115906: Tournament #4342443, Hold'em No Limit -
Level
>IV (50/100) - 2005/01/02 - 03:49:36 (ET)
>Table '4342443 1' Seat #5 is the button
>Seat 1: superbugger (1835 in chips)
>Seat 2: freddy money (1825 in chips)
>Seat 3: Merseylad (2220 in chips)
>Seat 5: Poker1723 (230 in chips)
>Seat 6: pooh74 (1400 in chips)
>Seat 7: YCGonzo (1430 in chips)
>Seat 8: TwistedD53 (1645 in chips)
>Seat 9: hayknee9 (2915 in chips)
>pooh74: posts small blind 50
>YCGonzo: posts big blind 100
>*** HOLE CARDS ***
>Dealt to pooh74 [Qc 2c]
>TwistedD53: folds
>hayknee9: raises 100 to 200
>superbugger: folds
>freddy money: folds
>Merseylad: folds
>Poker1723: raises 30 to 230 and is all-in
>pooh74: folds
>YCGonzo: folds
>hayknee9: folds
>Poker1723 collected 550 from pot
>Poker1723: doesn't show hand
>*** SUMMARY ***
>Total pot 550 | Rake 0
>Seat 1: superbugger folded before Flop (didn't bet)
>Seat 2: freddy money folded before Flop (didn't bet)
>Seat 3: Merseylad folded before Flop (didn't bet)
>Seat 5: Poker1723 (button) collected (550)
>Seat 6: pooh74 (small blind) folded before Flop
>Seat 7: YCGonzo (big blind) folded before Flop
>Seat 8: TwistedD53 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
>Seat 9: hayknee9 folded before Flop
>

[syka16]

[ QUOTE ]

My question is this I guess --- and maybe this is a stupid question and there is an obvious answer --- what sort of an advantage do these guys have in a Turbo SnG.

[/ QUOTE ]

Collusion that doesn't involve knocking the other player out. The limp UTG reraise allin against a player in LP who folds works. Playing the better hand. Stuff like that. Don't understand why they would bother at 25. It just takes more time and the edge could be matched just by taking the energy to collude and adding an other table. Maybe they thought they were being cool. Glad to see they take action at stars. I've reported a couple of times to Party and heard back within 30min. Just send an email with the table name and H# and they check it electronically.

[Travis]

[ QUOTE ]
Yes.

[/ QUOTE ]

Guess I deserved this answer.