Eli Elezra Semi-admits Multiaccounting on Full Tilt
What starts out as background talk between Eli Elezra and Patrik Antonius during the Poker After Dark cash game last week ends up getting Howard Lederer’s panties in a severe wad … not just when Antonius extols the greatness of being able to play online anonymously, but even more uncomfortably when Elezra (wearing a Full Tilt patch) confesses: “I have 17 accounts on Full Tilt.”
About 2:10 is where the relevant discourse starts:
Seriously, this is such an issue that online poker will eventually have to deal with in some way. Get the feeling if one of the online rooms launched a multi-accounting crackdown, they might lose half their players/avatars? It’s a rule the online sites have in place for the sake of security and game integrity, or at least as a component of legal disclaimer. And yet it’s counter-intuitive to one of the things that makes doing anything online, let alone poker — semi-anonymity — desirable.
The same issue is relevant at PokerStars … and for now, because both these operations, FTP and Stars, operate outside the (American) law*, the fates of players in violation of this unpopular rule — and the money in their accounts — is left to the discretion of an unregulated company, in an anything but an open forum.
* Not saying these are illegal businesses … just noting that they operate off-shore, and therefore fall outside American jurisdiction in most legal and business matters.
Will be curious to see if Elezra faces any sort of patch suspension for his “breakthrough” during poker therapy. Lederer has been super-diligent about protecting the integrity of “Play with the Pros” ever since Phil Hellmuth got called out for letting an amateur friend play as “Phil Hellmuth” on UB. But then again, perhaps Elezra has a solid defense: “just kidding … trying to put Howard on tilt in a cash game setting.”
Also curious if we’ll ever see the likes of Justin Bonomo consulting online sites the way reformed shoplifters get hired to advise retail corps on how to limit their losses from grift.
Link props: Wicked Chops
Kevin Mathers says:
October 23rd, 2008 at 5:39pm
“But then again, perhaps Elezra has a solid defense: “just kidding … trying to put Howard on tilt in a cash game setting.â€
I’m pretty sure Eli was joking in that situation. This was taped before Patrik and Eli got their red pro status.
DanM says:
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:06pm
I dunno … that makes it all the more legit, if they had nothing preventing them from speaking more honestly. (and howard clearly gave off a facial tell when it came up so clearly.)
do you think i’m making much ado about nothing here?
Kevin Mathers says:
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:27pm
I don’t think so Dan, but I’m sure Howard wasn’t really happy to hear anyone talking that way about having multiple accounts.
Aaron A. says:
October 24th, 2008 at 5:16pm
So weird people like Scotty keep using “he fought so hard in Vietnam, he was a war hero.” I don’t think it makes him completely eligible for a presidential election in today’s times. And how about the Brunson’s rich asses, and we’re gonna get blown up? Wow… maybe he’s islamic too!!! Terrorist maybe?? gimme a break. TOO MUCH Limbaugh and Hannity.
Free the poker world, Obama!!!
DanM says:
October 24th, 2008 at 8:31pm
Makes sense to me, actually.
Both McCain and Scotty (and/or Scotty’s family) had the same bad guys after them. Most Vietnamese in America came here escaping Communist forces … so knowing a guy was tortured by those same Communist forces would naturally create a strong feeling of brotherhood.
Woody says:
October 27th, 2008 at 11:57am
Is the problem just if the player who has multiple accounts is using those accounts simultaneously (an obvious problem)? Or is it perceived to be a problem or “against the rules” even if the player only uses one account at a time but mixes it up as to which account he logs into and uses in a particular session?