Gary Wise has a great column for ESPN about the whole JJ Prodigy incident and the consequences of his being allowed to play at the Aussie Millions (my summary, for those not familiar with the situation):
“Cheating, unfortunately, is inherently human. We as a species are never wholly content to sit on our laurels when there are advantages offered, especially without matching consequences. It’s frustrating to know that players like Field have cheated, but if it weren’t him, it would be someone else, and then someone else and then someone else. It’s also inherently human to strike out at those few individuals who tarnish the game in loud, emotional but ultimately forgotten strokes. Companies of massive standing have the power to be inhuman, to do the things that individuals can’t for the greater and enduring good. The real blame should be placed on the shoulders of those with the power to make change that aren’t seizing the opportunity. Until they do so, the Josh Field’s of the world won’t have much to disincline them from doing what they do.”
An article like this was badly needed. It both exposes and explains the relatively minimal impact of one of the biggest cheating scandals to hit online poker to ESPN’s audience of largely recreational players. Hopefully it will both inform these players of the risks and also make them less irrationally paranoid about playing online, at least eventually.
It’s also nice that he proposes something of a solution that involves bringing the issue to light rather than burying it.