In case you don’t monitor the poker news articles on this site, here’s the latest and (god help us) the last of these stories from our valued advertiser, Absolute Poker.

Further Details Emerge in Absolute Poker Scandal

by PokerPages.com
Fri, Nov 9th, 2007 @ 6:30pm

Three weeks after Absolute Poker (AP) released a formal statement acknowledging that a player, known as "Potripper" did indeed have the ability to see hole cards further details are beginning to emerge.

Following an extensive investigation by players on numerous online message boards during the genesis of what would become one of the biggest stories in online poker history, many became convinced that Potripper was cheating. Numerous hand histories were posted and analyzed, leading many to believe that Potripper was not only cheating, but was using some kind of a "super-user" to gain the ability to see the cards of his opponents.

At first, AP's response to the accusations was quite aloof, noting that their own internal investigation had begun but at that point had revealed no wrongdoing. Weeks later, AP released a statement noting that a soon-to-be former employee of AP had manipulated the AP software in such a way as to gain the ability to view the hole cards of opposition, confirming the suspicions of the online community.

As a result of the AP's findings, the company froze the account in question and promised to begin the process of refunding money to the players that were affected by the cheating.

"This is literally a geek trying to prove to senior management that they were wrong and he took it too far," MSNBC reported an anonymous source at AP as having said.

Now, some three weeks after that statement was released, AP has revealed further details in a statement released while the Kahnawake Gaming Commission completes its investigation of the situation.

According to the statement, Potripper earned an estimated $800,000 over a period of 40 days. AP has indeed been reimbursing players as promised, so far having shelled out some $1.6 Million to players that fell victim to the so-called "security breach."

"We would like to assure our players, once again, that the security breach, which resulted in unfair play, was resolved immediately after it was discovered and confirmed, and Absolute Poker's sites are absolutely secure," AP said via the release. "The system breach was the result of a recent internal software release impacting internal reporting. The breach was exploitable only by an authorized Absolute Poker person that manipulated the internal reporting software."

AP further noted that the person in question no longer has access to the site, and that thus far there is no evidence that a so-called "super-user" exists or has ever existed that would allow any person to gain the ability to see opponents' hole cards.

"AP regrets the damage that has been done to its players and to its own reputation by this incident," AP said. "We are absolutely focused on doing the right thing for our loyal customers, employees, consultants and business partners and we will continue to work with the KGC and Gaming Associates to bring this incident into the full light of day and to right any wrongs done to innocent victims of this unfair play."

Yikes!!! An average of $20,000 a day swindled by the appropriately named ‘Potripper’ for 40 days for a total of $800,000 could have wrecked a lot of player’s lives. The damage could be far worse than what could be paid for with returned loses. But the extra returned money helps and I’m sure it is gratefully, though angrily, received.

Eventually, it appears we’re to be told how this ‘authorized person manipulated reporting software’ if such software doesn’t exist.

With Barney Frank’s legislation in Congress - to repeal the Internet ban - signing up more co-sponsors recently this scandal could hardly have come at a worse time.

But gamblers are gamblers and this fiasco, like so many before it, won’t stop or even slow down the itching and the need to scratch.

T. J. Cloutier…The San Francisco Treat

Now Cloutier has a REAL job, as a consultant to Poker Pages’ Poker School Online. So he doesn’t have to waste his time in those dumb tournaments anymore, right?

But T. J.’s in the money AGAIN in another major as I go to press Sunday night. He’s second in chips with 19 players left chasing the $1.7 million first prize at the Foxwood’s WPT tournament. So what else is new? Nothing really. Just like old times for the man who has won over 50 majors. If he can manage to get to the final six players Tuesday we’ll see him on the WPT telecast next year. Oh, by the way, the player first in chips at Foxwoods? Only one of the hottest guys in the game at the moment, Freddy Deeb.

Cloutier is thought of as a typical Texas road man, but actually he went to high school in my neighborhood, the Haight/Asbury in San Francisco. He’s a couple of years older than I am, but we probably both went to 49er games at the same time in the 1950’s at Kezar Stadium which was right across the street in Golden Gate park.

My most embarrassing story regarding T. J. was when I wrote his age wrong in the cover story for the 2000 WSOP main event for Card Player magazine. Someone had told me he was 62 and he was only 60 years of age. That year Cloutier has robbed - again - of the world championship he’s richly deserved for so long. You may recall that Chris Ferguson spiked a three-out 9 on the river heads up with T. J. to take the title. Two years earlier Cloutier was third to Scotty Nguyen when Kevin McBride midread his hand strength and sucked out on Cloutier. Only Dewey Tomko has worst bad beats to lose championship with two-second place finishes and two heads up pocket aces cracked.

There is an interesting connection between Cloutier and the WPT. It’s founder Lyle Berman. For years, Berman has been T. J.’s backer in poker tournaments. To give you some idea of the strength of Lyle’s stable, another of Berman’s thoroughbreds is Johnny Chan.

If Cloutier wins the $1.7 million at the Foxwood’s final table, you might not find him at ALL the PSO bounty tournaments for awhile.

Love

Mike Paulle

Email: mikepaulle@aol.com