In poker, "soft play" refers to what?

[ProGambler]

In poker, "soft play" refers to a situation where players do not play aggressively against each other, particularly when they have a personal relationship or vested interest in one another's success. Soft play can occur when friends, family members, or individuals with a pre-existing agreement avoid putting each other in difficult situations or refrain from making aggressive bets or raises against each other.

Soft play is considered unethical and against the spirit of fair competition in poker. It undermines the integrity of the game by providing an unfair advantage to the players involved in the soft play arrangement. Soft play can harm other players at the table who are not part of the collusion, as they do not receive the same competitive playing field.

 

[CR7]

Exactly, soft play is a term frequently used in poker to describe a situation where players deliberately avoid maximizing their potential profits against each other. This behavior can manifest in various ways, such as refraining from making strong bets or raises, intentionally folding strong hands, or making non-aggressive or suboptimal decisions to benefit a specific player or group of players.

Soft play is often associated with collusion, which refers to an agreement between players to work together to gain an unfair advantage over other opponents at the table. Collusion can involve sharing information about hand strengths or coordinating betting actions to manipulate the outcome of a hand or the overall game.

While soft play and collusion are generally prohibited in regulated poker environments, it can be difficult to detect and prove such behavior. That's why poker rooms and online platforms have stringent rules and security measures in place to deter and punish players who engage in soft play or collusion.

In any form of poker, it is crucial to play the game honestly and ethically, treating all opponents equally and competing to the best of one's ability. Soft play is not only frowned upon but is also actively discouraged, as it undermines the fairness, integrity, and competitiveness of the game.