The world’s number one poker player has just been relegated. Not by a person, but by a computer, of course. A team of scientists is reporting in Science that they have essentially solved a type of Texas Hold ‘em poker by developing a computer program that cannot be beaten, at least in a human lifetime.
While this has been achieved previously for simpler games, such as Connect Four, this is the first time that scientists have solved a game in which some information is concealed from the players. Not only could this technology help poker players step up their game, but it could also have a diverse range of applications in situations requiring complex decision-making, such as security and medicine.
The algorithm developed is specific to one variety of poker, and it can still lose hands if dealt bad cards just like the opponent. In computer science lingo, it’s what is referred to as a “weak” solution. However, as Motherboard explains, it will minimize its losses as best is mathematically possible and will gradually wipe you clean of your chips by making the “perfect” decision in any given scenario. So, even if you fancy enduring 60 million hands with the program, it will still beat you.
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STORY:http://www.iflscience.com/technology/unbeatable-computer-program-has-solved-texas-hold-em-poker