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Humans Can Still Out-Bluff Machines

Pcol writes "The New York Times reports that in a poker game this week between man and machine, a program called Polaris fought a close match, but lost to two well-known professional poker players. Designing a poker playing algorithm is a different and more difficult challenge for software designers than chess and checkers because of uncertainties introduced by the hidden cards held by each player and difficult-to-quantify risk-taking behaviors such as bluffing. The game-tree approach doesn't work in poker because in many situations there is no one best move and a top-notch player adapts his play over time, exploiting his opponent's behavior. Polaris build a series of "bots" that have differing personalities or styles of play, ranging from aggressive to passive. Researchers monitored the performance of three bots and then moved them in and out of the lineup like football players."

12 of 279 comments (clear)

  1. yea well by jimbug · · Score: 5, Funny

    let's see how well those computers do in strip poker!

    --
    Bite my shiny metal ass.
    1. Re:yea well by NeoTerra · · Score: 2, Funny

      That all depends on if it has an internet connection or not ;)

    2. Re:yea well by sa1lnr · · Score: 3, Funny

      Mine has to play with a handicap. The side panel is already off.

  2. Re:That's cheating. The computer wasn't playing. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Let's see how well the computer does when IT makes all the decisions. Their answer would be to turn it off and on again.
  3. How far we've come. by Rob+T+Firefly · · Score: 5, Funny

    Dealer: My deal..
    Eliza: What does that suggest to you?
    Dealer: It suggests I'm giving you your cards.
    Eliza: We can talk about me later. Now back to you...
    Guest: Here you go.
    Eliza: So you feel I go...
    Guest: Um.. yeah. How many cards do you want?
    Eliza: What else comes to mind when you ask that?
    Dealer: You need to give me whatever cards you want to exchange.
    Eliza: I see. Tell me more.
    Dealer: Um.. so you can get a better hand?
    Eliza: We were discussing you--not me.
    Dealer: Do you have any interest in playing this game?
    Eliza: Oh, I have any interest in playing this game?
    Dealer: That's it, I quit! Go find someone else to torture!
    Eliza: That would't help much, now, would it?

  4. Well, in that case... by Xeth · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'd like to reaffirm my loyalty for this country and its human president. They may not be perfect but they're the best we've got. For now.

    --
    If your theory is different from practice, then your theory is wrong.
  5. Humans Can Still Out-Bluff Machines by Angostura · · Score: 5, Funny

    That's what they want you to think.

  6. Re:Second day was not a fair competition by Vegeta99 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Why don't you think the computer had logs? I mean, Colin Powell says Iraq has WMDs, but that doesn't make it true!

    Yes, I just invoked Godwin's Law Junior.

  7. why so wordy? by Quadraginta · · Score: 3, Funny

    /* Design for computer poker player.  Some implementation details missing. */

    #include <stdio.h>
    #include <poker.h>

    int main() {

       printf("Hello, world.  I am a poker-playing robot.  Prepare to lose your shirt.\n") ;

       while (!win_poker_game()) {
          printf("Curses! Another game, human?"\n") ;
       } ;

       printf("Ha ha!\n") ;

       (void)rake_in_chips() ;

       return(0) ;
    }
     

  8. Re:Not harder than chess by Propaganda13 · · Score: 2, Funny

    psychology - the study of mind and behavior in relation to a particular field of knowledge or activity

    Just because it's not about you wanting to have sex with your mom doesn't mean it's not psychology.

    Pre-flop odds are all calculated on what your hand is. Statistically you know your chances on winning are. Your opponent's hand doesn't matter to you since it's unknown to you and doesn't factor into the odds.

  9. Old joke ,,, by Tungbo · · Score: 2, Funny

    Father explains the statistics of roulette to his son.
    He shows how in the long run, all players will lose to the casino.
    His son nods and nods with his explanation. At the end,
    the father said, "Well son, have you learn anything from this lession?"

    "Yes indeed. I'm going to open a casino when I grow up!"

  10. Re:Oh jesus by RoaldFalcon · · Score: 2, Funny

    Maybe a couple of people just "needed" to spend some mod points before they expired, and computer poker is the only thread they weren't going to post about.

    That's the way I would expect a poker player to think about things.

    Or, perhaps, you are not really that analytical, but you want us to think you are. Hmm...