Tommy Chen Caught Using HUD on WSOP.com

Poker pro Tommy Chen is in deep trouble after being caught using a Heads-up Display (HUD) while playing online at WSOP.com.

Under the screen name ‘BTCBLADE’, Chen dropped himself right in it by streaming his playing session on Twitch – with his HUD clearly displayed for all to see!

The use of HUD’s is expressly forbidden under Nevada Gaming Commission rules, with penalties ranging from a fine of up to $10,000, or imprisonment for between one to six years.

After Chen uploaded his WSOP.com session to his own Twitch.tv account, fellow player Randy Dorfman contacted the WSOP officials to report the blatant breach of regulations. His tweet of a screenshot of Chen playing was accompanied with a call for an explanation from WSOP, leading to “a few exchanged tweets between Dorfman and Head of Online Poker at WSOP Bill Rini”, according to Calvinayre.com.

WSOP.com had the option of banning Chen as the Nevada state-regulated site’s T&C’s read: “use of any software, program or robot which in the Company’s opinion is endowed with artificial intelligence or any external devices, programs or applications,” are illegal and could lead to the banning or termination of any account.

They decided instead to refer the matter upwards to the NGC, where Nevada gambling statute NRS 465.075 makes it illegal to use HUD’s and other third party software which ‘assist in analysing probabilities or strategy’ within licensed gaming.

Violation of this statute is considered to be a category B felony with a maximum fine of up to $10,000 or imprisonment for between one to six years if prosecuted and found guilty.

HUD’s and other such software have been under intense scrutiny recently, with many sites banning them either completely or severely restricting their use, in an attempt to bring back ‘recreational players’ to the game.

Many consider the software available nowadays – HUD’s, seating scripts, downloadable hand histories and others – to give a huge advantage to regular players, who use them to take money from new and ‘rec’ players extremely quickly.

PokerStars, PartyPoker, MPN and others have been instrumental in restricting these aids over the past few months – though not to the extent of Nevada’s Gaming Commission standards which Chen will now face.

PokerStars have held back from banning HUDs completely, instead outlining new rules that included the following: