Re:Lessons learned from a failed poker software business
by mattmaroon on Tuesday November 18, 2008 @08:28PM
(#368999)
1) Wrong. Complex odds can't be calculated in your head. Even the math PhDs who do well at poker calculate EVs against a range of holdings with a computer.
For instance, if you can calculate your equity with T9s against a range of (AA-22, Ak-AT, A9s, KQ-KT, K9s, QJ-QTs)in your head, consider yourself a genius.
The type of software he built is very popular among people who are good at poker or trying to become so.
People will be either
1: Very good at poker. In which case they can go through this mental, odds-calculating process in their head without the need for software. or
2: Not very good at poker. In which case your software is immensely confusing. They need to be able to put opponents on a range of hands (how does a novice guess what an opponent most likely has? half-likely has?) in less than 20 seconds (the time online poker software gives to each player per turn).
I play poker pretty often, and can tell you that odds calculation is never a fixed thing (so it's hard to replicate with software), and even considering my poker background, the screenshots of your program still confused me.