NewScientist: NewScientist - Software can now beat any human player at poker

Poker aficionados have been pondering the best strategies ever since the card game was invented. Now along comes the perfect exponent, one who knows all the optimal plays and so always wins in the long run – or so its makers claim.

The unbeatable player is a piece of software created by computer scientists at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. They say they have worked out the ideal strategy for a particular form of the game. The work could have applications to real­ world situations in which people try to achieve preferred outcomes – including auctions and tightened security for air travel.