Comment by Joshua Letourneau on September 24, 2008 at 8:09am

Good points and questions :) He (Phil Laak) didn't win . . . but masked his identity because when people know they're playing against him, they play differently than they would against a harmless old man. Poker is an interesting game because of the psychology involved . . . when some players see Phil sitting at the table, they won't go head-to-head against him and will consistently fold their hands . . . creating both opportunities and challenges for Phil later in the tourney.

But I thought to post the vid because many believe that when we (recruiters or sourcers) take on an alter-ego, or create a different identity, we cross the ethical line. That's why I thought to post this and see what people thought - it's interesting to see how some may say it's not unethical in Poker (although that's Phil's job), or it's not unethical if you're a detective . . . but somehow, it's unethical if we're a recruiter.

Know what I mean?

Comment by Michael Albert on September 25, 2008 at 5:15pm

I am lost too. What's the point? That players will underestimate him as a poker player. No way. A poker player can read 'tells' with ease.

Comment by Joshua Letourneau on September 25, 2008 at 5:22pm

Michael, do you think it's unethical for him to mask his identity? I'd like to see if recruiters find this unethical because if he were a recruiter trying to get intel or names, the Recruitment Ethics Associaton would burn him at the stake :) By the way, trust me that most Poker players avoid going head-to-head with Phil . . . most will fold to avoid him in a heads-up matchup. It's not so much about the tells as it is people not giving you a chance to win a significant pot (for example, people always assume him to be strong, so it's not easy to trap when everyone runs away).

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