The Mathematics of Poker
 

I'm pleased to announce that The Mathematics of Poker by Bill Chen and Jerrod Ankenman has gone to the printer today. If the printer keeps to schedule the book should be ready for shipment on or about Monday, November 27. You can order it through the order form accessible through the left column for $29.95 or you can pay less at Amazon.

Here's what David Sklansky says about The Mathematics of Poker:

For those who think poker math is only about probability, pot odds, and
straightforward, rote play, think again. Bill Chen and Jerrod Ankenman do a
terrific job explaining how math can, among other things, show you exactly
how to mix up your play in such a way that even champion players cannot get
the best of you. Especially those who don’t read this book.

From the back cover:

Thirty years ago the bond and option markets were dominated by traders who
had learned their craft by experience. By the mid-1990s the old school grizzled
traders had been replaced by a new breed of quantitative analysts, applying
mathematics to the “art” of trading and making of it a science.

A similar phenomenon is happening in poker. The grizzled “road gamblers” are
being replaced by a new generation of players who have challenged many of the
assumptions that underlie traditional approaches to the game. One of the most
important features of this new approach is a reliance on quantitative analysis and
the application of mathematics to the game.

This book provides an introduction to quantitative techniques as applied to
poker and to a branch of mathematics that is particularly applicable to poker,
game theory, in a manner that makes seemingly difficult topics accessible to
players without a strong mathematical background.

Re: The Mathematics of Poker
 

What mathematical aspects of poker are covered?

Re: The Mathematics of Poker
 

theres mathematics in poker?

Re: The Mathematics of Poker
 

The book definitely sounds promising.
Looking forward to it and thanks for the good news that it will be ready soon.

Re: The Mathematics of Poker
 

[ QUOTE ]
What mathematical aspects of poker are covered?

[/ QUOTE ]

The book is divided into 5 parts:

I) Basics
Covers basic probability and statistical concepts, as well as Bayes' theorem, inference from observed data.

II) Exploitive play
Covers odds, reading hands, reading strategies, a little bit about data mining, playing accurately in cards exposed situations, hand vs distribution situations, and distribution vs distribution situations.

III) Optimal play
Introduces game theory, concept of the nemesis, and then solves many different poker-like toy games. Concepts touched on by these toy games are:

--Jam-or-fold (contains solution to HU JoF NL holdem)
--betting and bluffing ratios
--card removal (AKQ game)
--NL bet sizing
--all manner of [0,1] games
--multi-street games without draws - bet sizing across multiple streets
--multi-street games with open and closed draws - also exposed hand vs known distribution play on turn and river.

IV) Risk
Covers risk of ruin calculations, also risk of ruin based on a sample (includes the uncertainty of the win rate). Covers Kelly utility, game selection (CE choice of limits), portfolio theory, and backing agreements.

V) Other Topics
Covers tournaments, both necessary adjustments (based on the theory of doubling up) and also statistical inference based on tournament payout structures and results.
Covers multiplayer games, collusive alliances, and so on.

--jerrod

Re: The Mathematics of Poker
 

[ QUOTE ]
What mathematical aspects of poker are covered?

[/ QUOTE ]

2 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] + 2 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] = 4 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

Re: The Mathematics of Poker
 

This sounds very timely. For all the qualities of many of the poker books on the market today, including those published by Two Plus Two, they are lacking in sophisticated mathematical and logical proof of the concepts they present. Most books are popular works, and leave out the "academic" material, or greatly simplify it to make sure that understanding it requires no mathematical background. What I'm hoping to see is something that can stand next to Griffin's The Theory of Blackjack, and Epstein's The Theory of Gambling and Statistical Logic. While some good material on poker mathematics has been developed, until now it's been scattered and hard to find.

Maybe this will even help to settle some of the debates now raging.

Re: The Mathematics of Poker
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What mathematical aspects of poker are covered?

[/ QUOTE ]

The book is divided into 5 parts:

I) Basics
Covers basic probability and statistical concepts, as well as Bayes' theorem, inference from observed data.

II) Exploitive play
Covers odds, reading hands, reading strategies, a little bit about data mining, playing accurately in cards exposed situations, hand vs distribution situations, and distribution vs distribution situations.

III) Optimal play
Introduces game theory, concept of the nemesis, and then solves many different poker-like toy games. Concepts touched on by these toy games are:

--Jam-or-fold (contains solution to HU JoF NL holdem)
--betting and bluffing ratios
--card removal (AKQ game)
--NL bet sizing
--all manner of [0,1] games
--multi-street games without draws - bet sizing across multiple streets
--multi-street games with open and closed draws - also exposed hand vs known distribution play on turn and river.

IV) Risk
Covers risk of ruin calculations, also risk of ruin based on a sample (includes the uncertainty of the win rate). Covers Kelly utility, game selection (CE choice of limits), portfolio theory, and backing agreements.

V) Other Topics
Covers tournaments, both necessary adjustments (based on the theory of doubling up) and also statistical inference based on tournament payout structures and results.
Covers multiplayer games, collusive alliances, and so on.

--jerrod

[/ QUOTE ]

Looking foward to it, jerrod.

Re: The Mathematics of Poker
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What mathematical aspects of poker are covered?

[/ QUOTE ]

The book is divided into 5 parts:

I) Basics
Covers basic probability and statistical concepts, as well as Bayes' theorem, inference from observed data.

II) Exploitive play
Covers odds, reading hands, reading strategies, a little bit about data mining, playing accurately in cards exposed situations, hand vs distribution situations, and distribution vs distribution situations.

III) Optimal play
Introduces game theory, concept of the nemesis, and then solves many different poker-like toy games. Concepts touched on by these toy games are:

--Jam-or-fold (contains solution to HU JoF NL holdem)
--betting and bluffing ratios
--card removal (AKQ game)
--NL bet sizing
--all manner of [0,1] games
--multi-street games without draws - bet sizing across multiple streets
--multi-street games with open and closed draws - also exposed hand vs known distribution play on turn and river.

IV) Risk
Covers risk of ruin calculations, also risk of ruin based on a sample (includes the uncertainty of the win rate). Covers Kelly utility, game selection (CE choice of limits), portfolio theory, and backing agreements.

V) Other Topics
Covers tournaments, both necessary adjustments (based on the theory of doubling up) and also statistical inference based on tournament payout structures and results.
Covers multiplayer games, collusive alliances, and so on.

--jerrod

[/ QUOTE ]

nice, and represent Avon, CT. my hometown.

Re: The Mathematics of Poker
 

Is this specifically holdem math oriented or does it cover other games too?