Poker Paradoxes ?

[OneCentRob]

I recently discovered an interesting paradox that arises when playing wild card poker (see link below). Does anyone know of any other paradoxes that arise in poker?

Wild Card Poker Paradox - curiouser.co.uk

[bigredlemon]

thanks for the link

[Piz0wn0reD!!!!!!]

Thats not really a paradox. Math and logic show the reason for such happenings.

[OneCentRob]

It depends on your definition of a paradox. Zeno's Paradoxes all (now) have solutions. Even Russell's paradox can be resolved by changing the rules of set theory. Does that mean that they are not paradoxes either? I prefer to think of them as resolved paradoxes. It is a moot point as to whether a true paradox (ie one that can't be resolved) can actually exist. See http://www.curiouser.co.uk/paradoxes/definition.htm
for a definition of the term "paradox".

[Piz0wn0reD!!!!!!]

What i meant was, its clear why such things happen. It doesnt "seem impossible".

[M2d]

lowball w/a bug

[Brash620]

I was once told that in seven card it is more likely to end up with at least a pair then it is to have only a high card. I don't know how much truth their is to it but it may apply to this situation.

[blank frank]

[ QUOTE ]
It depends on your definition of a paradox.

[/ QUOTE ]

The definition in the link you give is rather weak. A statement contrary to recieved opinion? As I read that, it means that if the majority of people believe a falsehood, stating the truth is a paradox. It fits your "poker paradox," as while most people believe poker hands to be based on probability, they're not really. For one thing, there are more two pair aces high than two pair threes high, but the aces high win. For another thing, there is no stable ranking of the hands by probability in any seven card game.

[eurythmech]

I don't think your aces up vs threes up example is quite the same thing as the "paradox" at hand here. This issue shows that in this given situtation, it is impossible to rank hands according to rareness. If we decide that three of a kind is better than two pair (like we normally do), then three of a kind will become more common than two pair (and thus should be ranked lower). Now, if we were to rank two pair higher than three of a kind, it would become more common than three of a kind, and thus should be lower ranked. Hence, in this particular game it is impossible to rank traditional poker hands in a fashion that gives us a continuous increase in hand power with hand rareness.

[OneCentRob]

Exactly.