RE: Tis the Season for Cheating?
Bluff managing editor and online pro apologize for Full Tilt cheating
Chris “BluffMagCV” Vaughn, managing editor for Bluff, and online pro Sorel “Imper1um” Mizzi have finally spoken out on the cheating incident on Full Tilt Poker.
They did an interview with PokerNews that was published in two parts: Part 1 described how Vaughn sold his account to Mizzi when he made it to the final three tables, and Part 2 is filled with apologies and regrets from both players.
Highlights (or lowlights, if you will):
• Both players have been banned from ever playing on Full Tilt Poker again.
• Vaughn admits to brazenly lying to Haralabos Voulgaris on the Big Poker Sundays radio program when asked about ghosting – allowing a backer to play for him.
• Bluff is displeased with Vaughn’s actions but will not fire him, only put him on probation.
• Vaughn and Mizzi are sorry.
Bill Z says:
December 6th, 2007 at 7:14pm
Another bunch of young punks playing online. This makes me sick…No wonder everybody wants to ban Poker.
Michael says:
December 6th, 2007 at 8:21pm
How does a 24 year old become a managing editor of a magazine and is it just a glamorous title anyway? Is it akin to my trash collector being a sanitation engineer or is a managing editor really a big shot?
Karridy says:
December 6th, 2007 at 9:08pm
My experience with some of the better known poker periodicals suggests that these titles are just another “perk” to attempt to psychologically compensate the traditionally young, underpaid, and overworked folks that commonly find themselves playing the “
boyman behind the curtain” that is required to keep these guys semi-agile in what has become a very penny-pinching environment.California Jen says:
December 6th, 2007 at 9:53pm
As far as I know, Chris began as an intern at Bluff and worked his way up. I’m not sure of what his job responsibilities are, though…
I don’t know about this type of cheating being the reason people want to ban poker. Most people who oppose legal online poker wouldn’t know what multi-accounting or ghosting even is… I do think it’s interesting when young people get in trouble for doing things like this. They knew it was wrong but figured they wouldn’t get caught. But young people talk and brag to friends, so it was bound to be discovered. The bottom line is that many of these guys – not necessarily talking about Chris or Sorel here – are too young to know how to handle the money and notoriety they get for doing well in poker. When money and status come before maturity, there are bound to be problems.
Karridy says:
December 6th, 2007 at 10:29pm
Well said.
Karl says:
December 7th, 2007 at 1:51pm
Online poker cheating a a very good profession:
1. You keep what you get from cheating.
2. You return the stolen items when you get caught
“FREE ROLL” sounds right?
All poker sites promise that they have high degree of security measures to protect the game. They should be penalized if they break the promises. Currently, they just let the money ( prices ) change hands. None of the cheatings have costed them any immediate loss. How about punitive damages? The sites should pay each deserved playerr three times of what they are entitled to.
I know it is hard not to play online when you are addicted to it. Let them know we need a safe and honest game by going “cold turkey” on poker for few days. Can someone organize a “No online poker week”?
DanM says:
December 8th, 2007 at 12:20am
Once a cheater always a cheater?
Good luck on organizing the “no online poker week.” Not gonna happen … but I celebrate that holiday probably twice a month!
dan says:
December 8th, 2007 at 3:44pm
i can’t believe i’m going to say this, but there are too many young punks out there. i’m 35 and i feel so old sometimes. is it too much to ask that people play their on own account, guess the money is too much of a siren’s song.
Brian says:
December 17th, 2007 at 3:37am
We have a double edged sword in action – Everyone wants on-line poker legalized, maybe even regulated. Though, the big on-line sites can’t prevent collusion or out right cheating currently. I used to love playing on-line (won a Sunday tournament way back when Empire Poker was still around). Now, the sure bet is to play at the brick and mortar sites. At least you will know who the player is across from you. As long as money and greed are involved, people will try to cheat or get an edge.
DanM says:
December 17th, 2007 at 10:12am
It’s still a matter of principle. Should online porn be prohibited – or altogether avoided – just because some old sap gets taken for $30 a month by a fat old man in a trailer park posing as a super-hot slut who finds bald and wimpy sexy?