Tuesday, September 21, 2004

Could Poker Bots be a Chink in Online Pokers Armour?

Are poker ‘bots’ raking online pots?

MSNBC reports on the apparant infiltration of poker bots in the $1bn online poker industry.

Essentially, a 'poker bot' is a computer program that happily sits next to human players at the virtual table. They have the ability to literally 'fleece' the amateur, newcomer, strategically inept - and even possibly the above-average player.

But whilst the existence of these bots is grudgingly believed by the pros, the size of the problem is unknown.

Furthermore, the report continues, the sheer complexity of poker is causing many a skeptic not to worry greatly about these bots. With poker - you need a bot that can 'think' and 'play' - unlike the optimal strategy of blackjack or the mathematics of chess.

And of course - a multi-layered bot is currently being built with the artificial intelligence required to sit above just basic calculation

You can read more about specific poker bots currently in development, their human counterparts and the response from the online poker industry at MSNBC

- There has been rumours and allegations about 'bots' since the online poker industry began. Originally, it was alleged the online poker operator itself were using bots to fill the rooms. Now, as technology gets cleverer and the lure of huge prize money get bigger, its up to those same poker operators to work against them - else the unbreakable boom that is online poker could trip up at its first hurdle - especially for the little guys and new players out there.

Personally, I can see the day poker bots take on poker champions in a real life tournament - a bit like those that already take place in chess. Now that would be an interesting game...

posted by jo @ 11:36 PM   0 comments

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