iPoker became the next online poker network to introduce anonymous poker tables. The tables are optional and available at all No Limit Hold’em cash game limits. These include heads up, six max and full ring. The tables appear to only be available on iPoker2 skins, including Titan Poker, at this time. It appears that this is likely to change soon and will be implemented by the entire network.
This move follows the addition of anonymous poker tables at other major networks. The Party Poker Network and Microgaming both offer players the option of playing at anonymous tables. The Bodog Poker Network, which includes the US-facing skin Bovada, has made all tables anonymous. This includes all tournaments as well.
Anonymous tables were considered to be a tool used by online poker networks to address the issue of poker ecology. Anonymous tables thwart datamining and tracking programs as player names are not available. On the other hand, some players do not feel comfortable playing at anonymous tables due to the difficulty in identifying collusion and other player fraud. Some players are not comfortable trusting poker networks to police themselves.
Some players have conceded that anonymous tables are better than alternatives that some poker networks have created. Lock Poker ringfenced their players at some limits in an attempt to protect their fish from other Revolution Network skins. That was not the first time the network had seen a skin do this. Sportsbook.com and PlayersOnly took similar action in 2007 at higher No Limit Texas Hold’em games on the same network when it was known as Cake Poker.
Party Poker came up with a different type of ringfencing strategy. They outright banned their winners from being able to play with some losing players. This action was especially damaging to their reputation because they tried to do it secretly but were caught by observant players. Days after this was discovered, Revolution Gaming announced a similar program aimed at protecting their casual players.
Online poker networks will continue to work hard to help preserve the quality of their online poker player pools. Players may not like it, but it seems likely that this is the wave of the future.
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