Basics

Introduction

ActionFlop lets you play poker against GTO (game theory optimal) bots. Here is how to start playing:

  1. Go to the home page.
  2. Log in. You can either use your Google account or choose "Anonymous login" to instantly log in anonymously.
  3. Click "Play" at the top of the page.
  4. Click "Bot" to play against a bot.
  5. Start playing.

Using the site

As a new user, you are assigned an anonymous, randomized username and avatar (even if you logged in using Google). If you would like to change your username (which we strongly encourage), click your username in the top right of the page. You can also click your avatar in the top right of the page to change it.

Playing against humans

It is also possible to play against another human (while still being evaluated for mistakes). To do this, click on the "Play" tab at the top of the page, and wait for another human to join.

What you should know about GTO

The bot plays a GTO strategy. The GTO strategy was derived using SudoPoker, a poker solver. A poker solver works by evaluating every possible situation in the poker game tree and converging on an approximate Nash equilibrium strategy. A Nash equilibrium strategy is one which maximizes the player's expected profit in such a way that leaves no opportunity for exploitation by the opponent. If the opponent also plays the GTO strategy, then only variance from the random aspects of poker will determine the outcome.

If the opponent deviates from the GTO strategy, then every deviation is a mistake which will cause him to lose expected value (which will go to the GTO player). In the short-term, you may be able to beat a GTO bot because of variance, but in the long-term, the bot will profit because it does not make mistakes.

Note that the bot does not adapt to your play style. Theoretically, the bot could realize that you are playing suboptimally and deviate from the basic GTO strategy to exploit your mistakes, but the bot does not attempt to do this.

The choices you can make when playing are limited. Obviously, in no limit holdem you can bet or raise any amount from the minimum bet to all of your chips, or anything in between. To make the game tree more tractable for the solver to deal with, we limited the choices which are available at each node in the game tree. We tried to pick sensible options that roughly match how people usually play.

Learning from your mistakes

When you are playing, you will see a graph below the poker table. In the graph, the blue line tracks your cumulative profit against the bot. The red line tracks your cumulative loss in expected value due to mistakes. In the long run, these lines should tend to converge.

You may be interested in learning more about your mistakes. To do this, click on the "Hands" tab at the top of the page. Here, you will see every hand you played. The hands where you made mistakes are noted, and you can click to see more details about each hand. In the detailed view, the hand history shows you where your mistake was and what your strategy should have been.

Get in touch

If you have questions or comments, please reach out through the blue "Chat with us" button.