Was this a normal reaction?

I was thinking the same thing. The FXT post is collusion although more difficult to detect than raising by both parties. The few nasty incidents I have witnessed over the years have almost always been sparked by collusion or the suspicion of collusion. It's cheating no matter how you look at it.

 

This is pretty much the definition of collusion.

 

I don't know that I would agree with that.

The tactics would be different, but the payoff is still there.


And to answer the OP, no I've never seen anyone freak out like that just because players came in together.

 

Yeah, it's difficult to call 2 big bets cold without a decent hand, or a read that they are trying to drive you out of the pot. I have yet to play in a limit game like this where it was clear to me that it was happening. I saw it online once at a 10c/20c limit game. I didn't report it because I didn't think it hurt me, I didn't care about the stakes, and I was willing to adjust. I probably should have out of principle though.

The more common thing I see among low limit games is soft playing heads up. Some regs won't value bet postflop vs. each other. Keeps the rake down I guess...but boring.

 

I've never understood this play. You play for an hour and maybe get 3-5 winning hands. Why not value bet? I understand minimizing rake but I will gladly pay the rake and maximize my hand value. The winners are too rare to be nice to the other player.

Tournament play is a different animal. I can't tell you how many times I have seen a dry pot bet that prolongs the life of a player that would invariably have been eliminated. The dry pot bettor is incapable of understanding that they have won nothing and congratulate themselves on a successful bluff as the pot is pushed to the all in that would have been gone.

 

I was thinking the same thing.

Also deciding to check it down against your wife, friend, brother etc is also a form of collusion (Soft Play)

Even if it's a low limit table it shouldn't be done.