Update on Absolute Poker Pot Ripper Cheating Scandal

Did Absolute Poker cheat its players? That's the question the online poker community wants answered. The Potripper cheating scandal has already sent shockwaves through Absolute Poker, but could have far-reaching implications that are not yet imagined. A full inquiry is under way, and a definitive answer is just weeks away.

It started as a quiet murmur across internet message boards; quiet accusations that an online poker room had done the unthinkable. Reports were vague early on, but as the story began to take shape, the accusations became clear. A section of the online poker player community was making the bold statement that Absolute Poker had a "Super User" account that could see the cards of everyone at the table, giving that player an unfair advantage over all opponents.

The initial reaction of the poker community was to dismiss the rumors. After all, Absolute Poker is the third largest poker room on the internet, and certainly makes enough money that it does not have to cheat. However, attitudes quickly changed when a file released by Absolute Poker was transcribed into a tournament simulation broadcast on the popular video sharing web site, YouTube.

The file in question was sent to a player at Absolute Poker who suspected that he had been cheated and requested a copy of his hand history. Instead of receiving his own hand history, he received a file that detailed the hole cards and IP addresses of every player who took part in the high stakes poker tournament. Those who reviewed the file in detail quickly came to the conclusion that the account who won the tournament, Potripper, was clearly playing with an unfair advantage.

There was compelling evidence against Absolute Poker that suggested Potripper was an inside player with Super User access. To begin with, Potripper was followed throughout the tournament by a lurker, titled simply as 363. This invisible member was present at every hand Potripper played, with the exception of the first two hands of the tournament, which Potripper promptly folded.