Using real time assistance (RTA) to cheat at poker is a serious issue for online poker. The game relies on players being able to read each other and make tells, but RTA software makes this much more difficult and can give the cheater an unfair advantage over their rivals. In addition to this, cheaters using RTA can cause a lot of damage to the poker community and their reputations. This article will look at the dangers of RTA and how it can be prevented.
What Is RTA in Poker?
RTA is a type of software designed to help players make GTO plays in real-time. It is generally used for high stakes games where even improving a small edge can add up to significant amounts of money. However, the use of RTA is controversial because it is considered to be a form of cheating in most online poker rooms and is against their terms and conditions. It can be especially difficult to detect because it is often hidden from view or uses a proxy server to avoid detection by poker rooms.
It isn’t clear exactly how many players use RTA, but the number is growing and the problem is increasing at higher stakes levels. The highest profile case was the alleged RTA of high-stakes player Fedor Kruse in September 2020, which was uncovered by his roommates after he got banned from GG Network. The alleged incident has prompted operators to redouble their efforts to fight against the use of RTA and other forms of cheating at poker.
The most advanced RTA software is a ‘solver’, which takes all the information about a given hand and gives the user a solution that will result in a mathematically perfect play. This can be a very helpful tool for players, as it will tell them how to act in certain situations and the exact amount they should bet. However, if you’re not careful how to use it, then you can find yourself in a world of trouble with the poker sites.
A good RTA is going to have a database of presolved hands for every possible combination of flops and table match-ups at each stack depth. This will make it extremely difficult for a human to beat, but a bad RTA can have problems with this because of the assumptions that the creators plug into it.
In general, poker rooms will have security teams that are actively monitoring for the use of RTA and other forms of poker cheating. They will look for things like unusual mouse movements and apps on a player’s PC that can flag them as a potential threat. It is also important for players to be vigilant and report suspicious activity when they see it, as this can trigger a investigation by the poker site’s security team. In this way, the integrity of the game is preserved and the skill-based nature of poker remains untainted. This is vital to the health of the poker industry, as it means that people are genuinely competing on an equal basis with each other.