For example, if you are playing two accounts, and the software uses your IP to identify you: You can login to the site on a high speed connection and you can log in a sceond account on a dialup with a different IP on your second computer, or laptop.

I have seen several sites that allow you to have two or more accounts on the same IP, for example a husband and wife with separate accounts, or two roommates.

And of course, you can always be in contact in IM’s or on the phone.

And many sites have the same game but different skins where you can set up an account for each of the skins, and play the same game on one table under two names. Again you need two computers, and sometimes two different IP addresses, to do this.

If the online casinos detect frequency of play with other players, for example the same players sitting at the same tables a lot, then colluding, they may take action, but only some of the top sites have this.

Here is a link to a page on poker cheating:

And most of the poker cheat programs are just plain rip offs. They don’t work.

Your best bet? Stick to the top rated sites such as Pokerstars, Full Tilt, and Poker.com.

And here is a link to some free strategy:

However, in terms of software, the software currently availabe doesn’t exactly show you the opponent’s cards, but what cards that person has played before and are most likely to be playing now.

pokerstars uses software to detect some of the software. however, if you use software that collects data only from the tables you are sitting at, it’s ok.

The consequences of getting caught on the sites is usually banishment from the site and a freezing of all account balances (bye-bye money.) There is usually no jail time involved (for American players at least) since all of the sites are in foreign countries.

If a group of people is suspected of cheating, the case is always investigated further…if it’s to be found that they were indeed cheating, legal and monetary action can be taken. Jailtime and hefty fines go in hand with cheating casinos.