Could Team Play Ever Work in Poker? The Verdict is Still Out

Straight up collusion between players may never become an accepted poker variant. But as gaming culture and demographics shift, a team-based future can‘t quite be ruled out either. While today‘s rulebooks explicitly forbid any coordinated strategy, staking arrangements and content partnerships hint that solo purity has limits even now. And who knows – a world of clan games, swappable seats, and squad tourneys may await somewhere down river.

First off – let‘s be clear. Team tactics are currently prohibited at any credible poker table, period. The official legislature of tournaments and card rooms universally outlaws collusion. But online chatter indicates curiosity around how clan elements could reshape tired formats. So I want to explore poker‘s deeply individualistic roots, where written and unwritten rules against "teams" originate, and how gaming‘s evolution might ultimately pressure amendments someday.

Poker DNA – What Defines This Lone Wolf Game

Poker DNA is centered on card skills, cunning, and powers of observation. In terms of format – games typically involve 2 to 10 players aiming to craft superior 5-card hands. Play unfolds across betting rounds like pre-flop, flop, turn, and river as communal cards hit the felt. Tactics range from patient trapping to relentless aggression. But directly coordinating with another player is strictly prohibited.

Examples of Banned Collusion in Poker

Don‘t mistake poker‘s ban on collusion for a blanket prohibition of profiteering partnerships. Backing, staking, chopping, and sweat deals skirt boundaries today. But anything impacting the integrity of gameplay itself is barred. Some textbook no-no‘s:

• Soft playing – checking strong made hands to let a partner capitalize
• Signaling card info through code words or gestures pre-determined
• Peddling action to simulate false tells in tandem
• Deliberately whiffing hands to feed earnings to an ally

Many legit players have suffered tarnished reps just through allegations or suspicions of such tactics. Collusion can be extremely hard to prove with certainty in live games though. But catching online traffickers sharing hole cards illicitly is child‘s play for modern tracking algorithms.

How Much Outside Collaboration is Actually Allowed?

Again, not all cooperation outside matchups violates the solitary commandments of poker. Plenty of A grade pros plug software, training sites, and wear sponsor patches without issue. Staking horse race chop deals are also common enough.

But partnerships directly influencing decision making mid-match cross the line. No soft playing benefactors‘ bounty picks or chip dumping colleages‘ tourney life lines. Game integrity stands sacrosanct above all side action.

Some Legal Collabs:

- Staking horse sponsorships     72% of bracelet winners backed
- Content production teams      Launch poker vlog channels  
- Brand promotion gigs          Rep startup training sites            

Of course unreasonable appearance of impropriety alone can still damage a pro‘s reputation. Caution urged even around legal relationships.

Could Team Play Integrate Someday with Rule Changes?

This is the billion dollar question dividing purists from innovators. Traditionalists argue poker‘s essence depends on outwitting lone opponents in zero sum competition. They claim shifting to team variants erodes the game‘s core integrity.

But mavericks highlight eating into poker‘s demographics crisis requires fresh ideas. They envision formats like:

Partners Live Cash Games

Imagine a 4 person team sharing strategies at a cash game seat, rotating play while consulting the peanut gallery. Soft playing fears would vanish since players have aligned victory conditions. And novice barriers to entry might lower via added comfort blankets.

Squad Tournament Brackets

Why not double the entertainment of the World Series of Poker by having clubs of pros represent major cities battling through a team tourney bracket? Tactical dimensions would skyrocket alongside ratings and promos.

Creative Mixed Tag Team Options

Players might pick specialist teammates balancing aggression and patience as a tandem over a full tournament. Bringing sets of contrasting skills together could enable hybrid strategies exceeding lone abilities.

The Last Word – For Now

Look, "solitary excellence or bust" thinking has dominated poker culture thus far in the 21st century. But a glimpse into gaming‘s past reveals team play as the original norm. And poker‘s overseers know all too well that sticking to declining status quos can become existential threats. Ultimately as gaming generations shift, I wouldn‘t bet the house against some squad elements creeping back into poker – likely as optional side games rather than across the board. But only time will tell if poker‘s core ethos can expand beyond today‘s rugged individualism…

What‘s your take? Let me know if you think there‘s any chance team poker could work!