In today's poker landscape, the topic of poker solvers has become widely prevalent. But what exactly constitutes a poker solver, and how does it function?
This beginner's guide to poker solvers will cover the following key points -
What is a Poker Solver?
A poker solver serves as a computational tool that can formulate ‘GTO’ GTO (Game Theory Optimal) strategies specifically for poker gameplay.
Currently, poker solvers have gained immense popularity among online players and can be easily bought over the internet.
To operate a poker solver, the system specs are not overly demanding. Most contemporary personal computers should have sufficient power to create GTO strategies with ease. poker GTO refers to ‘game theory optimal’. A GTO strategy is one that cannot be defeated and represents a mathematically flawless approach to poker play.
What is a GTO Strategy?
Although this idea may seem astonishing at first glance, it does come with certain drawbacks.
Initially, accurately applying GTO strategies can be quite difficult.
- Moreover, GTO strategies aren’t always the most effective method for playing poker in various scenarios.
- The reason? GTO methodologies don't necessarily exploit the unique mistakes of our opponents.
Regardless of these limitations, using a poker solver can greatly enhance our grasp of the game and help us evolve into proficient players.
While the process of using a poker solver might differ a bit depending on the specific software, the fundamental steps remain consistent:
Using a Solver
Construct a game tree (refer to What is a Game Tree below).
- Input the range of hands for each player involved (consult Selecting Ranges for the Solve below).
- Execute the solve and examine the findings (see Using Solver Output below).
- Getting started with your very first solve is not overly complex. Ultimately, the core skills involve creating sensible game trees, defining logical ranges, and interpreting the results in a meaningful manner.
Advanced players might utilize a feature of solvers called ‘ scripting ’, which allows them to queue up related poker problems. This capability lets them run their computers for extended periods, such as overnight, to finish processing the tasks.
A game tree is effectively a simplified depiction of all the different moves that could be taken in a poker hand. The specific points on the game tree where choices must be made are known as decision nodes .
What is a Game Tree?
Most solvers come equipped with a game tree builder , which enhances the speed of constructing a game tree by allowing the user to select a range of customizable options.
Example: Game Tree:
The quality of the poker solve will heavily rely on how well the game tree is designed. If the tree is poorly constructed, the output will not be directly applicable to real-life poker situations.
Example: Game Tree Builder
You might question the necessity of simplifying the game tree. Why not include every possible action at every decision node?
The concern with this approach is that the tree would become overwhelmingly large. Using such extensive game trees would make solving them impractically time-consuming.
After constructing the tree, it’s essential to specify the hand ranges for the players involved. Typically, the user will utilize a grid selector for hole cards, which aids in populating each player’s range.
Selecting Ranges for the Solve
Selecting ranges for the solve doesn’t have a definitive right or wrong approach. However, some methodologies are generally more effective than others.
Example: Starting Range Editor
Here are several common techniques for choosing ranges:
Experience-Based Selection. Choosing hand ranges influenced by personal insight regarding the kinds of hands that players often reveal, based on the context. The caveat here is the potential for significant inaccuracies in our assumptions.
- Using Established GTO Ranges. Implementing GTO preflop ranges obtained from a previously conducted preflop solve. (See Running Preflop Solves below.)
- Population Analysis. If we have access to a substantial hands database, we can scrutinize the data to determine the historical hand types our opponents generally play. This strategy may be the most effective, but precise information is tough to extract without considerable hand history data.
- Once we set everything up and press the solve button, how does the solver function?
How Does the Solve Work?
The algorithm used for solving is an iterative method. It repeatedly executes the same procedure, progressively refining strategies with each cycle.
Ultimately, the solver arrives at strategies where neither player has a reason to alter their approach. In terms of game theory, this state is called a Nash equilibrium, indicating that the solve has concluded.
In many cases, the solver may take a lengthy time to achieve a perfection in solving; thus, users can set the accuracy level slightly below the exact Nash equilibrium.
The drawback of this method is that the results might be somewhat inaccurate . Nash equilibrium On the bright side, these inaccuracies are minimal, allowing poker solves to be completed in a significantly shorter duration.
- Interested in the technical specifics? Here is a brief summary of the inner workings of the solving algorithm.
- Since the solver lacks existing poker knowledge, it randomly selects an initial strategy for both Player 1 and Player 2.
A Closer Look at the Algorithm
The solver then fine-tunes Player 1’s strategy just a bit to better exploit the vulnerabilities in Player 2’s approach and increase profits.
- Following this, it slightly adjusts Player 2’s methodology to target the weaknesses in Player 1’s strategy, thereby optimizing gains.
- This round of adjustment is repeated for both players' strategies in succession.
- As this iterative process continues, both players' strategies refine more and more until finally, neither strategy can exploit the other by adjusting their play. This achievement represents a Nash equilibrium.
- The output generated from a solver can be quite intricate, and it's almost impossible for a human player to directly apply these strategies at the poker table.
- A significant reason for this complexity is that GTO strategies heavily rely on what are identified as mixed strategies . The optimal play for a specific situation may require a combination of various strategies.
Using Solver Output
For instance, playing a particular hand might necessitate raising 17% of the time, calling 63%, and folding 20%.
One useful way to utilize solver output is to enhance our understanding of different poker principles instead of directly trying to implement GTO strategies.
Another option is to spend time sifting through and simplifying the solver output before applying those strategies during gameplay.
Example: Mixed Strategy Solver Output
- Poker solvers can also assist in generating GTO preflop ranges. When executing a preflop solve, it's unnecessary to provide the solver with ranges as we intend to obtain that information through the solve.
- Most of our solvers are likely to focus primarily on postflop solves. A drawback of conducting preflop range solves is that the process is significantly more demanding and requires much more robust hardware.
Running Preflop Solves
While a postflop solve can be processed on a standard home computer, performing a preflop solve typically necessitates a uniquely powerful system. Although building such a system at home is feasible, it can be costly; hence, many players opt to rent high-performance cloud computing systems temporarily.
Given that the average player lacks both the knowledge and resources necessary for a preflop solve, a frequent solution is to procure a collection of pre-solved preflop ranges. Nowadays, it’s even possible to find comprehensive sets of solved preflop ranges available for free online.
Acquiring solved preflop ranges can enhance our preflop strategies, and we can then integrate them into our solver when conducting postflop analyses.
If a company provides “pre-solved GTO solutions”, they are essentially supplying their users with ready-made solver outputs. This means users won’t have to engage in the complexities of building game trees or keep their systems running for an extended time to arrive at solutions.
The advantage here is a swift and uncomplicated method of accessing a wealth of GTO poker solutions without having to wait for solves to conclude.
What Are Pre-Solved GTO Solutions?
The downside is that these services usually involve a cost, typically as a high monthly subscription.
- In the long term, it’s often much cheaper to run your own solves instead of depending on pre-solved GTO solutions.
- Of course, managing our own solves will naturally demand a greater time investment.
I want to highlight neural networks, as they frequently appear in discussions surrounding poker solvers.
While a neural network isn't a poker solver per se, both technologies share a common goal: computing GTO solutions for various poker scenarios.
What is a Neural Network?
A neural network achieves this by harnessing machine learning capabilities. It plays trillions of hands against itself gradually improving. To put it another way, it learns how to play poker through trial and error, storing those strategies for future reference.
In contrast, a solver doesn’t have an existing repository of strategies. Instead, it approaches each poker scenario afresh using the iterative algorithm discussed previously.
- However, it can derive Nash equilibrium strategies if provided with the right inputs. poker hands The price range for solvers can vary greatly, even though many utilize surprisingly similar foundational algorithms.
- You can often find free GTO solvers that perform comparably to commercial options priced over $1,000. Take your time to do some thorough research and compare different products.
It’s a calculator that does not know how to play poker If any of this information appears vague or hard to grasp, the quickest way to gain understanding is to dive in and execute your first solve to see how it all comes together.
Getting Started with Poker Solvers
By doing so, you will have taken a significant step toward becoming a more skilled poker player!
A poker solver functions like a calculator that develops strategies aimed at achieving 'GTO' or Game Theory Optimal play. Discover how utilizing this powerful tool can significantly enhance your poker skills.
Embark on your journey with poker solvers by following these 11 straightforward steps.
In today's poker landscape, the use of poker solvers has become a popular topic. However, what precisely are these solvers and how do they operate?