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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.


Mar
12
comment Can “aggressive” or unusual play in blackjack get someone thrown out of a casino?
I consider your answer "warm." My understanding is that the casino will first look to see if someone is winning. If he is, then they'll make an evaluation of his play; is he "lucky" (a tourist) who is playing "randomly" or is he "doing something" (cheating or card counter). But I once read a card counter's book that opined that you could get thrown out just for breaking "unwritten rules" like by splitting tens. After all, if you break those "rules," you may also break the "unwritten rules" against card counting.
Mar
12
comment How are the maps provided with Diplomacy supposed to be used?
@You can, of course. But then you can't "recycle" them for future games--unless you make copies.
Mar
12
comment What are some good introductory rules to bridge?
@JoeZeng: It's the points that win. Winning the rubber USUALLY wins the game for you. Unless the opponents scored a lot of "penalty" points that cancelled out your rubber bonuses.
Mar
11
answered How are the maps provided with Diplomacy supposed to be used?
Mar
11
comment In Diplomacy, Should You Have Separate Country “Draws” For Players of Different Experience?
"A strong player will walk all over weak ones regardless of which country they are assigned." I once heard of a history class where students had to play Diplomacy as a class exercise. The two best students wanted to be on the same team. "Fine," said the teacher, "as long as you play Austria-Hungary." They got crushed.
Mar
11
answered Preventing early elimination from ruining someone's first game of Diplomacy?
Mar
11
answered What are some good introductory rules to bridge?
Mar
11
asked Can “aggressive” or unusual play in blackjack get someone thrown out of a casino?
Mar
11
accepted In bridge, are “sequences” more valuable than non-sequences of similar point count?
Mar
11
comment Can casinos protect themselves against card counters by limiting bet variations in blackjack?
let us continue this discussion in chat
Mar
11
comment Can casinos protect themselves against card counters by limiting bet variations in blackjack?
@JoeW: The "large pools" of money run by teams isn't a problem. In that regard, they'd just be like some other "high roller" from e.g. Macao. What is unfair is when a card counter bets $10 a hand, and then waits for a "rich" deck to signal a Big Player (BP) to bet $50-$100 a hand at those times (and not others). If the BP started the game with a new deck, betting $50-$100, he'd be on the same footing as everyone else.
Mar
10
comment Can casinos protect themselves against card counters by limiting bet variations in blackjack?
@JoeW: By "teams," you mean a "Big Player who has teammates spread all over the casino making minimum bets, and signalling him when and where to bet big, right? To fight this, casinos could have a rule than anyone joining a table after a new "shoe" has started can be limited to a minimum bet at the discretion of the casino.
Mar
10
comment Can casinos protect themselves against card counters by limiting bet variations in blackjack?
@user1873: That's basically what I meant. That is, my question is, if you can come up with a construct that gives "even odds, on average," is that a result that would satisfy SE's notions of social justice? Or put it another way, should this be a solution that should satisfy both players and the house (so they stop "going to war?")
Mar
10
asked Can casinos protect themselves against card counters by limiting bet variations in blackjack?
Mar
10
comment In bridge, are “sequences” more valuable than non-sequences of similar point count?
Very good answer. (I'm going to wait a day or two before making a decision on acceptance.) Would you then agree that connected sequences KQJXX are better for offense and "broken" sequences AQxxx are better for defense, and be more inclined to overcall with the former than the latter (all other things being equal of course)?
Mar
9
comment When would you “slot” points in backgammon?
@cmhughes: Beginning of the game (no cube turned, opponent's checkers on the 24 point). In my case, I would slot the five point with an opening 6-2. But not the four point with a 6-3 or 5-4 (unless I had made the five point (3-1) or three point (5-3) on a previous turn). I would play 5-3 to the three point to improve the value of a subsequent slot to the four or five points.
Mar
9
asked In bridge, are “sequences” more valuable than non-sequences of similar point count?
Mar
7
asked When would you “slot” points in backgammon?
Feb
28
reviewed Close Any online software available for scheduling of adhoc gaming groups?
Feb
27
accepted Are there many mandated “time outs” in tournament bridge?