Poker Solvers Controversy: Cheating Accusations and Industry Responses

In early March, Matt Berkey shared a photo of a player using charts on their phone during a live poker game at the Bellagio. This incident sparked a debate about the use of solvers in live poker games. Matt Berkey argued that using solvers in live poker is a significant problem because players can take up to 3 minutes to make decisions without being noticed.

Shaun McCormack, a top manager at MGM, confirmed that the use of any applications during gameplay is strictly prohibited in their casinos. He assured that this information would be communicated to all employees.

Rory Young, the creator of Odin Poker, explained that he initially implemented a 20-second delay in calculations to prevent the software from being used as a cheat tool. He also mentioned that he had tried to form a responsible approach to solvers within the industry but faced resistance. Dominik Nitsche, the developer of DTO Poker, supported Rory Young and criticized other solvers like GTOWizard, Vision, and Ruse for not having delays. Phil Galfond, the developer of Vision, stated that they are interested in preventing their software from being used as a cheat tool and have collaborated with major poker rooms to monitor its use.