Online poker tools are devices which are used by players in order to get assistance or help while playing poker online. These tools confirm to the conditions of the poker sites and technically, even a PokerStars calculator can be used as a poker tool. Most of these tools are actually software which can be used during play. On the other hand, poker cheats are the software or programs which breach the rules of the poker sites and are not to be used during play.
The Thin Line Between Tools and Cheats
There is a thin line between poker tools and poker cheats. This line is exactly where the rules are set by the poker room. Whenever you sign up with a poker site, you agree to all of their rules and regulations. If you breach any of these rules, it is considered as cheating. Cheating is normally done in three ways on online sites- automated play, card prediction and data mining.
Data mining is a program or software which accumulates information which can be used during the game. You can use the information that you have saved from your own hands during the play but trying to get information about the hands that you have not played is known as cheating and is considered to be illegal. Card prediction is a program which breaks the code of the random number generator which is used in poker rooms. Although this is quite unlikely to be true, in case it is done, it is considered to be illegal. Automated play is a program which plays the hands in the game without the help of the player and this too is considered to be illegal.
How Prevalent are Poker Tools and Cheats?
There is no formal study or research which has been done in order to state the prevalence of the poker tools or Poker Star cheats. The number of online tools available on the internet is increasing day by day because they are legal and it is believed that 17% of online players make use of poker tools online. On the other hand, poker cheats do exist in quite a big way and there is always a battle going on between poker rooms and cheaters. Any cheat which receives some popularity would always be met with counter measures from the poker rooms.
There are quite a lot of ways in which poker players can improve their game online. Many of these options make it easier for the players rather than using complicated strategies. Online poker tools and cheats are one of them. Using poker tools to improve your game is completely legal but it is very important to first read the rules and regulations of the poker room and ensure that you would not be going against any of the rules by using those tools. Poker is for fun and for leisure and using cheats might sound lucrative but it is illegal and definitely not worth the risk at all.