Of the concepts that have been making lots of head way within poker’s circles in the last few years, there is one that has been sounding like an acronym to some and a phrase to others and this is Game Theory Optimal, shortened as GTO.
This concept means building an efficient but non-parasitic model for practical activity that can be effectively countered even by a professional competitor.
What is Game Theory Optimal?
Game Theory Optimal: a strategic framework that employs the theory of games-a branch of mathematics, which deals with rational behaviour of decision makers.
As to poker, GTO stands for a plainly mathematically optimal strategy that ensures that no opponent can exploit your actions whatever strategy he follows.
In a simplistic manner, GTO player always wishes to control his moves such that in a worst-case scenario of his opponents’ decision making in an ongoing match, it won’t be exploitable.
GTO Important Concepts
#1. Balanced Ranges
A GTO player is going to balance up his frequencies so that he can’t be exploited.
For instance, although GTO strategy will be discussed in detail in the upcoming sections, one of its predictions is that in order to optimal on bet, a player not only bets with strong hands, but also, must incorporate bluffs into that range.
This balance makes it awkward for the opponents to sharpen on the player’s betting strengths and weaknesses easily.
#2. Indifference
GTO strategies can be recognised as the final result when no interest for the rival is observed.
Although it is translated simply as the opponent cannot beat positive expected value by deviating from the strategy because by their move set there is no option but to get the similar outcome by playing against the GTO player strategy.
#3. Exploitability
Although unexploitable GTO does not yield the maximum winnings against a group of weak counterparts.
In any case, when one can identify weaknesses in an opponent’s strategy, he instead prefers not to take a GTO approach and rather switch to exploiting an opponent’s mistakes.
For now, however, the positive side to learning GTO is: the fact that from it one gains a good platform from which to start defending against the exploitative. Yet, despite its strengths, there are also limitations to GTO.
Poker itself is such a complex game that perfect GTO play can be tough to perform when in a live environment and reading one’s opponents and adjusting strategies based on behaviour may be critical.
