News

[July 2005] A new version of thePoker Academy software has been released.PA Pro 2.0 is a vast improvement on what was already the best software learning tool for the game of Texas Hold'em. The program features our world-leading artificial intelligence (including theSparbot andVexbot experimental AIs), along with a myriad of features for poker analysis. The new program adds No-Limit Hold'em, multi-table tournaments, and a free online poker server.

[July 2005] World-class expertPhil "The Unabomber" Laak played an exciting match against our experimentalPoki-X AI in Las Vegas (while the main event of the World Series of Poker was taking place just around the corner). Unfortunately, a short match with rapidily escalating blinds makes the outcome little more than a random coin-flip. The full story and a detailed analysis of the match will be made available in the coming weeks.

[Jan 2004]New Scientist, "The World's No.1 Science & Technology Magazine", has a feature article on the U of A computer poker research group in their 2003 year-end double issue (cover date: Dec 20 - Jan 9, 2004, pictured above, pages 64-68).
[Nov 2003]Vexbot, an experimental adaptive program we are currently developing, won the gold medal at the 2003 Computer Olympiad held in Graz, Austria.Sparbot, our game-theory based program, took the silver medal.
[June 2003] There has been some media attention recently, including an NSERC news release, a front page story in theEdmonton Journal, mention in a feature article in theNew York Times, and aCBC radio interview.