Poker is an example of a game of incomplete information in which chance plays a role. Poker provides an excellent domain for investigating problems of decision making under uncertain conditions. Early efforts to model poker, some dating back to the 1950s, were generally unrealistic and rather limited, Billings says. Loki is also better at observing each opponent's actions over time and then adjusting its play accordingly. H undreds of books have been written about how to play poker.
Billings contends that the vast majority give flawed advice on strategy.
The typical level of human play is so low, however, that a contender can be highly successful despite serious misconceptions, he argues. Players often fail to exploit their opponents' weaknesses, or they make more serious errors themselves. In recent years, books by experts such as David Sklansky and Mason Malmuth have pioneered a more systematic, mathematical approach to the game. Their analyses serve as a useful foundation for computer poker. In practice, there is much more to the game than the math can convey.