Poker Writer
Chris Skinner, a well-known figure on the South Australian poker scene, stepped down as ambassador for the Southern Poker Tour (SPT) after admitting to cheating during a tournament. At least one other local tour has also banned Skinner.
Tour organizers revealed that cheating had occurred without naming the accused player. However, Skinner subsequently came forward to admit that he was the player in question, according to a local report from Poker Media Australia.
How and Where Skinner Cheated at Poker
Skinner had been caught on camera smuggling additional chips onto the table during a New Year’s Eve poker tournament (“Poker With Fred”) in Cobram, Victoria. Security footage showed Skinner taking chips from his pocket and adding them to his stack.
Sometimes called “going north,” fraudulently adding chips to one’s stack is a common form of poker cheating. In some cases, players have gone so far as to produce their own counterfeit chips. It isn’t yet clear where Skinner acquired the chips.
The Aussie, who has several hundred thousand dollars in tournament cashes, released a statement on his social media accounts:
I cheated. I brought chips into play that I had no right to bring into the game. No matter the amount or the result, it was wrong. There is no excuse for it.
He also resigned his position as ambassador for the SPT:
I’m sorry to the players affected, the local poker community, and Fred. I’m ashamed of the position I put him in and of the damage my actions may have caused. I’m not making excuses for what I did.
Skinner said he will now step away from poker as a whole for the next few months to think about his next path. He also promised a contribution to a future local poker event as a “gesture of accountability.”
Reaction to the Cheating
Many were surprised that Skinner was willing to tank his reputation for a low-stakes pub tournament that was for fun on New Year’s Eve. One user on Reddit expressed such a sentiment:
He cheated in a $125 pub tournament. Imagine if this was a 1k or 10k tournament. Pretty sure this isn’t the first time he’s done this.
Another user gave a more in-depth view as someone who claims to know Skinner:
Shocking news this morning, given this guy is one of the most recognisable faces in the Aussie poker scene/ MTT circuit. A bloke I’ve played against many times and someone I would’ve never suspected of playing foul.
I do have to wonder what he was doing cheating in a low stakes MTT aka ‘pub game’ for any non Aussies ITT. Was this a one off stupid decision or is this the first time he was caught? Only God knows and the rest is unprovable conjecture.
Anyway, I think we can all agree that game integrity is absolutely critical for the health of our vibrant poker community and if Chris is a true ambassador for that community, he should be taking his due punishment as a show of remorse and standing by what’s right.
Local Tours Release Statements, Sanctions
The SPT quickly distanced itself from Skinner and his actions. The tour banned Skinner from any SPT tournaments for the foreseeable future and confirmed he is no longer an ambassador.
“Like the rest of the poker community, we were deeply shocked and extremely disappointed to hear about the incident that took place at the POKER WITH FRED New Years Eve game in Cobram, Victoria,” the SPT wrote in a release.
The tour also made sure to assuage any fears that Skinner’s cheating was more widespread in the SPT. He reportedly often set up tables for the tour’s events. The organizers clarified Skinner’s role:
Chris has only ever transported poker tables for SPT with our first two years of operation. SPT chips are transported to and from our venues by only either SPT owners or our highest ranked staff members, and are stored securely after each series.
Another local organization, Gambier Poker, also announced a five-year ban for Skinner. Gambier had named Skinner its Player of the Year and awarded him A$1,884 for consistent performance across its contests in 2025.
“We understand that this has devastating consequences for a player. However, we believe that it is within the best interest of our poker industry,” a club representative wrote.
Image credit: Thomas Hawk/Flickr (license)
