Cheat Policies

Whether it’s giving the wrong token count, the wrong score, or the use of an auto program it is considered cheating.  TrueGoldFriends has a zero tolerance for cheaters.  We run a friendly and fun league for all to enjoy and if someone seems to be winning all the time it’s usually not that much fun.  If we suspect someone of cheating, we will not hesitate to remove that person.  

The subject of cheating has come up as it does with all leagues from time to time. We do have strict policies about that in True Gold Friends. There is no doubt at all that we did not start a league and devote as much volunteer time to running it just to have people come along and try and spoil it for the rest.

Cheating is the most serious accusation one can make in games. It's slanderous; it's hurtful and never funny even when said in jest. With proof we will immediately remove anyone from the league from Admin down, volunteer or not, if they are found cheating in any manner whatsoever. However, anyone found making an unfounded accusation is guilty of an equal act of poor sportsmanship and will be treated in the same manner, removed from the league. It is the height of poor sportsmanship and bad etiquette to accuse another member of cheating just because you lost!  Your actions reflect on you and your friends here and are doubly unfair to them.

Some of our games, like Canasta, Gin, Qwerty etc are a game of strategy and thinking time is required. Add to that the fact that some people are on dial up. Remember, the speed at which you see your cards move is not the same speed at which they actually move, or how the other person sees your cards move. To prove this point, go sit and watch a non-rated, non-league game, and when the first hand is done and the score comes up, do not hit the OK button on the score for 30 full seconds. After 30 seconds, hit the score button and see what happens. You will notice the cards move with incredible speed, so fast in fact that you cannot fully tell which cards were played by whom.

These games are an online real time game. For that to work for all parties, it uses Java and the runtime of java will depend on many factors for all the users, their connection speed, processor speed etc. So what you see is never what the others at the table are seeing at the same time. A similar test can be done by calling a friend on the telephone, sit in a non rated game with them with both parties having the volume control up on their computers. Listen for the Joker and Red 3 and "2" sounds in Canasta and you will clearly hear that it is out of sync with what you are seeing. We as Admins have researched this information and experienced enough to know this.  It is the ignorant who would accuse first without research and second without proof.  It's actually quite comical that those accusing others of cheating are now themselves being accused so no one is immune.

There is simply no nice way to put it.... To accuse without solid proof is as bad as the act of cheating itself and will suffer the same penalty as anyone found cheating. We are all here for the enjoyment of the game, win or lose. This league was built with love, devotion and the ideal that basically we are all kindred spirits. We will protect that ideal to the end for the good of every member on this league. Those who do not believe in these ideals have the option to leave this league and join another where they feel more comfortable, so there is no excuse for poor sportsmanship. As a member of this league you either want to be a valued member who brings joy to others, or you need to be somewhere else and not spoil it for the rest.  We will just remove the few for the good of the many.