Re: [ba-poker] Bots

[William Chen <wchen_8369(deleted the rest)>]

--- Ken Kubey <kubey(deleted the rest)> wrote:
> Ed writes:
> > Unfortuntately, the bots don't have to be good
> enough to beat Bill in 
> > order to ruin online poker. All they need to do is
> be able to beat the 
> > typical 3-6 player. Then new players stop playing,
> games dry up, and 
> > the feeder system is choked off for larger games.
> 
> Yes, I think limit hold'em online could be ruined by
> one really
> solid bot program.  It only takes one program too.  
> 
> I've thought of measures that the online sites could
> take
> to slow down or defeat most bots, but there's no
> defense
> against a human assisted bot.  A human assisted bot
> could 
> probably play 8 or 10 games at once without too much
> trouble.



Now we're talking about human assisted bots?  As you
probably  know, many players already play with aid
devices.  There are readily available programs which
not only collect stats on the user's play but your
play also.  There are server player groups who share
databases of millions of hands.  There are programs
which can "remember" discarded up cards in stud games.


Far from discouraging this type of behavior, the
online sites have faciliated the collection of data,
allowing the user to request his last several hands in
an easily machine readable format.  In their own
programs, the sites themselves also allow you to make
written notes on a particular player which are
automatically recalled if the player sits down against
you in the future.  

What I'm trying to say is that a "human assisted bot"
is no different fundamentally from all of these other
aids.   If using these databases and aids are within
the bounds of fair play, then bots are also.  A "bot"
is nothing more than an aid which helps me make
descisions and play.  If the sites and players see no
wrong in using their aids, I see nothing wrong in
using a bot to make money for me. 

Now about ruining online poker.  Well it takes a bit
of work to set up thousands of accounts on a site
without them figuring it out.   Sure you can share
bots with friends, but you can share information now. 

What if I said I could create a 3x5 index card of
information that could make someone play perfectly at
the end of a tournament?  If this information is
distributed it could make heads-up play pointless. 
Should I not be allowed to put this information in the
book I'm writing, because it will "ruin" the game?  I
doubt many would make this arguemnt...


Bill