Online Poker Tools may help improve your play. Online Poker Cheats may improve your play. Online Poker Tools are legal to use at Online Poker Rooms. Online Poker Cheats are illegal and when detected your account will be closed, your money seized.

Online Poker Tools defined

An Online Poker Tool is any device that the player uses to assist or help play Online Poker. Online Poker Tools comply with the Terms and Conditions of the Online Poker Room. Technically, a pad and calculator might be an Online Poker Tool. Most Poker Tools are software that is used before, during, or after play. pkv

Online Poker Cheats described

Generally, an Online Poker Cheat is any Software/Program that after utilized, breaches the Terms and Conditions of your Online Poker Room. Most reputable Poker Rooms' Terms and Conditions provide an explanation of banned practice, along with a citation of specifically banned software. Online Poker Robots are a subset of Online Poker Cheats.


Where's the Cheating Line?

Where's the cheating line between Online Poker Tools and Online Poker Cheats? The line exists where your Online Poker Room sets it. Although Cheat creators want to argue about any of it - for better or worse - the Poker Room holds most of the chips on this matter (pardon the pun). Whenever you initiate an account with a Poker Room, you agree with their terms and conditions. What they call a cheat, is automagically a cheat.

Cheats tend to fester in three areas - data mining, card prediction, and automated play.

Data mining - is the place where a Software/Program assimilates historical information for use during or after play. Generally, it's okay to use information saved from hands you've played in. For hands that you haven't played in, the use of Cheats to gather historical information is illegal. The method of repetitive data mining is completed by Robots.

Card prediction - some programs insist they've broken the code on the random number generators utilized by Poker Rooms. Statistically speaking, this really is unlikely. These Programs are illegal.

Automated play - any Program that takes the player out from the loop of play (where this program plays an entire hand without a player click) is illegal. Automated players tend to be called Robots.


How Prevalent are Online Poker Tools and Online Poker Cheats?

Any guessing on the prevalence of Tools or Cheats can at best be called a ballpark guess.

Online Poker Tools are growing at a rapid rate, and due to their legality, their growth is unchecked. It's estimated that 17% of Online Poker Players use Online Poker Tools.

Online Poker Cheats exist in a fast paced battle zone. The battle zone exists between their Creators and the Poker Rooms. Once a Cheat achieves popularity, Poker Rooms respond and install counter measures. It could be estimated that less then 1% of Players are attempting to use Online Poker Cheats.


Conclusions

The Online Poker Player has many possibilities to boost their play. These options include Online Poker Tools and Online Poker Cheats. Your choice of Tools or Cheats is not too dissimilar then the decision that athletes have to boost their game - Vitamins or Steroids? For most of us who play to boost their games, for leisure and fun - Online Poker Tools adequately fit the bill! Obviously there are those few available which will continually explore the shadows for a 'perceived' temporary edge. For anyone few, Online Poker Cheats come and go.

Next Article - Online Poker Tools, what can and can't they do?

Chris Sorensen is Founder/Director of Online Poker Tools and the Tax Online Gambling Organization.

Online Poker Tools are Software Programs - Trackers, Aides, Calculators, Assistants - that help you Play Onl