Artificial Poker Players

In a series aimed at debunking common misconceptions about poker bots, 21-year-old Dutch student Thomas Baker is set to share his insights. A mathematics and computer science student, Baker is no stranger to the world of poker bots, having authored the book "Analytical No-Limit Hold 'em," published by Two Plus Two Publishing in December 2010.

Baker's journey into the realm of poker bots began in May 2011 when he and Noah Stevens-Davidovich established the information resource Subject: Poker, which later grew to include four more members. In August-December 2010, the duo were also hired as independent consultants to identify vulnerabilities in Cake Poker software.

Poker bots, as Baker explains, are computer programs designed to play online poker. They consist of a strategic engine (the AI of the poker bot) and an interaction engine (auxiliary functions that allow the bot to work with the poker room's client software). The interaction engine, in turn, comprises an observer and an actor.

Traffic interception is another key to success in creating poker bots. Information for the bot's existence can be intercepted in various ways, such as screen-scraping, using the information stream provided by the room, reading memory pool, or intercepting traffic. Skilled operators can create bots that read the poker client's memory pool directly or intercept outgoing commands.

Baker's upcoming series will break down the topic into several parts, discussing the phenomenon of botting, its history and current state, various techniques for creating artificial intelligence, and possibly teaching how to create a basic poker bot. The next post will delve into the history of poker bots, their current status, and various types of bots.

It's important to note that while poker rooms prohibit the use of bots, their interaction engines are often the focus of such prohibitions. Poker bots can handle dealer chat with minimal code on some sites, but their existence is a significant problem in the online poker economy, draining millions of dollars. If left unchecked, the situation will become more dramatic.

In the series, Baker also plans to discuss exploitative bots, which are designed to be profitable by adapting to specific opponents. These bots use pre-calculated strategies and multi-level search algorithms in combination with opponent models. Exploitative bots are prepared to play against aggressive and passive opponents.

Stay tuned for more insights from Thomas Baker as he continues to explore the fascinating world of poker bots and their impact on online poker.