I think it is interesting.Three schools of thought, each with their own thoughts on what the word metagame should mean to a poker player.
I’ve been a little busy, and as far as I can tell, we’re all absolutely correct!
The word metagame seems pretty simple to look at first glance.
‘Game’ comes after the prefix
‘meta’.
We all know what a game is, but what about a meta?
The dictionary lists three definitions for meta. The first one I’ll mention quickly just to get it out of the way...
“denoting position behind, after or beyond” (ie, your metatarsals and metacarpals)That doesn't have much to do with anything else, so we'll ignore it, but come back to the other two definitons later on.
Game theorists have studied poker as a model for quite some time. Metagame theory is a branch of game theory, and it seems clear to me that the first use of the word metagame in a poker context was more than probably by way of game theory.
The game theorist’s metagame seems to be all about choosing the best option based upon what you think your opponent might do. It is a little more complicated than that, and I’ll confess that I do not fully grasp all the specifics, but that is the general jist.
By this token, would you believe that the use of metagame in the article Carl wrote is not actually wrong! What he describes is a genuine example of what
Doyle Brunson meant by the metagame when he wrote Super System.
This is where I should probably put the second dictionary definition of the prefix meta...
“to denote something of a higher or second order.” -
ie, metalanguage or metaprogrammingMetalanguage is language used to describe other language, and metaprogramming is a program that programs other programs. It’s easy enough from this to see metagame as
“the game within the game.”So another definition has evolved, and seems to be predominantly the one favoured by the majority of players on here, including myself.
“The game within the game” is all about making decisions and taking action that helps in the future, such as the metagame 'spite call' that Longy described for us earlier in the thread.
It's quite a natural progression. Carl's metagame meant considering other options based upon knowledge of what your opponents might do. The contradiction stems from the the fact that this is pretty much what poker is all about anyway! The word didn’t really fill much of a lexical gap.
The new metagame doesn't have this problem. It fits nicely into everyday poker conversation, and the critical thing is that people actually understand what you're talking about.
Found a metagame you liked? Unfortunately we're not quite done yet?
Into the mix comes Grier78 with his definition of metagame. To describe a location’s differing conditions, such as a poker club, and the successful poker player's need to adjust to them.
Game is sometimes omitted, and meta used on its own as a plural noun
(The metas are totally different at the weekend. What’s the meta like up where you are?) He reports that the word used in this manner stems from a card game called Magic : The Gathering, that started in 1993.
We can see the game theory roots in there, (adjusting to what you think they’re going to do) but there may be another influence in it coming to be used so...
The last dictionary definition of the prefix meta is to
“indicate a change of position or condition” - ie. Metamorphosis.
So it seems that the Magic players have a dual claim to using meta in such a manner.
I couldn’t find too many examples of poker players using metagame in this context if they were not also fans of the Magic card game. That being said Grier78’s metagame is being used a fair bit while talking about the 52-card game, and so perfectly legitimate.
Anyway, I’ve found this journey into pokolinguistics fun, (because I’m odd like that.)
Possibly bollox, but I'm happy now that I understand meta enough to waffle about it.
Wow amazing effort, well done.
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