Poker Robots Ready to Take on the Pro's

Poker professionals face the ultimate challenge: how to bluff a robot

For Paul Maxfield, one of several thousands of Britons who have flown to Las Vegas to compete, the outcome is a foregone conclusion. "Poker isn't just gambling, it's psychological warfare," he says. "For the best in the world it will be no contest. A master poker player will win over a bot every time. Against a poor or average player, the bot will triumph. Poker is about psyching out your opponent, getting under his skin, using your skills to know when he is bluffing."

Running in tandem with the tournament, over the next two weeks, for human players will be another for robots, or "bots" as they are known. And when a winner in each series emerges, each more than $2 million richer, they will play each other.

Mr Maxfield should know. Last year he went to the world series in the hope of winning a few games and came home £1.7 million richer as runner-up. If he takes the title this year, he will take on the bot. "I've played them before," he says. "There are many ways to beat them. They might be becoming more sophisticated, but they are nowhere near the stage of human cunning."

Telegraph | News | Poker professionals face the ultimate challenge: how to bluff a robot