The Annual Computer Poker Competition

Since 2006, the Annual Computer Poker Competition has run a series of competitions for poker programs. In 2009, three types of poker were played: Heads-Up Limit Texas Hold'em, Heads-Up No-Limit Texas Hold'em, and 3-player Limit Texas Hold'em. Within each event, two winners are named: the agent that wins the most matches, and the agent that wins the most money. These winners are often not the same agent, as one evaluation rewards robust players, and the other rewards players that are good at exploiting the other agents' mistakes. The competition is motivated by scientific research, and there is an emphasis on ensuring that all of the results are statistically significant by running millions of hands of poker.