Online Poker Seating Scripts
The second argument in favor of seating scripts is that it is merely a development in the nature of the online game, just as HUDs were several years ago. The game changes, and people need to adapt to it. However, none of the previous changes have amounted to a preventable barrier to entry in the same way seating scripts have. Seating scripts are programs that online poker players use to find the most profitable (soft) tables. It does so by constantly scanning the poker lobby where poker tables can be viewed. The program hunts for weaker or losing players by comparing their stats from previous play history and automatically selects a seat at their table.
An issue that has begun to receive more attention in the poker community lately is the use of third-party software that automatically seats a player at a cash game table. It is not always clear where the line should be drawn on what types of third-party software the sites should allow.
The purpose of these auto-seating scripts is to allow players to join tables that contain weaker players ahead of other strong players. These scripts can join a table within a fraction of a second of the targeted player sitting. This often causes the weaker player distress. Since it is clear that no human could physically click a mouse that quickly, suspicion and mistrust push these players away.
This software is not commercially available: If it were, and were commonly used, the result would be tables filling almost instantly at the mid- to high-stakes. Recreational players would feel increasingly targeted, and lose confidence that they are playing against legitimate, human opponents. Even with its limited distribution, chat logs posted on 2+2 demonstrate targeted players have already begun expressing concern over the use of these scripts.
Auto-seating scripts have been banned by the Ongame network, where a lack of waitlists created very intense competition for available seats.
In response to player complaints, Party Poker recently made the decision to disallow the seating scripts, stating that the scripts contravened their anti-cheating policy. “Please be advised that we take a negative stance against any players using an auto seating script and encourage you all to report any players known to be doing so and the names of any such software,” a Party Poker representative posted on 2+2.
PokerStars allows the use of these scripts to register for Sit-and-go tournaments. The commercially available program SngRegistrator scans the lobbies and automatically register its user in tournaments that contain a pre-set number of players that the user has previously indicated a preference for playing against.
PokerStars representative Lee Jones confirmed that Stars does allow this type of software, but it is “monitoring the situation.” Lee continued, “We know that programs such as SNG Registrator are becoming more prevalent and more powerful; we’re watching to see how this plays out.”
It is not always clear where the line should be drawn on what types of third-party software the sites should allow. Heads-up displays automatically calculate tendencies from thousands of hands. Software such as Table Ninja automatically calculates and enters bet sizes into the betting box. However, generally the ultimate decision and physical action must be taken by the player.
Sites should err on the side of banning software that takes the action for the player, particularly in cases where there is clear evidence that it has a negative impact on the confidence and enjoyment of their player bases.
Policing this type of third party software may not be straightforward for the poker sites and effective detection and enforcement strategies may take time to develop and implement. Nonetheless, taking the first step of officially disallowing the software will be a good first step in deterring and preventing its use.
Online poker giant PokerStars has moved to put an end the use of all automated seating scripts in its continued attempt to level the playing field for all its players.
Seating scripts are third-party software programs that scan the lobbies of ring games and seek to automatically seat a player at a table filled with weaker players. The use of such automated scripts is often seen as predatory behavior, as they allow stronger players to use the software to “hunt” weaker players.
As of April 11, all seating script software that automates the process of finding a seat at PokerStars’ cash game tables has been prohibited, including the ones that merely help players join tables without considering the profiles of players already seated at the tables.
Online Poker Seating Scripts Login
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“In response to player feedback, we have made changes that prohibit players using seating scripts, effective immediately and for ring games only,” said a PokerStars spokesperson to Poker Industry PRO, our premium news and data analytics platform for poker industry insiders.
The decision comes following changes to the seating scripts policy last month that caused an “undesirable effect” on the playing experience, according to the operator.
In March, the operator implemented significant changes to its third-party tools policy, making seating script tools less powerful by restricting those programs that helped players find a seat based on opponent profiling such as gameplay statistics or notes. The then new prohibition forced developers of these tools to either stop supporting PokerStars or make changes to their programs.
Prior to implementation, PokerStars informed many of these seating script developers, including HirokuScript, Need4Seat, Seat Mojo, TableScan Turbo and others, about their planned changes to restrict the use of player profiling. As a result, tool designers started looking for new ways to please their customers.
Some of these developers configured their software to find a table only when a certain number of players sat at a table, while some implemented a seating mechanism that found a seat as soon as the table started to fill up quickly. Technically these tools did not violate PokerStars’ third-party tools policy.
However, what was supposed to improve the playing experience for players turned out to have a negative impact, as within the first week of implementation of the new policy, players on poker forums reported finding it difficult to join a table. With multiple high-volume players using the allowed scripts with new the seating mechanisms, a cascade of seat reservations flooded the lobby causing seats at new tables to fill up with an “R” (the seat reservation sign) as soon as a new player sat down.
“I thought they were banning scripts but they seem as rampant as ever,” a user wrote on the Two Plus Two forums. “[Sometimes it is] hard to even get sat down at regular tables due to this.”
One of the players even started a petition on Two Plus Two requesting the room to ban all types of seating scripts. Soon, a representative from The Stars Group Game Integrity Team responded in the thread stating that “[due] to ring game seating scripts inherently causing this 'table blocking’, we are making changes starting from today to prohibit players using these seating scripts. This change is effective immediately.”
HirokuScript, one of the seating scripts affected by this latest ruling is “unhappy” with this move. The software was earlier blacklisted by the operator but the developer has shared communication with pokerfuse from PokerStars assuring that players will be allowed to run the program while the PokerStars client is open because HirokuScript no longer supports PokerStars.
“We were in personal contact with the team for previous changes in their policies, but this [recent] news came out of nowhere and with no preamble,” said Mat from the HirokuScript team to pokerfuse.
HirokuScript believes that this move will lead players to look for “underground” scripts which would make it harder for the room to detect when prohibited tools are being used. Instead, the operator should have implemented the “Seat Me” functionality that is being trialed in the European segregated rooms, rather than ban these tools unexpectedly, Mat told pokerfuse.
Seat Me is a blind lobby feature that removes the ability of a player to choose a specific table and seat in cash games and hence nullifies the effectiveness of seating script programs. When Seat Me is in place, players are presented with a choice of buy-in size and table stake. The system then automatically puts the player in an available seat matching their choices.
PokerStars introduced this functionality in the Spanish market in January 2017 on a trial basis. Following its success, the room rolled out Seat Me in France, Portugal, and Italy.
Poker Seating Scripts
In 2018, the operator said it would look to expand Seat Me to the dot-com market “towards the end of the year” if the “[Italian] market reacts as expected.” All new game releases, like Power Up and Six Plus Hold’em are deployed under the blind lobby system.
However, for some reason, the operator has yet to adopt this functionality across its international player pool.
Online Poker Seating Scripts 777
“We are currently conducting a full review of the impact Seat Me has had so far on the poker ecosystem, and will be collating player feedback in the coming months, a PokerStars representative told PRO earlier this year. “This will determine what happens next with Seat Me.”