Poker and math

Sean(sp?), this is for you.

I bumped into a strong poker player at the building that I work at today. Since we both had to act gainfully employed the conversation was cut shorter than I would have like it to be. So I will post here, hope you read it and understand exactly what you are up against.

We talked about math. As an accountant with a math teacher for a father poker is a natural attraction. And internet poker attracts me because the math just simply does not work, I'm an annoying pissant with ruffled feathers and other than Scientology there is nothing I've spent significant time on that makes me cock an eyebrow and say, "how the hell do real people fall for this nonsense?

He made a comment about playing real money games on Full Tilt, understanding that when the lobby screen shows 30,000 players there are actually probably less. Well, your quote was 22,000. My guess is something more like 2,000.

Sean, keep in mind that they present these games as populated by 30,000 real people and that you agree with me that the free money play is not fair and square. What is there to stop them from dropping some bots on your real money games? Even if you finish third when your skill should have made you first, they have an advantage. I've already convinced at least 9 strong poker players to give up playing for real money. One is in your position where for now they are winning real money, but I have aroused their suspicions. If you continue to play for real money, for God's sake don't get sucked into anything more than the low buy in games you've been playing. It will keep you under the radar. If you take the attitude of knowing what you are doing so much and trusting internet poker, I promise you that you will get gutted like a fish.

Like I said Sean, there is a TON of good math not working out stuff here. I don't expect you to read over 500 posts in more than two years to actually see it all. My last warning is that not only does the AI have a huge math edge from nonrandomness that they can, will and do pop in a database administrator who can toggle cheat mode, fix the cards (often to the benefit of the real human to try and suck you in, more often just to get their jollies.)

Remember I showed you the printout of that Full Tilt hand (posted here) with the AA, KK, QQ, JJ all in hands. This is a once in a severasl lifetime experience that simply should not be without manipulation. Go to Atlantic City or invite me over for a game. You won't get screwed over.