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29/11/2011 No. 117
he Guardian Poker Column
 
   
 
 
Victoria Coren
Tues 29 Nov 2011
 
 
 
How do you find the best player in the world?

There's no flawless way to find poker's number one – and that's just the way I like it

One of the experiments from the International Federation of Poker is "duplicate". It works on the same principle as duplicate bridge: the deck is pre-set to provide identical hands at different tables. Each player is awarded points against other players with the same cards, in the hope of measuring "the skill of the play" rather than "the luck of the deal".
 

Of course, this still has its flaws. Your opponent might shove with an underpair and a rival opponent's might not; doesn't mean you've played better. If he hits a set, you've still got unlucky; if he doesn't, you've still got lucky. Similar problem with duplicate bridge: if a queen is oddly placed, a dodgy finesse will triumph over better play.

There is no flawless way to find "the best poker player in the world". Biggest money winner? His losses aren't recorded. Most final-table appearances? He played more tournaments than others. Toughest event? Luck is always a factor in any single game. Series of tournaments? Too restricted to those who can be in the right country at the right time for the right period. Play it online? That's a different discipline.

I rather like the impossibility of naming anyone "best". The ensuing, unceasing argument is so human. Personally, I try to duck out of that arm-wrestle for sanity's sake. We're all competitive, but I aim quietly for two things: first, to survive the game; second, to make a profit. Everything else is icing sugar.

I remember the wise words of Richard Jessup: "For every number one man there is a number two man, and because of this a man cannot retreat from life. The difference is that the number one man is a machine and the Cincinnati Kid is not, and was not, and never will be a machine."
 
 
 
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