Poker remains a staple in land-based and online casinos, where players enjoy the social interaction and convenience of the game. According to Alan Kendall from Techopedia, SG’s best online poker sites have an extensive collection of poker variants and games from popular Ohama Hi-Lo, Five Card draw, to Texas Hold’em. But regardless of the poker variant, the game can be exceptionally challenging to play.
Poker involves multiple layers of strategy, where players must think several steps ahead. Unlike any other game, players never know the cards of opponents, making it difficult to make informed decisions. The game requires players to understand probabilities and odds, read opponents, and make strategic decisions based on incomplete information. This is where AI tools provide players with opportunities to improve their skills and refine strategies.
How AI is Applied in Poker
AI plays a significant role in poker, helping players with strategy development, training, and analysis. Using advanced algorithms and machine learning techniques, there are four key areas AI is applied to help players with their poker strategies.
Game Theory Optimal (GTO)
GTO in poker refers to a theoretically perfect strategy that cannot be exploited by an opponent. AI can calculate these strategies by analysing millions of possible hand combinations and scenarios. It also determines the most profitable action in each situation and creates a balanced strategy that cannot be exploited in the long run.
For example, AI could potentially determine the optimal frequency of bluffing on a specific board texture to maximize long-term profit. Optimal bluffing frequency is directly related to the bet size and pot odds. The larger the bet size the more often you can profitably bluff and vice versa. AI can calculate bluffing frequency based on the pot size. Since GTO is theoretical, you still need to adjust AI’s calculations based on your opponent’s tendencies. If they fold too much, you can bluff more often. If they call too much, you should bluff less.
Pattern Recognition
AI can identify patterns in large datasets of poker hands by analyzing millions of hand histories. It can detect subtle trends in betting patterns, sizing, and frequencies. It has the ability to recognize how different board textures affect player behaviour. By analyzing and identifying these patterns, AI can spot tendencies that human players might miss, such as an opponent’s propensity to fold to river bets on specific board types.
Decision Making
AI can possess complex poker situations and suggest actions. It evaluated multiple factors such as pot, odds, stack, sizes, position, and more. It calculates the expected value (EV) of different actions, considering long-term profitability rather than short-term results. For example, AI might recommend a call in a situation where folding makes sense. This call will be based on its calculations of long-term EVs.
Opponent Modeling
AI can create detailed modes of your opponent’s playing style by simply tracking and analyzing their actions over many hands. It can categorize players into different style types such as loose-passive or tight-aggressive. Additionally, AI can predict likely actions based on an opponent’s past behaviour in similar situations. This allows it to adjust its strategy in real-time based on your opponent.
AI-Powered Tools and Software
There are AI-powered training tools that provide you with a risk-free way to hone your skills
Poker Training and Simulation Tools
PokerSnowie uses advanced AI techniques and neural networks to teach players GTO principles. This allows you to practice against AI opponents, you also receive feedback on your decisions instantly, giving you an idea of which areas can be improved or where you can adapt your strategy.
GTO Wizard, on the other hand, focuses on helping you understand and implement various GTO strategies. This tool provides a detailed analysis of optimal play in various situations. It also provides you with a vast library of pre-solved scenarios, helping you create and analyze custom scenarios.
Hand Analysis Software
This AI software has various tools that can analyze your play and identify any areas for improvement. This includes:
- PokeTracker: This is a comprehensive tool used for tracking and analyzing sessions. AI collects data on your hands and those of your opponents. It provides detailed statistics regarding your play and offers AI-driven insights to identify any leaks in your game.
- Holdem Manager: This tool is relatively similar to PokerTracker, but comes ith unique features. It comes with a customizable heads-up display (HUD) for online play. You receive AI-assisted analysis based on your pattern plays and it includes tools to review hand histories.
AI Agents
AI agents in poker sounds nefarious but they are AI systems designed to play poker or assist in poker strategy. Some AI agents assist with decision-making using advanced algorithms, while others can simulate millions of hands to refine your poker strategy.
- Reactive agents: These agents make decisions based solely on the current game state without using memory or learning. They are simple and fast but struggle with complex or dynamic situations
- Model-based agents: These agents use a model of the poker environment to predict the outcomes of actions and choose the best one. They can handle uncertainty and changing situations but require significant information and computational power.
- Goal-based agents: These agents have a specific objective (like maximizing winnings) and act based on their environmental model and goal. They can plan ahead and optimize actions but may not consider other players’ preferences.
- Utility-based agents: These agents use a utility function to measure the desirability of different outcomes. They can balance multiple goals and trade-offs but may lack transparency in decision-making.
- Learning agents: These agents improve their performance over time by learning from actions and feedback. They can use methods like reinforcement learning to adapt to new situations but may require substantial data and time to learn effectively.
Conclusion
AI-powered tools and apps can offer opportunities for poker players to improve their game. Whether you are a beginner looking to build on your skills or an advanced poker player looking to advance your existing strategies, these tools can provide valuable insights and training opportunities to explore. By leveraging these tools responsibly, you can continually adapt and refine your strategy and gain a significant edge in playing poker.
