Member Interview 4: How Data Science Is Changing the Way We Learn Poker - Tatsuki Ota

Hello! I’m part of the PR team at CLOViZ Inc.

A lot of people are probably wondering what CLOViZ actually is and what kind of members we have on the team. In this note, we’ll introduce CLOViZ members in an interview format. While touching on the vision and values CLOViZ aims for, as well as each member’s role and skill set, we’ll highlight the strength of the team as a whole and the unique appeal of each individual.

For Part 4, we’re featuring Mr. Ota, who works on content creation!

1. Turning Probability Theory into a Weapon: A Graduate Student Takes on the World of Poker

— First, could you briefly introduce yourself?

My name is Tatsuki Ota, and I’m in the Graduate School of Science and Engineering at Hosei University. At university, I research mathematical finance and machine learning. More specifically, I work with areas like finance and probability theory, which are closely related to poker.

I’ve been playing poker for four years, and I’ve explored a wide range of formats. I first discovered poker in my first year of university, starting with casual Texas Hold’em games with friends. Later, I began attending Pot-Limit Omaha workshops at an amusement casino in Tokyo, and I got completely hooked on PLO for a while. The instructor was truly excellent, and that’s where I learned the fundamentals. In my third year, I had the chance to learn mixed games like Deuce-to-Seven and Badugi through workshops at the same venue, and I especially got into 2-7 and Badugi. In my fourth year, influenced by friends, I shifted my focus to studying tournaments. Recently, I’ve gone back to my roots with Texas Hold’em ring games and have been concentrating on researching GTO strategy.

As for results, I placed 16th in the JOPT Main Event, finished runner-up twice in side events, and won a Badugi tournament in Korea.

At CLOViZ, I’m responsible for content creation for the poker learning app POKER Q'z, including deciding what kinds of questions to publish. I also create workshop materials, design curricula, and produce slides.

2. Flexible Strategy That Goes Beyond GTO

— You’ve played a lot of different formats. What do you focus on in your playing style?

This is basic, but from an exploitative perspective, rather than looking for physical tells, I focus on observing how opponents play and exploiting the areas where they seem to deviate from GTO.

Especially in tournaments, ranges change depending on the situation, so I think opponents often enter hands or fold hands in ways that differ from GTO. In spots where a GTO-based strategy should shift, I try to respond flexibly and choose actions that fit the opponent.

For example, all-in ranges and decisions in high bubble-factor situations that are unique to tournaments should change depending on the opponent. I believe these preflop decisions are the most important factor in tournament poker.

3. The Depth of a Player-vs-Player Game: The Appeal of Mind Games and Connection

— So tournament poker has its own unique approach. What do you find most appealing about poker?

First, I’m drawn to the mind-game element.
I’ve always liked head-to-head games that involve psychological battles, and poker fits that perfectly, so I naturally came to love it.

Beyond gameplay, another big appeal is meeting people you’d never normally encounter. I find real value in building connections with others.
In university life, you don’t get many chances to interact with students from other universities unless you join an intercollegiate club, but poker helped me build those connections. Also, in everyday campus life, you rarely spend time with older people, but through poker I met people about a decade older than me. Hearing stories from people with professional experience was incredibly refreshing.

4. A Poker World That Expands Across Borders: Lessons and Inspiration from the APT

— The psychological battle really is deep. Do you have any experiences that made you glad you play poker, or moments that really stood out?

When I joined the APT (Asian Poker Tour) held on Jeju Island in Korea, I realized how valuable it was that I’d played games beyond Texas Hold’em. The APT has a lot of mixed games, and the buy-ins are relatively affordable, which makes them easy to enter. I also noticed that when you play mixed games in cash games, you naturally end up socializing with international players, and it becomes a really enjoyable experience. In live poker, Texas Hold’em is the main format, but tournaments often offer plenty of chances to enjoy mixed games. Overseas, if players agree, you can also play mixed games in cash games.

The most memorable experience was when I entered a Badugi tournament. I made it to heads-up and was in a desperate spot where I was forced all-in, but then a series of lucky outcomes let me come back and win. I think that captures what makes poker so interesting. Skill is absolutely necessary, but the fact that luck can allow you to beat stronger players is also part of what makes poker unique.

5. POKER Q'z Supporting Beginners and the Challenges Facing the Poker Industry

— “Luck is part of skill,” as they say. Are there any challenges in the poker industry that you feel strongly about?

First, I think a major issue is that beginners don’t know which information they should trust. Even if many people share accurate content, it’s still difficult for someone who just started playing poker to find it. That’s why we want to build an environment in POKER Q'z where beginners can learn with confidence.

POKER Q'z is designed so players can learn step by step in the right order based on their level.
Another key strength is that it evaluates whether your action is GTO-correct and explains the reasoning. By solving similar problems repeatedly, reading explanations for mistakes, and making adjustments, we believe players can improve quickly.
In addition to being a learning app, we’re also focusing on building a community, aiming to create an environment where users can play together and teach each other.

Another challenge is that cash games aren’t available in Japan.
There are legal constraints, so it’s understandable, but in the current amusement tournament scene, entry fees are structured as a “gift” payment, and beginners sometimes don’t fully understand that. From the perspective of giving value back to players, boosting motivation, and growing the scene, I hope regulations in Japan will gradually ease in the future so cash games and prize tournaments on the same scale as overseas can be held.

— Mr. Ota, thank you for your time today!

Thank you as well. If you’re interested in what we’re building and want to get involved in developing the service with us, please contact us through the link below!