I recently received the following email from Pokerstars support team:

Hello Andrew,

Based on a routine review of your account which indicated unusual
play patterns, we have started a more detailed review of your
account and play. At this point we must ask that you provide us
with some information that will help us to resolve this issue.

First, please explain in detail, any relationship you have with
the following player/s:

'MerzGotGame'

Next, please review the hands copied below and explain your
strategy and thinking during the play of the hands.

Your account privileges have been suspended pending the outcome
of our review. Playing on PokerStars during this time will
cause any such account to be closed and the funds therein
confiscated. Please respond fully and completely within 48 hours.
Your cooperation will help to bring the matter to a close
promptly.

Regards,

Vamsi N
PokerStars Game Security Team
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PokerStars Game #80373646166: Tournament #560170253, $1.40+$0.10
Hold'em No Limit - Level II (15/30) -

2012/05/13 10:10:38 ET
Table '560170253 1' 6-max Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: saggit1 (452 in chips)
Seat 2: trankilofran (985 in chips)
Seat 3: B0xleyNZ (449 in chips)
Seat 5: MerzGotGame (482 in chips)
Seat 6: Kaskanuezzes (632 in chips)
saggit1: posts the ante 3
trankilofran: posts the ante 3
B0xleyNZ: posts the ante 3
MerzGotGame: posts the ante 3
Kaskanuezzes: posts the ante 3
Moving Bets to Pot
MerzGotGame: posts small blind 15
Kaskanuezzes: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to B0xleyNZ [Ad 4d]
10:10:41 saggit1: folds
10:10:45 trankilofran: folds
10:10:48 B0xleyNZ: raises 34 to 64
10:10:56 MerzGotGame: raises 415 to 479 and is all-in
10:11:00 Kaskanuezzes: folds
10:11:08 B0xleyNZ: folds
10:11:08 Moving Bets to Pot
10:11:08 Uncalled bet (415) returned to MerzGotGame
10:11:09 MerzGotGame collected 173 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 173 | Rake 0
Seat 1: saggit1 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: trankilofran folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: B0xleyNZ (button) folded before Flop
Seat 5: MerzGotGame (small blind) collected (173)
Seat 6: Kaskanuezzes (big blind) folded before Flop

PokerStars Game #80007145678: Tournament #556869151, $1.40+$0.10
Hold'em No Limit - Level V (40/80) - 2012/05/06

12:01:37 ET
Table '556869151 1' 6-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: terrmit (488 in chips)
Seat 2: MerzGotGame (1462 in chips)
Seat 6: B0xleyNZ (1050 in chips)
terrmit: posts the ante 8
MerzGotGame: posts the ante 8
B0xleyNZ: posts the ante 8
Moving Bets to Pot
MerzGotGame: posts small blind 40
B0xleyNZ: posts big blind 80
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to B0xleyNZ [Ah Ts]
12:01:45 terrmit: folds
12:01:46 MerzGotGame: raises 80 to 160
12:01:48 B0xleyNZ: folds
12:01:48 Moving Bets to Pot
12:01:48 Uncalled bet (80) returned to MerzGotGame
12:01:49 MerzGotGame collected 184 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 184 | Rake 0
Seat 1: terrmit (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: MerzGotGame (small blind) collected (184)
Seat 6: B0xleyNZ (big blind) folded before Flop


To provide some a background, I grind $3.50 6 mans on Stars, I'm a winning player, in fact I am on a leaderboard on sharkscope. --> http://beta.sharkscope.com/#Leaderbo...s/%242.01-%245

merzgotgame is a close friend of mine that I discuss poker strategy with often. He grinds $7 6 mans on stars. Often at the end of a grind session, we like to relax by playing in the same $1.50 hyper together. We have probably played in around 100 off these together.

When I received this email from Pokerstars support I figured it was just a regular security check. Looking at the two HH they sent me, I couldn't believe they could accuse me of colluding as they are super standard hands. So I sent them the following in reply:

Hi Vamsi,

Before I being explaining the two hands, I will begin by explaining my relationship with merzgotgame, (real name -deleted-). I have known him for over 4 years now, we met online, playing Halo on xbox live and soon discovered that we both enjoyed playing online poker. We began playing together a few years back on full tilt poker, we switched to Pokerstars after Full Tilt shut down. We enjoy playing poker together, mainly we play 1.50 hyper turbo 6 mans together as these are a bit of fun. Otherwise I stick to 3.50 normal speed 6 mans and merzgotgame plays 7.00 6 mans. Although we play whilst chatting, we DO NOT tell each other our hands, in fact we are both very competitive and enjoy beating each other. We also often play each other using the Home Game feature on pokerstars.

Looking at those two hands now, they seem like very normal hands to me. The first one I raise holding Ace 4 suited, which a reasonable opening hand, Merzgotgame then raises All In over my raise and I make what is an obvious fold, as he is never raising me all in there without a better hand than me.

The next hand is also a very standard hand. It is on the bubble in a 6 man, meaning the top 2 cash and there are 3 remaining. Merzgotgame makes a min raise, which indicates to me he either has a very strong hand and wants me to go all in, or he has a very weak hand and is just trying to pick up the blinds. Because I am on the bubble, and the third player, terrmit, has a lot less chips than me, I choose to fold this hand.

Both these hands seem very normal to me and I would play them the same way again.

If merzgotgame and I playing in the same sit and go is not allowed we would be happy to stop doing it. However, I believe playing with someone else you know is absolutely fine unless u are colluding and telling each other your cards. If you look at all of the sit and goes merzgotgame and I play in together, you will see that we are not afraid to knock each other out. In fact we have done this many times!

If there is anything else I can do to help resolve this matter please let me know as soon as possible so I can continue playing on Pokerstars.

Kind regards,

Andrew Croxson



After a few days I was shocked to receive this email back:

Hello Andrew,

The review of your account and your play with 'MerzGotGame' is
complete. We have come to the conclusion that you worked together
as a team to the detriment of other players in events where you
played together.

This conclusion is based on a careful review of your play with
all cards exposed. In reviewing hands it is clear that you
routinely passed chips to one another as needed to
help the shorter stack survive.

Tournament rule #20 states that "Poker is an individual (not a
team) game. Any action or chat intended to help another player is
unethical and is prohibited. Unethical play, such as soft-play
(playing less aggressively against a partner) and chip dumping
(intentionally losing chips to a partner), may result in
penalties, including seizure of funds from the offender's account
and/or termination of the account.".

You have been disqualified from events where the outcome was
adversely affected by your unfair play. Your portion of the cost
to advance players as a result of such disqualification is
$60.54. That amount has been debited from your account.

You are barred from future play at PokerStars. This action was
not taken lightly. My findings went to a review board made up of
other poker and collusion specialists who, after looking at the
evidence, agree that such action is appropriate.

Your account has been reopened without play privileges so that
you may cashout the remaining balance. If the balance is too
small to cash out, you may transfer the balance to another player
whose account is in good standing. Your account will be closed in
48 hours. Any funds remaining in the account at that time will be
forfeited.

Do not attempt to open another account or play using someone
else's account. Any account you use is subject to being closed
without notice, and any funds found within will be confiscated.

Regards,

Vamsi N
PokerStars Game Security Team


I couldn't believe it when I read this. I have since asked for whatever other evidence they must in order to come to this conclusion but haven't had a reply. Posting here is my last attempt to fix this perversion of justice. I was told there are Pokerstars employees on this forum and I would very much appreciate them reading this and helping me out.

I can provide the two HH that they sent merzgotgame also if required.

In my opinion there is absolutely no evidence to support the decision that has been made.I know that there is not enough evidence to come to this conclusion as I have never colluded with merzgotgame.

If anyone could help me out it would be much appreciated.

Paging 2p2s resident panel of sharkscope supersleuths.........

Anyway, did you have an agreement (implied or not) with your buddy that whilst you wouldn't share hands, you would go easy on each other in what you consider marginal spots?

both hands seem fine to me. maybe there is something else?

We had NO agreement to share hands. The only games we played together in were these $1.50 hypers, we played them purely for a bit of fun to end a night of grinding on our own. We never played soft on each other or went easy in any spots. The only difference in how we played each other as opposed to normal micro donks was that we knew each other's games very well so we obviously adjusted.

An example of that is the HH where I have ace 10. When merzgotgame min raises I know he is doing that with the very top of his range, 10s+ aq+ and the very bottom of his range, 67s etc. I know he would shove his middling range, ace 7 kind of hands. I'm on the bubble and I know more often he has the NUTS here so I make an easy fold. I would make the same fold against ANY OTHER player. One of the HH they sent merzgotgame was even more ridiculous.

I believe blinds were around 30/60, i had about 100 in the bb, and he puts me all in from the sb with 43. He obviously puts me in with ANY TWO there. I actually laughed out loud when I read the HH. They have provided no other evidence.

I dont even need to give an explanation about the ace 4 hand. It has to be the most standard hand I have ever seen. How any person, no matter how little their poker knowledge is, can accuse anyone of colluding when looking at that hand is beyond me.

They have not mentioned any other problems, nor have I ever had any other problems with stars. I have been a loyal member for around a year now then all of a sudden I'm banned.

You don't have to convince me bro. Obviously they looked at more than just those hands - I kind of think they shouldn't email you two example hands to explain if they had basically already decided before you replied with what may be a reasonable explanation.

Stars seem pretty adamant that you were playing differently against him so I don't like your chances. Unfortunately you've triggered some red flags. Just sayin......

Actually they said you routinely passed chips which means they have lots of hands that meet their criteria.

That's the thing, I've asked for more evidence and they haven't provided any. I KNOW there isn't enough evidence to prove collusion because I know myself that we never colluded. The whole situation is just so unjust. They send me a couple of completely standards hands asking for an explanation. I provide a clear and sensible explanation. They then ban me for "routinely passing chips" yet they provide NO evidence of this. It's a $1.50 hyper for gods sake. I'm an extremely winning player in $3.50 normal speed six mans, why would I ever try to chip dump in a ONE DOLLAR FIFTY HYPER TURBO. I mean come on, anyone with a little bit of poker knowledge could look at this case and find that no collusion has taken place.

What other process in the world could be run like this? Every interaction I have had with Pokerstars support before this were great. But this just blows my mind.

I'll also add that the 1.50 hypers are the only games merzgotgame and I play together in as our ROI drops by too much if we play in the same normal speed 6 man. I've probably played under 3 or 4% of my total games in these hypers.

A few more than that.

Was MerzGotGame contacted as well?

Thanks for the stats rainbow warrior, I was purely guessing when I said 100 games together. My sharkscope sub ran out and I havent renewed it now that I have no account to play on. Yes, merzgotgame was contacted and has been banned as well. I will get him to post the two hands they sent him and his reply when he gets online next. Needless to say the two hands are just as standard as the ones they sent me.

I totally agree that the two hands that they sent you (posted above) and your actions in both were pretty standard (the A10 in a short handed hyperturbo is close but your explanation about bubble and your thoughts on his range are definitely believable).

Unfortunately they have not given you all of the OTHER (I'd say at least thousand+ hands you played together since you have played 239 sngs together) - and I'm sure that they tested and studied all of these hands (as she stated running it through players and collusion specialist).

I have to say I was on your side after reading your post (you had a good answer to their questions and again those two specific hands are played pretty standard).

I then see that you have played well more than 100 sngs with Merz - AND a hard stat to overcome is that your ROI is 13% when not playing with Merz - and kind of strange that his is exactly the same but that's not the point -- the point is that your ROI goes way up (over 100% more) when you are playing with him to 33%?? That's quite a jump?? And his goes up more than double as well when he is playing with you?

So how exactly does that happen? How are you twice as good a player consistantly when you are playing with him then when you aren't? And how is the exact same thing true for him as well?

So you are twice as good a player when you are playing WITH him - and he is twice as good a player when he is playing WITH you?

AND Pokerstars has investigated all of the hands you have played together and feel that you have cheated (whether it be colluding OR softplaing) - well it's kind of hard to not believe them in this case?

I'm sorry but the stats don't lie.

I wish you the best but I don't see how you are going to win this one. You both seem to be competent sng players so if you choose to go to take your business to another site then you may not want to play with him anymore - even if it makes you twice the better player when you do.

not sure I'm helping your case here


Before the $1.50s, from Nov. to March you two played 35 non-turbo $3.50 12 mans.
You did so well that if you were colluding and didn't want to stand out then your stats when playing the $3.50s together must have scared you guys away.
You didn't play any more of them.





The stakes are low, the #s of games are relatively low, but with the much improved ROI's I suspect that Stars has some damning evidence in other hands that you two played together.

I'm curious why they wouldn't ask you about them instead of the ones in the OP because if that's all they have it's not enough.


.

That's kind of what I was thinking when I saw him say "thanks for the stats".

First of all, we have only played 240 games together, this is a tiny sample, so any ROI we achieved while playing together cannot really be used an an indication of collusion. I believe it is this high because we have both done well in 12 and 18 man sngs we played in together and also in some 90 mans or 180 mans which we did well in, these would boost our ROI. Like I said, with such a small sample, you cannot use these stats to argue anything. Saying "the stats dont lie" is completely redundant in this case.

Also, we both played quite a few turbo HU, especially me, which brought our ROI playing alone down. If you look at just our normal 6 man stats, u will find we are both around 25 percent ROI. Which is consistent with our ROI together.

The problem I am facing is that I know myself that merzgotgame and I never colluded. I know this with a fact, we never told each other our hands and every time I got in a hand with merzgotgame I played the hand to win it and played it fairly. However, because we knew each other's game so well, we would of played differently against each other compared to everyone else in the sng. But as I've said before this DOES NOT CONSTITUTE collusion.

It's all good pokerstars claiming they have all this other evidence, however when I have asked for future evidence, as I am completely in my right to do, they have not provided any of it. If I was provided with a chance to fairly explain my thinkings in those hands then I know justice would prevail. That is all I am asking for.

How much did they seize from your account?

.

They took 60 bucks from my account. For you two shoving these stats in my face, you need to realize the ridiculously small sample you are providing stats from. I know that the majority of the players pokerstars find guilty, are in fact guilty, so I don't blame you for thinking that I am as well. However I am trying to get help from this forum, so if you can't be bothered posting something constructive, dont post.

Like I have said a million times, I have not been provided with any more evidence, nor have I been given a fair chance to explain any hands they think might be suspicious.

The approx $60 they took from OPs account is way less than what he profited from in those games he played with merv.....ur thoughts?