Guts Poker
June 9th, 2015 at 6:44:15 PM
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I know I just asked about Guts Poker rules in this thread but I'd like to start another about Guts strategy. I've been working off and on for about two weeks on a Guts program. I hate it when the product of my work is a tiny little table but so be it. That said, please preview my new page on Guts Poker.
As always, I welcome comments, questions, and especially corrections.
As always, I welcome comments, questions, and especially corrections.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
July 16th, 2015 at 7:44:27 PM
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Wizard--
I think your explanation of the rules of Guts Poker is reasonable for those who are already somewhat familiar with Guts, but perhaps a little lacking for those who have never heard of it before.
The first five rules are fine. But in rule six, "All other losing players who went in must match the pot." First, you haven't mentioned a losing player yet, so who are the other losing players? (I suppose a comma after "other" would be sufficient.) I think you mean, "All other players who went in lose and must match the pot." But you don't say what happens when two players have the same best hand. I presume they split the pot and the others must match it. (Or are they both losers?) And what does "match the pot" mean? If the pot is 10 and there are 3 losers and one winner, does the winner win 10 or 40? That is, does the matching of the pot create a pot for the next hand (and if so, does anyone need to ante?) or does it go to the winner of this hand? Thus when does the second rule, about anteing, apply? For the first hand in the game only?
In the ninth rule, what if only two players go in and they have the same hand? Is the game over? Or do they both lose and the game continues?
Assuming I know the answers to these questions, I have listed below some modified rules. (The others are fine the way they are.)
1. A single 52-card deck is used. A game consists of one or more hands, ending as described in Rule 9.
2. For the first hand of the game only, each player shall Ante a specified amount into the pot.
6. In the event two or more players go in: Among those who go in, those who share the highest hand win a share of the pot, with odd chips distributed to the winners starting at the dealer's left. If some of those who went in do not share the highest hand, they each lose and much match the pot, creating a pot for the next hand.
9. The game ends when exactly one player is in or when all players who are in share the same hand.
In Survivor Guts, "only the losing hand must match the pot." What happens if the lowest hand is shared by two or more people? Do they each contribute the amount of the whole pot, or do their contributions add up to the amount of the whole pot?
Also, in your table, you have a column labeled "RAISE ON." I think it is mislabeled. Perhaps it should be "GO IN WITH."
And maybe, to ward off the grammar police, change the first sentence in Rule 5 to read, "After seeing their cards all the players must simultaneously declare if they are in or out." (How can one person simultaneously do anything?)
Now, for your reading pleasure, I have analyzed a similar game I call Guts Random Number.
Guts Random Number
This is played exactly the same as Guts Poker except that no cards are dealt. For each hand a player receives a many-digit random number between zero and one. High number wins.
Guts Random Number Strategy
You are offered 1:1 odds if you go in. Either you win the pot or you lose and must match it. To maximize your expected value, you should therefore go in if you believe the probability you have the highest hand is greater than 0.5.
If there are n players in the game and your random number is x, the probability that you have the highest hand is x^(n-1). You should go in if this value is greater than 0.5.
For 2 players, go in if your random number is greater than 0.5.
For 3 players, go in if your random number is greater than 0.707.
For 4 players, go in if your random number is greater than 0.794.
For 5 players, go in if your random number is greater than 0.841.
For 6 players, go in if your random number is greater than 0.871.
For 7 players, go in if your random number is greater than 0.891.
For 8 players, go in if your random number is greater than 0.906.
For 9 players, go in if your random number is greater than 0.917.
For 10 players, go in if your random number is greater than 0.926.
What might also be of interest is the expected number of hands per game, assuming everyone follows the optimal strategy. These results should also quite closely apply to Guts Poker.
For 2 players, expect 2.00 hands per game.
For 3 players, expect 2.27 hands per game.
For 4 players, expect 2.42 hands per game.
For 6 players, expect 2.51 hands per game.
For 6 players, expect 2.57 hands per game.
For 7 players, expect 2.62 hands per game.
For 8 players, expect 2.65 hands per game.
For 9 players, expect 2.67 hands per game.
For 10 players, expect 2.69 hands per game.
--SDSDNSR
I think your explanation of the rules of Guts Poker is reasonable for those who are already somewhat familiar with Guts, but perhaps a little lacking for those who have never heard of it before.
The first five rules are fine. But in rule six, "All other losing players who went in must match the pot." First, you haven't mentioned a losing player yet, so who are the other losing players? (I suppose a comma after "other" would be sufficient.) I think you mean, "All other players who went in lose and must match the pot." But you don't say what happens when two players have the same best hand. I presume they split the pot and the others must match it. (Or are they both losers?) And what does "match the pot" mean? If the pot is 10 and there are 3 losers and one winner, does the winner win 10 or 40? That is, does the matching of the pot create a pot for the next hand (and if so, does anyone need to ante?) or does it go to the winner of this hand? Thus when does the second rule, about anteing, apply? For the first hand in the game only?
In the ninth rule, what if only two players go in and they have the same hand? Is the game over? Or do they both lose and the game continues?
Assuming I know the answers to these questions, I have listed below some modified rules. (The others are fine the way they are.)
1. A single 52-card deck is used. A game consists of one or more hands, ending as described in Rule 9.
2. For the first hand of the game only, each player shall Ante a specified amount into the pot.
6. In the event two or more players go in: Among those who go in, those who share the highest hand win a share of the pot, with odd chips distributed to the winners starting at the dealer's left. If some of those who went in do not share the highest hand, they each lose and much match the pot, creating a pot for the next hand.
9. The game ends when exactly one player is in or when all players who are in share the same hand.
In Survivor Guts, "only the losing hand must match the pot." What happens if the lowest hand is shared by two or more people? Do they each contribute the amount of the whole pot, or do their contributions add up to the amount of the whole pot?
Also, in your table, you have a column labeled "RAISE ON." I think it is mislabeled. Perhaps it should be "GO IN WITH."
And maybe, to ward off the grammar police, change the first sentence in Rule 5 to read, "After seeing their cards all the players must simultaneously declare if they are in or out." (How can one person simultaneously do anything?)
Now, for your reading pleasure, I have analyzed a similar game I call Guts Random Number.
Guts Random Number
This is played exactly the same as Guts Poker except that no cards are dealt. For each hand a player receives a many-digit random number between zero and one. High number wins.
Guts Random Number Strategy
You are offered 1:1 odds if you go in. Either you win the pot or you lose and must match it. To maximize your expected value, you should therefore go in if you believe the probability you have the highest hand is greater than 0.5.
If there are n players in the game and your random number is x, the probability that you have the highest hand is x^(n-1). You should go in if this value is greater than 0.5.
For 2 players, go in if your random number is greater than 0.5.
For 3 players, go in if your random number is greater than 0.707.
For 4 players, go in if your random number is greater than 0.794.
For 5 players, go in if your random number is greater than 0.841.
For 6 players, go in if your random number is greater than 0.871.
For 7 players, go in if your random number is greater than 0.891.
For 8 players, go in if your random number is greater than 0.906.
For 9 players, go in if your random number is greater than 0.917.
For 10 players, go in if your random number is greater than 0.926.
What might also be of interest is the expected number of hands per game, assuming everyone follows the optimal strategy. These results should also quite closely apply to Guts Poker.
For 2 players, expect 2.00 hands per game.
For 3 players, expect 2.27 hands per game.
For 4 players, expect 2.42 hands per game.
For 6 players, expect 2.51 hands per game.
For 6 players, expect 2.57 hands per game.
For 7 players, expect 2.62 hands per game.
For 8 players, expect 2.65 hands per game.
For 9 players, expect 2.67 hands per game.
For 10 players, expect 2.69 hands per game.
--SDSDNSR
