Do you believe the shuffle is really random online???

[Ralphie]

I have been playing online poker for several years now. After starting out a loser I began to make money decent money for about three years. I studied the books from Two Plus Two esp. Hold Em for Advanced Players and Theory of Poker. I discovered Pokerstat and then more recently Pokertracker and used them to monitor and improve my play. My bankroll grew and I wound up playing 15/30 and 30/60 everyday on a well known poker site, making a six figure income.

However in January of this year the "party" stopped. I found that the games which I once dominated seemed almost unbeatable. Luckily I had been loading all my hand histories into Pokertracker so I was able to confirm that I was still playing about the same way I had while I was winning. It seemed that at the higher limits there were a few players who were able to play as if they knew what cards were coming. They would draw to the worst hands at times, but ONLY when they were going to hit. I began to watch carefully and record as many hand histories as I could. In the end the only logical conclusion I could come up with is that some players have discovered a way to predict or control the cards that will be dealt. Someone suggested that a player may have been able to see my cards by using some type of spyware program. Although this is entirely possible, I do not believe it to be the case in my situation. If they could ONLY see my cards why call against my aces, kings ect all the way, without any pot odds, to hit a running straight, running flush or two pair on the river, yet play a tight game the rest of the time.

Just to be totally clear, I am not talking about the times when someone tries to make a bluff, but then proceeds to get lucky by catching cards. I fully understand the semi bluff and it implications in middle to high limit play. What I am talking about is people who play well 90% of the time, but at times make the worst calls only to hit thier hands perfectly. You would expect someone who draws to just a running straight or flush in a small pot to be chasing cards all the time. But these players ONLY do it when they hit.

Also it seems that if they call the turn they will win the pot about 95% of the time. I am assuming the other 5% is just for show, or with hands that would just look too suspicious to support if they found out you folded. For example if you flopped the 2nd nut flush and folded to a player who had flopped the nut flush it would be too obivious that something was wrong.

Anyway sorry for ranting a bit. All I want to know is has anyone else had a similar experence beginning in late 2004/early 2005? If so please post so I will know I am not the only one. I only saw one other post of this nature online and most of the responses were more akin to insults. I have been getting beaten lately and I admit that. If calling someone a loser somehow makes you feel better about yourself then go ahead, no one can stop you. However I would really appreciate it if only people with something of value to add would reply to this post.

Thanks you all who participate!!! Ralphie.