AI & Poker

[JasonEvans]

I had not heard about this until now but a computer is playing heads-up no-limit hold'em against 4 seasoned pros... and kicking their butts.

We’re at the halfway point of the epic 20-day, 150,000-hand “Brains Vs. Artificial Intelligence” Texas Hold’em Poker tournament, and a machine named Libratus is trouncing a quartet of professional human players. Should the machine maintain its substantial lead—currently at $701,242—it will be considered a major milestone in the history of AI.

-Jason "it is worth noting that the AI is not winning all 4 heads up matches against the human... one human has actually won $126k from the computer" Evans

[CrazyNotCrazie]

I had not heard about this until now but a computer is playing heads-up no-limit hold'em against 4 seasoned pros... and kicking their butts.



-Jason "it is worth noting that the AI is not winning all 4 heads up matches against the human... one human has actually won $126k from the computer" Evans

The title made me think this was about Allen Iverson playing poker, which is the opposite of artificial intelligence

[rasputin]

The title made me think this was about Allen Iverson playing poker, which is the opposite of artificial intelligence

Allen Iverson would be great at poker, if he really tried hard in practice.

[OldPhiKap]

Card Player's website has been following this, and noted that some of the adjustments by the computer included altering opening raise sizes; the pros assume that this change was made by a programmer but i think that might have been speculation (do not want to pull up the website at work; will link later). These are also all head's up matches, which is a much purer math problem than a multi-way table.

But very impressive. Looking forward to a good article discussing the exact nature of the evolving strategy (three bet percentages change? percent of folding as opposed to showing down? More specific on bet sizing? etc.)

[ricks68]

An interesting thought here: What kind of "tell" do you think a computer might have during play?

ricks

[IrishDevil]

Not a poker player or an AI geek, but this is still interesting stuff. Approaching the 3/4 mark of the contest, the lone human Jason referenced as being up $126k on the machine is now up all of $13k. Cumulatively, the machine is up almost one million. Not looking too good for mankind.

Has anyone watched the video feeds? I took a look out of curiosity and had difficulty deciphering what I was seeing. I expected a split screen of the same hand, one side from the human's perspective and one from the machine's, but it looked more like two different hands. There also appeared to be too many cards on the virtual table, based on my basic understanding of Texas Hold 'Em. Can any of you poker players shed light on what the twitch feeds show for a novice? Thanks!

Also, is it possible to hear of this story and not think of this?

[OldPhiKap]

An interesting thought here: What kind of "tell" do you think a computer might have during play?

ricks

Bet sizing is the only one I can really think of, assuming a consistent calculation/decision period no matter the hand.

Not a poker player or an AI geek, but this is still interesting stuff. Approaching the 3/4 mark of the contest, the lone human Jason referenced as being up $126k on the machine is now up all of $13k. Cumulatively, the machine is up almost one million. Not looking too good for mankind.

Has anyone watched the video feeds? I took a look out of curiosity and had difficulty deciphering what I was seeing. I expected a split screen of the same hand, one side from the human's perspective and one from the machine's, but it looked more like two different hands. There also appeared to be too many cards on the virtual table, based on my basic understanding of Texas Hold 'Em. Can any of you poker players shed light on what the twitch feeds show for a novice? Thanks!

Also, is it possible to hear of this story and not think of this?

Have not watched it, but the computer is playing four people heads-up (one on one) as opposed to them all playing the same community hands. If I am understanding the set-up right. So there should be four separate decks and four separate tables, one human per table. Although does that mean that the computer is playing four hands at once, or just one at a time?

I'll have to stream it tonight and see. Probably makes more sense for the players to take turns playing the computer at a single table, but then you should only have two cards down for each competitor (4) plus up to five community cards plus up to three "burn" cards (a card dealt down and into the muck before the flop, turn and river to avoid cheating I guess).

And now, I'm gonna be thinking about Ally Sheedy all morning. So there's that.

[OldPhiKap]

Humans make slight dent in deficit:

http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news...rsus-poker-bot

Dong akin, only human in the black, up $41k or so.

According to one of the other CardPlayer articles you can link on the bottom of the link above:

"According to comments from the human team, this version of the bot is far tougher on the river than previous machines. Libratus will often over-bet shove on the river for value and as bluffs, and generally has had the poker pros befuddled. While human players would show some bias in such a river strategy, the machine has remained balanced and thus pretty unpredictable."

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Strange game. The only winning move is... not to play.

[luburch]

Strange game. The only winning move is... not to play.

This seems appropriate: "I told Worm you can't lose what you don't put in the middle. But you can't win much either."

[OldPhiKap]

"Since it costs a lot to win
And even more to lose,
You and me 'bout to spend some time
Wond'ring what to choose

"Goes to show
You don't always know
So watch each card you play
And play it slow

"Wait until that deal comes round
Don't you let that deal go down,
Oh no."

-- Jerry

[Jeffrey]

Everybody's bragging and drinking that wine,
I can tell the Queen of Diamonds by the way she shine,
Come to Daddy on an inside straight,
I got no chance of losing this time,
No, I got no chance of losing this time!

[OldPhiKap]

Although if one is sitting plush with a royal flush, the back-to-back aces are kinda irrelevant.

[OldPhiKap]

Although if one is sitting plush with a royal flush, the back-to-back aces are kinda irrelevant.

This bot is playing head's up cash games. Would like to see how the same bot did in a multi-hand tournament format. Very different game for multiple reasons, much more complicated.

[Jeffrey]

Although if one is sitting plush with a royal flush, the back-to-back aces are kinda irrelevant.

The back-to-back aces would have been very relevant when the mob ran Vegas. It would not have been easy to justify having six cards.

[OldPhiKap]

The back-to-back aces would have been very relevant when the mob ran Vegas. It would not have been easy to justify having six cards.

I assume he's playing seven card stud. I guess you could hit that hand in no limit hold'em too. Maybe Omaha.

Otherwise, yeah.

Now that I think of it, that would be a perfect Pai Gow hand if I understand the rules -- which I don't really. Royal Flush plus pocket aces -- best the dealer could do is tie.

With my luck, I'd get that hand in Razz.

[Jeffrey]

I assume he's playing seven card stud.

In that case, the mob would have accepted those being his first six cards.

I always loved how Hunter left the words open to many options. Maybe the player had great luck or maybe (s)he was cheating? Crazy Otto and Wolfman Jack could have gone either way.

[OldPhiKap]

http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news...ps-against-bot

Humans now down about a million dollars, about 3/4 through competition.

[Jeffrey]

http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news...ps-against-bot

Humans now down about a million dollars, about 3/4 through competition.

The same thing happens when humans play against Vegas!

[OldPhiKap]

All over but the shouting -- assuming it's programmed to shout:

http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news...day-of-contest