Poker Program Battles Humans In Vegas

Bridger writes "Poker software called Polaris will play a rematch against human players during the 2008 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. Developed by an artificial intelligence group at the University of Alberta in Canada, Polaris will be pitted against several professionals at the Rio Hotel between July 3rd and 6th. 'It's possible, given enough computing power, for computers to play "perfectly," where over a long enough match, the program cannot lose money,"' said associate professor Michael Bowling.'"

Tell

[illumastorm]

When it's bluffing, it blinks twice.

Lets mess with it

[TornCityVenz]

I'd love to see one of the guys slick at handleing cards, slip a couple extra aces into the deck, or the like. Would the program adapt? Draw a laser and call him a no good sack of mostly water?

They have to turn the monitor on it's side

[StaticEngine]

If they want to correctly display the advanced AI "poker face": :|

Re:Zero sum game

[pbhj]

Almost exactly what I was thinking, but for me it was "put 3 of these computers against each other and they'll devalue the currency?".

Re:hmmmm

[darkhitman]

They realize the only way to win is not to play?

perfect game?

[circletimessquare]

i don't believe it. he's bluffing

Re:Zero sum game

[jandrese]

I think the point is that two of them facing off would end up with just as much money as they started with over the long run.

Of course if the pool of money is not unlimited, then in the short term one will pull ahead of the other, and can "win" through sheer random chance. This isn't really that hard of a concept, the idea is that if another player is playing slightly suboptimally, then against this computer and both with a limitless pool of money and playing forever, the computer will slowly but surely pull ahead of the flawed opponent. It does not mean the computer will win against the human players in Vegas for several reasons:

1. The pool of money is limited (and fairly small)
2. The playtime is finite and also fairly small
3. Human players can walk away from the table if they get a short term advantage (quit while you are ahead), I'm guessing the computer program doesn't do that

This reminds me of an old mathematician joke:

One day this guy is finally fed up with his middle-class existence and decides to do something about it. He calls up his best friend, who is a mathematical genius. "Look," he says, "do you suppose you could find some way mathematically of guaranteeing winning at the race track? We could make a lot of money and retire and enjoy life." The mathematician thinks this over a bit and walks away mumbling to himself.

A week later his friend drops by to ask the genius if he's had any success. The genius, looking a little bleary-eyed, replies, "Well, yes, actually I do have an idea, and I'm reasonably sure that it will work, but there a number of details to be figured out.

After the second week the mathematician appears at his friend's house, looking quite a bit rumpled, and announces, "I think I've got it! I still have some of the theory to work out, but now I'm certain that I'm on the right track."

At the end of the third week the mathematician wakes his friend by pounding on his door at three in the morning. He has dark circles under his eyes. His hair hasn't been combed for many days. He appears to be wearing the same clothes as the last time. He has several pencils sticking out from behind his ears and an almost maniacal expression on his face. "WE CAN DO IT! WE CAN DO IT!!" he shrieks. "I have discovered the perfect solution!! And it's so EASY! First, we assume that horses are perfect spheres in simple harmonic motion..."

Re:This is like "computer battle human in tennis"

[Anonymous Coward]

actually, Java has been playing "perfect" poker (all variants) for years now. It's the clever new "Just-In-Time" virtual machines that make it possible, compiling and optimizing the program in real time.
"Poker face"? No problem with the latest Java 3d facial animation libraries.
The end result is perfect play and code that runs (at least) 10 times as fast as that from a modern C++ compiler.
Even the very best hand crafted assembler poker games can't reach a quarter of the speed of Java.

Re:Reminds me of those...

[wattrlz]

Most 100%+ slots I've seen, in Vegas, stipulate that you only get 100% of your money back, "with perfect play". Which would mean the majority of people would still loose plenty of money. Besides, even if you did double your money on a 106% slot you'd probably blow it all on craps five seconds later anyway.

Re:This is like "computer battle human in tennis"

[Darkness404]

Even the very best hand crafted assembler poker games can't reach a quarter of the speed of Java.

Speed of Java!?! Don't make me laugh. Java has, and will always be slower then assembly.

Re:Lets mess with it

[Anonymous Coward]

You got to know when to holdem, know when to foldem, know when to walk away,,,and when to run exploits,,

With apologies to Kenny Rogers.

Re:BIG DEAL. They are talking about LIMIT hold'em!

[tommeke100]

AK? That's Called an Anna Kournikova...She looks good, but never wins ;-)

Re:Impossible by definition

[sjhs]

Someone will *have* to be the loser.

You're assuming the game actually ends. But we know that computers are prone to infinite loops :-p.

First hand...

[Hossicle]

If I was playing a computer on the first hand I would go ALL in (and do it blind). ...program would hopefully calculate my SIZE_OF_BALLS() variable as an out of bounds condition and give up. If that didn't work at least I'd be done and could go back to drinkin' in the casino bar.

Re:They have to turn the monitor on it's side

[somersault]

8|

He's doing the eyes again! May as well fold.

Re:I'm at least as good as this software...

[spazdor]

I'm at least as good as this software! ... I just don't gamble!

How about Global Thermonuclear War?

Re:I'm at least as good as this software...

[TheRaven64]

Okay. You can have the first move.