Learn how to – Poker pros: Are you ready for the AI invasion? How machine learning is changing poker

Learn how to – Poker pros: Are you ready for the AI invasion? How machine learning is changing poker.

Some of machine learning’s more notable recent successes include the machine’s victory over human players in a variety of games, which have occurred on several occasions over the years. Theoretical mathematics that states an optimal approach may be determined, given a strong algorithm and enough computation, frequently serves as a guide for scientists in such milestones.

As AI and humans have been playing games together since the 1990s, this is not a recent trend. Chess prodigy Garry Kasparov was defeated by IBM’s Deep Blue computer in 1997. When it first appeared on a TV quiz program in 2011, IBM’s computer, Watson, easily defeated two competitors who were well-versed in the game. Even the well-known 2048 mobile game is now AI-mastered.

Human vs AI continues to be a discussion point as tech improves

The concept of Human vs Artificial intelligence has been recently developed as a result of technological breakthroughs. It is intelligent human thought and ability competing with effective modern technology. In games like chess and others, master players are being challenged by machines that have been programmed to match and even surpass their skill. These are seen by technology firms, software developers, and research institutes as opportunities to create better technologies.

In recent years, artificial intelligence has overtaken the greatest humans in numerous games that we have come to enjoy and play frequently, like backgammon which is a game of luck, chess which requires deep thinking, checkers which requires prior steps, and now poker which entails unknown details. As frequently stated by the academics working on this landmark, games are the ideal medium for comparing human and artificial intelligence.

Games continue to evolve because of AI

Games are used to evaluate processes, gauge outcomes, and assess how well machines can stand against the intelligence of people. Additionally, new features that closely resemble the real world are added to every game. The real world is complex, unpredictable, and full of vast amounts of undiscovered knowledge, therefore it demands planning and strategy.

With the emergence of new and improved technologies, and the fact that Artificial Intelligence is now better than what it used to be in the past, playing poker has reached new heights. 

Casino games being played over the internet is nothing new, as playing games like poker online on reliable sites has been rampant for years now. However, poker and some other casino games can now be played in real-time, with a live dealer and players through live streaming. With this, players can enjoy the game of poker from the comfort of their homes, and the experience can be compared to playing at a physical casino.

Poker’s turn to experience what AI & machine learning can do

Poker has been the last unexplored territory of these well-known games because of its extreme intricacy and the fact that players always hide their hands. However, poker has been gradually conquered by computers. Machine learning has crossed new paths, as it seems like it has mastered the game of poker, with gradual progress over the years.

Prior poker matches between humans and artificial intelligence (AI) in the years 2007 and 2008 demonstrated the potential of machines, led by a program called Polaris. In the game of heads-up limit Hold ’em Poker, where two players were limited to specific fixed wager sizes, the machines battled on an equal footing with experts and were able to outplay them.

2015 saw the mastery of heads-up limit Hold ’em Poker by an AI dubbed Cepheus. This AI was known to execute flawless moves at all times. When 2017 arrived, four human poker pros competed in the extraordinarily difficult heads-up no-limit Hold ’em Poker versus a program dubbed Libratus. This machine defeated all of the human professionals. At around the same time, DeepStack, another algorithm, asserted its supremacy over human experts in the same game.

In 2019, the Libratus software was used to create the Pluribus program, which is currently adept at playing no-limit poker against numerous opponents and successfully defeated six professional players in the game.

Pluribus learned how to play poker in one week and over 12000 CPU hours by playing against itself only. It always starts by playing at random, then it examines what functions well and what does not. Additionally, it uses an algorithm to change its strategy along the route. This procedure produced its “blueprint strategy,” or overall game plan of attack. Pluribus is constantly seeking methods to make its strategy better during its competitive games.

When the program was done with all its processes, it then played and defeated top professionals who have won a significant amount of games in their respective careers. 

Conclusion

Artificial intelligence has surpassed the basic processes it was confined to due to breakthroughs in technology. As evident in the improvements made with machine learning, AI has leveled and surpassed human intelligence in the game of poker.