Super-Human AI for Strategic Reasoning:
Beating Top Pros in Heads-Up No-Limit Texas Hold’em
Abstract
Poker has been a challenge problem in AI and
game theory for decades. As a game of imperfect information it involves obstacles not present
in games like chess and Go, and requires totally
different techniques. No program had been able
to beat top players in large poker games. Until
now! In January 2017, our AI, Libratus, beat a
team of four top specialist professionals in headsup no-limit Texas hold’em, which has 10161 decision points. This game is the main benchmark challenge for imperfect-information game solving. Libratus is the only AI that has beat top humans at
this game. Libratus is powered by new algorithms
in each of its three main modules