My name is Fernando Rosas (relaxursoul on Pineapple app) and I have been playing OFC obsessively for almost a year and a half. Around November 2015, I started playing Natasha Mercier on the app. She accepted because a player, who I was down about 1000 points to, referred her to me. Natasha ended up losing over 1900 points to me on the app.

At the 2016 PCA, I met Natasha in person and we played live OFC. This was my very first time playing the game live as opposed to on the app. When playing live, there are some very distinct adjustments one has to make when they have only played on the app. For example, being able to identify optimal fantasy land sets quickly without a sort button, counting the points in the hand (the app does this automatically), memorizing discards (on the app there is no need to memorize since you can see them there), and being able to distinguish suits clearly (the app has a 4 colored deck.) The first time I played Natasha live, she did not know that I had never played the game live before. I looked like a complete beginner during our session since I was playing extremely slow due to the new things I had to consider. Additionally, we were playing a mixture of high, low, and BDP, which was a game I had never played before, and she beat me during our short live session. I later learned that at the PCA she had told a well known player that I was probably cheating on the app via a bot.

Some months later, Natasha and I played in Vegas again and I remember clearly that she asked if she could see my app games. I showed her my games, which were mostly in the positive, and this information coupled with the fact that I played like a live beginner perpetuated her suspicion that I was using a bot on the app. During the WSOP, at one point Jason was asking for 5.5 odds to win the 3rd bracelet, so I asked him if he would do a 1500 point OFC race if I were to give him action on the bracelet bet. He declined. Weeks later, I offered to do a race to 1000 points and proposed that if he were to lose the race, I would play him any poker game HU after agreeing on parameters. Again he declined, and said in writing that he would never play me on the app, but would play me live.

As of now, one OFC player has confirmed to me that Jason told him directly that I was using a bot. Another player who I’m playing has complained to me about the rumors and finds the situation a tough spot now that I am up a significant number of points. From Mercier’s perspective and with all the information he has, I genuinely understand why he and Natasha arrived at this conclusion. When people ask him what he thinks about me, I do believe he is being sincere by stating he thinks I am cheating and I also believe he does not have any intention of defaming me, but rather has the intention of protecting people who he thinks can be cheated. Unfortunately, this kills almost all my action since most OFC players know Jason, and the rumor has spread to the point where I find it very difficult to find new action. As an OFC player who is not well known, my method of getting action is by offering to play and post to who I consider reputable players on the app. After the WSOP, two well known players agreed to play me, but then later on declined. There is a strong probability it was due to the bot rumor as they have direct connections to Jason.

After the WSOP, I put out several live streams of me playing OFC on Twitch. In one of the streams, a close friend, Jaclynn Moskow, appeared playing against me. Shortly after her appearance, Natasha quit playing her on the app. Jaclynn and I are both high volume OFC players and we have spent a considerable amount of time discussing and studying the game. Once it was known that we were friends, the bot rumor affected her directly. As she has been looking for action, multiple players have agreed to play her and then subsequently rescinded. Furthermore, these rumors have evolved to the point where public accusations of her cheating have been made.

If Jason or anyone else has any evidence of the “bot” I would be glad to see it.