According to a blog post and accompanying video made by data-mining service HHSmithy, a simple tool has been developed that unmasks screen names at PartyPoker’s “anonymous” tables. The team also claims that a similar exploit exists on Bodog’s new client.
Although details of the exploit have not been published, the video demonstration (embedded below) appears to show the “Player 1” and “Player 2” labels on anonymous heads-up tables at PartyPoker being replaced with the real screen names of the players. According to the accompanying blog post, the PartyPoker server, instead of anonymizing the data then sending this to the client, sends the full player screen names “across the wire.” Because the data is available client-side, an industrious programmer can extract this information and display it in real-time at the table.
HHSmithy’s Kyle Body, who contacted pokerfuse with details of their investigation, has also stated that a co-worker has developed a similar tool to unveil the names at Bodog's anonymous tables, and would post a similar demonstration video later on Monday.
Anonymity at the tables has become a hot topic among players. PartyPoker has had anonymous tables for over a year as an option at heads up tables. MicroGaming recently announced it would expand their anonymous tables in the new year, and Bodog went one step further by making the entire poker room anonymous, causing significant controversy.
HHSmithy’s primary business is data mining: scraping hand histories from observed poker play across poker networks and selling these hand histories to players. Players can import these hands into poker tracking tools and use this information to gain an advantage at the table. The practice goes against the terms and conditions of most poker sites, and is frowned upon by the wider poker-playing community. One of the reasons touted for “anonymizing” poker tables is it nullifies data mining.
