Kuhnpoker

Kuhn poker is reduced to the minimum requirements of poker, which was developed by Harold W. Kuhn for the purpose of game-theoretic studies. It is a zero sum game for 2 players. The card deck consists of only three playing cards, for example, a king, a queen and a jack. Both players place an ante into the pot. After both players have received a card, they can either fold or bet ( another Ante ). The first player has the opportunity after he has fitted and has set player 2, now to set also. Select both players have the same option, there is a showdown and the highest card wins. If one of the player has passed, but the other set, winning the latter. Kuhn demonstrated by this game, that it is impossible Player 1 despite optimal strategy is not to suffer in the long run to ruin, if player 2 also plays perfectly. A win is for player 1 only if player 2 deviates from the optimal strategy. Its exact loss is 1/18 ante per hand.

The insurmountable advantage of player 2 is based on his information advantage over player 1, which must always act first and thus either player 2 has to pay out with marginal hands too often or too often lets him see the showdown for free with marginal hands.

Effects

By Kuhn's studies, the advantage of position in poker became known to a wider public for the first time. In particular, in No Limit games, the effects are playing crucial. Doyle Brunson once claimed that he could beat any game without seeing his cards if he position on the other players had in each hand.

The disregard or ignore the position of advantage or disadvantage - is one of the most costly rookie mistakes in poker.

Credentials

• H. W. Kuhn, Simplified Two - Person Poker; In HW Kuhn and AW Tucker ( editors ), Contributions to the Theory of Games, volume 1, pages 97-103, Princeton University Press, 1950.

Left

• Scientific treatise about Kuhn poker in English ( PDF file; 152 kB)

• Poker variant
• Game theory