Bot or Not? How to Beat AI at Poker
Two years ago, everything changed with the introduction of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Before it popped onto the global scene, for many, artificial intelligence was primarily associated with movies like The Terminator and The Matrix – films with storylines depicting tech becoming sentient and enslaving us all. We are far away from such grim scenarios or this software having such capabilities, but there is no doubt that as we write this, AI is revolutionizing life as we know it. It has been a transforming force for many industries within its short existence. And now, it has also entered the world of poker.
The most famous card gambling game ever has maintained its popularity by appealing to many as one where intuition assists in the triumph. However, now, bots like Libratus and Pluribus have shown tremendous potential, and they have led many to question the future of AI-human interaction in an area previously ruled by the strategic prowess of our minds.
Below, we explain how humans can try to defeat these advanced foes and how they stand the best chance of doing so.
How AI Dominates Poker
AI poker bots have impressive computing power to the level that no human or group of humans will ever match. They can analyze in-game hand probabilities and dive into historical pools. To say that the ability to evaluate millions of hand combinations in mere seconds is an advantage is an understatement of the century.
In addition, these bots learn instantaneously. They can use the Nash equilibrium principles to balance aggression and defense for effective countering. Unlike humans, who display habits/routines in everything, bots can maintain high unpredictability and are immune to focus drops.
Recently, Facebook’s Pluribus defeated six world-class poker players utilizing self-play reinforcement. That is a fancy way of saying it taught itself tactics by playing millions of hands against itself. It also dabbled in employing unconventional ones, like making atypical bet sizes and executing irrational bluffs to confuse. How wise, no?
How to Beat AI at Poker
AI bots thrive on logic, and yes, humans cannot reach their capacity in this department. Playing chess, sudoku, or solving puzzles helps individuals dramatically enhance their analysis skills. These work the mind and are terrific for improving pattern recognition. A solid grasp of poker math or knowledge of things like pot/implied odds, hand ranges, and equity calculations is pivotal for this endeavor.
The most straightforward answer to what online poker bots are is to call them computer players guided by predefined algorithms. As such, they may struggle against unconventional play, meaning when faced with things that do not make sense given what they have learned about the game and how it should be played, they may get stumped. Even though they can study behavior, if someone experiments with check-raising or slow-playing in non-traditional spots, it may offset an AI’s faculty to judge what is happening. Therefore, it may adapt incorrectly, making inaccurate assumptions about what the player is trying to do.
The consensus in the sphere is that this can be accomplished by focusing on optimal game theory play. Even though these bots try to be hard to predict, in some cases, they, too, have patterns they stick to. A documented one is overbetting in polarized situations. They may also time unpredictable bluffs, making these somewhat predictable.
Modern Poker Theory by Michael Acevedo is a good book that discusses GTO concepts, helping players understand and implement these approaches. If players combine these approaches with their attained card intuition, they can be handy in countering AI.
Now, while bots are immune to tilt, emotional control is still critical for humans, and The Mental Game of Poker by Jared Tendler can go a long way in helping with this.
Resources to Train Against Poker Bots
The initial suggestion would be to check out structured courses on GTO strategies. Run It Once is a pricey service founded by Phil Galfond (a renowned pro) that can be super helpful for players of all skill ranges. We say this because it offers high-end tutorials from top professionals on various card gambling topics. PokerCoaching.com is another fine choice, as is Upswing Poker Lab, which has detailed GTO courses.
Practicing against AI-style opponents is also crucial. It is hard to understand one’s main strengths/weaknesses if one does not engage in it. AI simulation tools replicate bots’ decision-making processes, which is invaluable in determining how they function. We recommend testing PokerSnowie, a training poker software focusing on No-Limit Texas Hold ’em play. GTO+, whose main license costs $75, is a powerful solver that lets users simulate optimal strategies and is worth its price tag. The same goes for PioSolver, which gets advertised as a very fast GTO solver, and according to many, it may be the most advanced one on the market. To purchase its pro version, one needs to fork over $249. Those who do should be wary of its steep learning curve.
We would also suggest the book Applications of No-Limit Hold ’em by Matthew Janda as the perfect gift for those wanting to master GTO. Beating bots will also require reading recent scientific publications on this tech in poker. These should explain how bots like Libratus and Pluribus work and go into their limitations.
