GTO Poker Theories - Guase's Principle

A theory from evolution and biology that neatly explains how important finding soft poker games is.

One of the real gifts poker has given me is that it has been a great jumping-off point to learn things from other disciplines like economics, AI, psychology, and Game Theory. So here is a series of articles where I bring some of the most interesting things I have learned from other subjects outside of poker which are applicable to this game we know and love.

Gause’s Principle, or the Competitive Exclusion Principle, says that two species competing for exactly the same resources cannot live together for long. One will always have a small advantage that lets it grow faster or use the resources more efficiently, and over time, the weaker one will be pushed out. To live side by side, they need to use different resources or fill slightly different roles in their environment.

Georgy Gause proved this by growing tiny organisms called Paramecium in a lab. When two species were put in the same dish and fed the same food, one always died out. But when the food or conditions were changed so that each species could feed in a slightly different way, both survived. His work showed that competition drives species to adapt and find their own niche.

Outside biology, Gause’s principle can apply to business. For example, two coffee shops selling the same drinks at the same prices on the same street are unlikely to both succeed. One will attract more customers or find a better way to run the business, and the other will eventually close or change what it offers. In this way, companies survive best when they find their own unique niche.

Game Selection

Have you ever heard of a better example of game selection in your life?

In poker, the players are all effectively species competing for the same resources. Over time, one player will grow faster and push the other players out. 

To survive, we have to use different resources. For example, last weekend I played on PokerStars and found myself at a tough final table. I quickly realised I was unprofitable in the game, and maybe on the site. Thankfully, most of my play is on smaller, softer sites where I remain a winning player. 

Then there is specialisation. I, for example, put a lot of my time into satellites, a format I know I am a winner in and one that tougher players tend to avoid bothering with. Other good examples of this are players who specialise in PLO or mixed games. 

I think one of the biggest leaks good players have is game selection, and Gause's Principle puts into stark terms why it is so important. 

What theories from outside of poker have helped your game? Let us know in the comments.