What Is Real-Time Assistance in Poker and How Does RTA in Poker Work?

Online poker continues to develop, with players looking for ever more sophisticated strategies to achieve success. However, it is the access to digital tools that are really changing the game, and at the center of that trend is real time assistance, or RTA.

For new online poker players, or those new to using tools to help with your online poker games, it can be a bit overwhelming trying to understand what these tools are, and what they can do for you, never mind how to actually use them. Some refer to players using RTA as cheats, because online poker sites go out of their way to detect players using RTA, while others see them as valuable tools. The complex RTA conversation is not helped by so many misunderstandings about the tools themselves, If you play online poker, you may have considered RTA tools, but are not sure if this is the direction you want to go or whether they work with your poker client. Our guide covers everything, so you can know if RTA is the answer for your online gaming or not, no matter which poker site you use, whether Pokerstars, GGPoker or anywhere else.

What Is RTA in Poker?

Real-time assistance refers to the use of tools that provide guidance as you play poker. So, if you are using a solver that tells you what the best strategy in any given situation is, as you play, that would be real-time assistance. In general, when we talk about RTA, most people are thinking of using RTA software products, however, simply having preflop charts open on another screen can be a form of real-time assistance too.

The difference in capabilities between these different tools means they fall into two different types:

Automated Real Time Assistance

These are software-based systems such as poker solvers and bots, which you run while you play poker. They automatically extract data from the poker platform, including cards in play, chip counts, bet sizing and even player histories in some cases, and use that to analyze the table and provide the most effective strategy at every turn.

These systems are particularly effective, basing their decisions around game theory optimal, or GTO. This approach seeks to eliminate any errors, basically meaning there are no choices that other players exploit. While this strategy doesn’t offer the big wins that a more aggressive approach can deliver at times, players who follow GTO strategies rarely lose money, and over time will come out ahead.

Manual Poker Assistance

The other option for real-time assistance is the manual solution, where you take information from the game you are playing and input into a piece of software, spreadsheet or whatever. While not as convenient to use as automated systems, don’t think that they are inferior in terms of performance, using manual input RTA tools well means having the same guidance as automated options, and that can really elevate your  performance when you play poker.

Is Using Real-Time Assistance in Poker Illegal?

In general, online poker platforms want to offer a fair game, where everyone is reliant on their skills and experience to win. Gaining a reputation for having fixed or biased games can ruin a poker platform and leave them with few players, so it is no surprise that in general, gaming operators are not fans of real-time assistance on their platforms and do their best to prevent the use of RTA tools in their games. They want the better poker players to win through skill and game knowledge, as that is what people expect from the entire online poker experience.

However, while you will find that poker platforms prohibit the use of a solver or other RTAs in their online poker terms and conditions, and will likely ban you if you get caught, it is not illegal as in against the law, and you are unlikely to be charged with a crime for using one. Solvers are perfectly legal, they are just banned from major poker sites in their terms and conditions.

It is unethical though, and if caught you can have issues. A high-profile case was German poker player Fedor Kruse, who was banned when caught, and lost accounts at a number of different poker sites at once. With the loss of accounts also came the loss of funds, with some poker industry reports saying he lost as much as $250,000 from a single account. So, you certainly can be punished for using poker RTAs, so be prepared. Any online poker RTA users should make sure that they don’t leave money in accounts for long, just in case.

Using RTA in Poker – How does Real-Time Assistance Work?

It varies slightly depending on which kind of system you are using, but in general, as your game progresses, whether the tool collects the information itself or you enter game details as you go, as each turn comes around, your static RTA tool will analyze the table situation and offer its best choice for you to win the game, or at least not lose it, depending on what the software is programmed to do.

In most cases, these tools will give the suggested choice of action on screen, and you just follow the solutions while you are playing. For experienced players, the solver solutions can enhance what they already do, and a combination of the good player and the RTA tool you use while playing poker is often unbeatable, blending GTO strategy with human instincts.

Can You Get Banned for RTA Use?

Most online poker platforms have some form of clause in their terms and conditions that makes it clear that you can’t use third-party software and you will be banned if detected, and this is part of the fight against RTA. You can check your favorite platform to be sure, look for terms that say something like “All decisions made at the poker table must be made by you and you alone. Any choices must be made by humans.” Another is “We prohibit any use of software or reference material that provides advice or can influence decision making in real-time, including GTO Solvers, Range Calculators, ICM Analyzers and others.” All these terms are a way to remove RTA from the game.

The consequence of breaking these terms is usually ban on the poker player account, but as noted earlier, this also means the confiscation of any funds in the account, so you can lose everything from this. The key is to understand the risk, and take appropriate measures if you plan on using these tools anyway, such as limiting the funds in the account, not going overboard with use and racking up out of character wins and so on, avoiding the attention that helps combat RTA use. 

What You Can Do Against Poker RTA?

If you find yourself at a table and think you are playing against someone using RTA, what can you do? In general, anyone using RTA to follow the GTO strategy is very difficult to play against. The entire idea is to play in a way that leaves no room for them to be exploited, and trying to usually leaves you vulnerable in some way.

If you find that you are at a table with a player who is making odd choices that end up working well for them, you could well be playing against someone using RTAs, and if you’re in doubt about who you are playing against, then the best thing you can do is walk away and try another table.

How do You Detect and Deter Cheaters Using an RTA Tool?

Because rampant use of RTAs can quickly harm a poker platform’s reputation, they have a very real need to keep use at a minimum. As a result, most popular platforms have some sort of detection system built into the platform, but how do they work?

There are manual observers who look for third party data interceptions on accounts using sophisticated scanning systems, but the main point of detection is AI driven. Think about a poker platform with thousands of players, there could be millions of hands played per day, so an automated system is the only way to really monitor it all.

These algorithms look for GTO style playing patterns, and if found, will flag the account for attention, and then player performance will be manually assessed and a decision made. Prohibited software includes solvers and data miners, hand converters and HUDs, with popular sites such as Pokerstars and GGPoker also some of the most active operators in checking on player use of poker software.

How To Protect Myself From RTA Ban In Poker?

To prevent detection, the key is to stay low profile. Don’t use RTA in games with large stakes, because there is more attention to your play in those games. Don’t go over the top with the assistance, combining RTA choices with your own can be the best approach and avoid the GTO strategy detection by making other moves too.

Never leave large amounts of funds in an account either, take your winnings out on a regular basis, so that if the worst does happen, you are not losing all your profits with it.

The Future of RTA in Poker

As the tools that provide real-time assistance become more sophisticated, more capable and less visible, poker platforms face a significant choice. They will need to protect the perceived fairness of the games they operate, and that means upgraded security, and we will see a constant ‘war’ between RTA systems and poker platform security as one tries to stay a step ahead of the other. With “upgraded detection methods it may be the case that poker platforms take control, but it is more likely that people who have access to the best RTA tools will continue to use them and avoid detection.

In general, RTA tools will become better at the game, that is the nature of AI-based algorithms, the more they play, the more they understand. If everyone is using RTA though, games will become a farce, and the online poker experience ruined. It is often speculated that the game’s elite players are currently using RTA, and if true, are likely to continue to use it to stay ahead of the pack, as is the way in the poker world.

Does the form of RTA make a difference?

Real-Time Assistance is a key tool in helping you find your way to profits in online poker. They can help you make the right choices in most scenarios and come out ahead, and are a great tool to learn poker strategy from too.

But there are downsides, understanding how to use them effectively without triggering detection systems is essential for prolonged use, but when used effectively, they can make a huge impact in your overall poker experience.

Poker RTA FAQs

What does RTA mean in poker?

Rea-Time Assistance is the use of any tool that helps you make choices during a game, as you play it. Examples are poker solvers, bots, preflop charts and so on.

What is a real time solver in poker?

This is a software tool that analyzes your poker table as you play, capturing data about cards, chips and players, then offering guidance at each turn based on the Gaming Theory Optimal strategy.

Is RTA allowed in online poker?

In general no. Every major poker site and platform has clauses in their terms and conditions that ban the use of any tool that can help you make decisions during a game, and if detected, will result in you having your account closed.

Are poker solvers legal?

Like all types of RTA, poker solvers are banned from online poker platforms, and using them will get you banned from the site. But they don’t break any laws, and you will not be convicted of anything for using them.

What is an RTA in poker?

RTA stands for real-time assistance, and it is a tool that will analyze your game and provide guidance on what to do next as you play.

What is real time assistance?

Any too, whether software, books or something else, that you can use to help you make choices during a game of poker, such as a poker solver or preflop charts.

What poker solvers do pros use?

Pros use a range of poker solvers, usually to help them practice, including PioSolver, Monker Solver and Simple Postflop.

How much does a poker solver cost?

That depends on which one you choose, and sometimes, the level of support it offers. Basic solvers can be found for $100 or even less, but a fully automated solver with every bell and whistle may be well over $1,000 to buy.

Can I be banned for using RTA?

Yes. Poker sites strictly prohibit the use of solvers in their terms and conditions, and will ban you from their site if detected, including confiscating any fund you had in your account.