disconnection protection

[jayg]

Yesterday I played a disturbing hand at a 6-max 5-10 NL game on Party. The details are unimportant for this post. I'll just say that I was check-raised on the flop and I called. I then hit a distant draw on the turn. I smooth-called a turn bet and when checked to on the river, I moved in.

This put my opponent in a very difficult spot. He clearly had a piece of the board, and I could very well be bluffing in that spot. He disconnected and was able to showdown the hand without committing another dollar. I was furious. You don't get an opponent in a position like that all that frequently, and I thought he just cheated.

I immediately contacted Party and they responded promptly, saying that while the situation was suspicious, the player in the hand did not have a history of disconnections at key moments. There's was nothing they could do other than warn the player and look at his actions in the future.

I have no doubt that Party acted in good faith here. I’m not a conspiracy guy. There doesn't seem to be anything else I can do. I certainly can’t prove that he would have called.

However, if I had been bluffing, I would have lost a large pot when an opponent SHOULD have had to make a very difficult choice. I don't see how I can play in a game -- especially a big game -- where people can opt out of difficult spots by pulling the plug on their cable modems.

I believe UB allows one disconnect a month, or something like that. Pokerroom simply gives no all-in protection for PL/NL games.

I’m curious what y’all think is a fair disconnection policy.

-j

[iceman5]

Ive had the same thing happen to me. Ive reported 4 different players. 3 of them had their disconnect protection taken away permanently because they had done it before. The other one was like yours where they said it was suspicious but the guy had never done it before.

I think the policy is fair and its the same for everyone. Not eveyone can get broadband in their area yet so they do disconnect at times.

I DO have broadband. The other day I raised with AK, the flop was Axx, I tried to bet but my connection went down somehow. This was on Prima where there is no disconnect protection. My hand folded. So it DOES happen occasionally when someone is not cheating.

[SuperJez]

Have had the same thing happen m8...to be honest every other poker site I can think of has removed all in protect from big bet tables as the potential for abuse is still to high. UB and Party are open to cheaters and behind the times by still allowing it.

Jez