Tom Au

5,629 reputation

11132

bio	website
	location	New York, New York
	age	55
visits	member for	2 years, 1 month
	seen	10 hours ago
stats	profile views	327

I play a number of board and card games with varying degrees of skill, but using "algorithms" to avoid the most obvious mistakes. Depending on the game, if you can beat me, you are probably not a beginner, and perhaps a pretty good player.

	5,629 reputation	bio	website		visits	member for	2 years, 1 month
11132 badges		location	New York, New York		seen	10 hours ago

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Apr 25	answered	What to do in long games with players who are way behind?
Apr 23	answered	How can I practice my opening leads in bridge?
Apr 22	comment	In bridge, how can you “see” (locate) most of 52 cards halfway into the play? "High cards split quite evenly." So if one opponent shows up with "a bunch," (like two aces) figure on the other opponent for (most of) the rest. Is that right?
Apr 22	asked	In bridge, how can you “see” (locate) most of 52 cards halfway into the play?
Apr 15	comment	In Bridge, what are “proper” responses to a “strong” 2 club bid? I think I was using Goren, an older standard I learned in the 1960s. That's 22-24 points and a six card suit, OR 19-21 and a SEVEN card suit, OR 25+ and a five card suit, trading cards for points at a ratio of one to three.
Apr 14	comment	When should Italy NOT take over Tunisia on its second turn in Diplomacy? How did you keep Italy No. 7? I suppose you made an alliance with France to crush Italy. And coming in 4th, who did you outlast? Probably either Russia or Turkey, in addition to Italy (and one other)?
Apr 14	comment	Did the British employ a reasonable strategy in “Bismarck”? I WAS the player. About 45 years ago.
Apr 14	answered	Can a tank attack across water within the same space (Germany to UK)?
Apr 13	asked	Was I “unlucky” or “outplayed” in “Afrika Korps”?
Apr 13	revised	Did the British employ a reasonable strategy in “Bismarck”? edited tags
Apr 12	comment	In Bridge, what are “proper” responses to a “strong” 2 club bid? I have A LOT of questions on bridge on this site. Hope you have a "good time" answering them.
Apr 12	comment	What Is a “Reverse” In Bridge? Welcome to the site. Interesting answer. So I should have "avoided" the "reverse" by bidding one spade. Even with a suit headed by the T?
Mar 30	answered	When should Italy NOT take over Tunisia on its second turn in Diplomacy?
Mar 30	answered	How is 6-player Diplomacy (no Italy) different from 7-player?
Mar 22	comment	Why is card counting considered illegal in Blackjack? @TimLymington: If casinos were "even money" against a handful of "best" players and favorites against everyone else, they'd be ok.
Mar 22	comment	Why is card counting considered illegal in Blackjack? @SamIam: That's because Kenny Uston fought and won a state court case against them. But they can shuffle up after every deal.
Mar 22	comment	Why is card counting considered illegal in Blackjack? @KeithS: It used to be more like 0.6%. Then the casinos reduced the payouts on blackjack from 3 to 2 to 4 to 3, in some cases even 5 to 4, which took their edge above 1%.
Mar 21	comment	Why is card counting considered illegal in Blackjack? @KeithS: The house does have an advantage over the player on PLAYING. But card counters overcome this advantage by betting big on certain "good" hands and betting small on (most other) "bad" ones. That's the point of counting cards. Meaning that if card counters were forced to "flat bet," they would lose.
Mar 15	answered	Can “aggressive” or unusual play in blackjack get someone thrown out of a casino?
Mar 15	comment	Why is card counting considered illegal in Blackjack? Actually, it is not the "mechanic," that makes for card counting. What card counters (mostly) do is to vary their bet sizes in their own favor. See my answer below.