PDA

View Full Version : Any Math Olympians playing poker?


sirio11
05-21-2005, 03:13 PM
Hi

I used to train students for the Mathematical Olympiad contests for many years, some of them now are playing poker besides studying college. I was wondering if there are some Math Olympians in this forum.

David

TomCollins
05-21-2005, 03:55 PM
I was never anywhere near that level, but competed pretty big into math contests in high school. One of my classmates did make it to the International event. Don't know if he plays poker now, haven't talked to him in 7 years or so.

Siegmund
05-21-2005, 07:48 PM
I won AJHSME/AHSME at the state level more than once, and did adequately at the next level past that - AIMO or something like that? - but didn't get selected to be on a national team. In college, had a paper published for winning COMAP's annual mathematical modeling competition... but curiously didn't even hear that the Putnam exam existed until my senior year and was so sick I could hardly walk on test day, didn't do real well.

I am, however, relatively new to poker, and frankly mostly play it for the money - bridge is the game I take seriously.

DougOzzzz
05-22-2005, 11:12 PM
129 on 1999 AHSME (23/23 correct), 8 on AIME, 0 on USAMO (I took a nap, though it probably didn't make a difference). That was as a junior in high school - the only year I took it. I dropped out my senior year and have since forgotten everything.

Edit: I was also on the CT ARML Team that year. The only thing I remember about that was that my roommate and I did not sleep the entire time (53 hours I believe).

mannika
05-23-2005, 01:55 AM
I think I was at the Ontario-wide Math Olympics or something in Grade 7 or 8. I really don't remember it at all. I stayed over at some place, did some math, and then went home.

AlphaWice
05-23-2005, 06:47 AM
sort of. This year, I came in division 2 on the Canadian Mathematics Olympiad, just shy of division 1 (by like 2 or 3 points at most.) My APMO/CMO/USAMO has been a flop.. I didn't even make USAMO, because I bombed the AIME. I wrote it unofficially, and if I had written officially, would've been in the top 40, according to the AMC website.

I also came in tied for 8th in Canada on the AMC... but I'm not an national/international champion by any stretch, like that other poster's friend.

ctv1116
05-23-2005, 12:44 PM
I did math contests and the like (9 on AIME, was on Thomas Jefferson ARML teams), but have since completely stopped. The people who are really into math generally aren't that interested in poker, because it really doesn't have all that much "good math" in it.

BruceZ
05-23-2005, 12:51 PM
[ QUOTE ]
The people who are really into math generally aren't that interested in poker, because it really doesn't have all that much "good math" in it.

[/ QUOTE ]

There are a lot of math and physics people into blackjack because that game is possible to completely simulate, but if they really understand math they should switch to poker for the (usually) superior EV/SD. Many don't, probably because the theoretical EV/SD for poker cannot be precisely computed, though it is clearly superior, and because the game involves psychology and logic in addition to pure math.

AlphaWice
05-24-2005, 03:54 AM
are you joking? like 20% of math-people i know are interested alot in poker

jason_t
05-24-2005, 06:02 AM
[ QUOTE ]
The people who are really into math generally aren't that interested in poker, because it really doesn't have all that much "good math" in it.

[/ QUOTE ]

You have no idea what you are talking about.

barycentric
05-25-2005, 01:59 AM
[ QUOTE ]
Hi

I used to train students for the Mathematical Olympiad contests for many years, some of them now are playing poker besides studying college. I was wondering if there are some Math Olympians in this forum.

David

[/ QUOTE ]

bugstud told me to say this for him:

'97 Mathcounts national champion
4 time USAMO honorable mention
150 AMC-12 2001
23rd Putnam 2003

This is puny compared to his roommate who is a 2-time IMO gold-medalist.

r3vbr
05-25-2005, 04:02 AM
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The people who are really into math generally aren't that interested in poker, because it really doesn't have all that much "good math" in it.

[/ QUOTE ]

You have no idea what you are talking about.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think he may have a point.
How well do you think Doyle Brunson knows his math?

I believe a person can play excelent poker with a 5th grade math level.

sirio11
05-25-2005, 11:47 AM
This statement

[ QUOTE ]
I think he may have a point.
How well do you think Doyle Brunson knows his math?

I believe a person can play excelent poker with a 5th grade math level.

[/ QUOTE ]

has nothing to do with this statement

[ QUOTE ]
The people who are really into math generally aren't that interested in poker, because it really doesn't have all that much "good math" in it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Do you see why?

barycentric
05-25-2005, 02:21 PM
You probably know Richard Eager who went to TJ too then. He plays poker too, but not too well.

AlphaWice
05-28-2005, 07:45 AM
lol 2001 was an easy AMC year

the 23rd in Putnam is good though

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Hi

I used to train students for the Mathematical Olympiad contests for many years, some of them now are playing poker besides studying college. I was wondering if there are some Math Olympians in this forum.

David

[/ QUOTE ]

bugstud told me to say this for him:

'97 Mathcounts national champion
4 time USAMO honorable mention
150 AMC-12 2001
23rd Putnam 2003

This is puny compared to his roommate who is a 2-time IMO gold-medalist.

[/ QUOTE ]