Chess vs Poker, which game is more complicated? - Chess and Board Game Strategy

Doupea · 05-03-2009, 03:25 AM

So I got into a friendly argument at work the other day with a coworker who thinks that chess is more complicated then poker. I argued that poker is more complicated because of the unknown information and emotional involvement with money make it much more complicated. He of course argued that chess is more complicated because of all of the diverging paths and having to think so many moves ahead.

Now I played chess a bit when I was younger but rarely now and never at a competitive level so I'm curious what some 2+2'ers think. I've never been to the chess forum before but I assume most people here play poker as well?

Ajezz · 05-03-2009, 03:37 AM

Chess, and it's not close.

Ajezz · 05-03-2009, 04:10 AM

I also think this topic has already beendiscussed here:
http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/14...levels-448967/

All-inMcLovin · 05-03-2009, 06:19 AM

Chess HANDS DOWN

and Ajezz is right

and btw Ajezz great avatar.

punter11235 · 05-03-2009, 07:14 AM

I have difficulty to come up with any criteria which would make poker more complicated. Even crown argument : "computers beats ppl at chess but not at poker" is not good as I am pretty sure poker (and for sure holdem) is much easier for computers to play well than chess. It's just new game which require slightly different thinking and there are no big public projects/ctournaments etc.

Dire · 05-03-2009, 08:04 AM

Poker is only as complex as the people that play it. The game by itself is ridiculously basic. As is, the vast majority of people that play are not particularly thoughtful so the game itself is very basic and it's not even close to chess.

I think a better question would be is if a 4-handed poker game between the 4 best poker players in the world is more complex. I think even there the answer is probably no, but it's probably many magnitudes closer than poker as a whole.

derekl · 05-03-2009, 10:52 AM

Players have risen to the nosebleeds in poker in just a couple years. That's literally impossible in chess.

kioshk · 05-03-2009, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doupea

poker is more complicated because of the unknown information and emotional involvement with money make it much more complicated.

Succintly put, and exactly my sentiments.

You could go insane arguing this, defining "complicated", etc., but chess is profound prose, and poker is profound literature.

Dire · 05-03-2009, 05:37 PM

Also I can't help but think about the differing sentiments of players who achieved some level of success at either game. In chess most of everybody just wishes they had more time to devote to the game. In poker it seems the vast majority view the game as nothing more than a means to an end and would just as soon be done with it once they've earned enough $.

There's been countless quotes of people's lives being devoted and absorbed by chess. Can you imagine anybody wanting to dedicate their life to poker? I'm not sure this directly correlates to complexity, but I doubt anybody's going to be dedicating their lives to tic-tac-toe any time soon.

kioshk · 05-03-2009, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dire

Can you imagine anybody wanting to dedicate their life to poker?

What? Doyle Brunson, Howard Lederer, John Juanda, Erick Lindgren, Gus, Hansen, the little Negreanu elf guy, all smart interesting people who have devoted their lives to poker, to say nothing about people like Matt Savage. I'd put the poker-dedicated list up against the chess-dedicated list anyday anytime.

its a lock · 05-03-2009, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dire

Poker is only as complex as the people that play it.

cant the same be said about chess?

its a lock · 05-03-2009, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kioshk

What? Doyle Brunson, Howard Lederer, John Juanda, Erick Lindgren, Gus, Hansen, the little Negreanu elf guy, all smart interesting people who have devoted their lives to poker, to say nothing about people like Matt Savage. I'd put the poker-dedicated list up against the chess-dedicated list anyday anytime.

agreed

its a lock · 05-03-2009, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by derekl

Players have risen to the nosebleeds in poker in just a couple years. That's literally impossible in chess.

this was after the poker boom wasn't there like a bajillion poker players your gonna get some sicko's whith that many ppl no?

plus insane cash-money is a hell of a motivator for the geniuses working at Ihop paying for college.

All Father · 05-03-2009, 07:18 PM

I have to go against the grain and say poker. In chess there is always an optimum move(s). In poker there could be many different ways to play the same situation, which are correct in that specific instance.

its a lock · 05-03-2009, 07:19 PM

I don't really play chess all that much guess I can be called a beginner so take my opinion FWIW
psychologically both games you have to b a level or two ahead of your opponent so neither can be measured because there's no bottom line.
also its not like poker has been mastered and for what I know chess either, IMO neither game can be mastered but both can get near to optimal play but then again there is still that psychological factor.
take Ivey and durrrr for example Ivey has been playing poker for 15+ years but since he never played a player like durrrr till a couple years ago I bet when they play HU Ivey learns new stuff and vise versa.

since the learning curve is virtually endless isn't this question apple's or orange's