Tom Au

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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.

	5,511 reputation	bio	website		visits	member for	2 years
11131 badges		location	New York, New York		seen	49 mins ago

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Jun 7	comment	How Would I Get A Modern Diplomacy -“Like” Game Produced? I wasn't going to the use the name (more like 2000). That's why I put it in quotation marks. But I wanted to convey the idea that it was a "takeoff" on an old idea.
Jun 6	comment	Why Do People “Pre-empt” With Seven Of A Suit In Bridge? Seven is (more than) enough 0 is too few. How many do I need, 3, 4. 5? Mostly in my own suit, maybe a stray queen elsewhere? I can live with down three (nonvul) if the opponents have a slam or a vulnerable game.
Jun 6	comment	Why Do People “Pre-empt” With Seven Of A Suit In Bridge? I have 7, partner has 2 on average. Opponents have AKQJ, divided 3-1. They take three tricks in the suit, we take four. Down five. OK, not in my example with KQ. K falls to A, Q scoops J, we take six, down three.
Jun 6	comment	Why Do Modern Players Use “Negative Doubles” In Bridge @thesuneversets: I'd want you to have seven cards at three, six at two, over my presumed two (on average). Law of total tricks and all that. But I also believe in overcalling with "trumps" rather than "points," with your few points supporting your trumps. With your 6 "concentrated" points, we'd have trouble stopping a game unless I had "lots." Maybe not even a slam. Go for it.
Jun 6	comment	Are there “established” systems where “Five Card Majors” isn't a strict rule? @aryabhatta: The point is, I believe in "figurative" truth over "literal truth." If I'm expecting five cards, I'm going to be more disappointed over 65432 (literal truth) than AKQJ (figurative truth). There is SO MUCH extra strength that it makes up for it.
Jun 6	comment	In Bridge, Which Forms of Deception Are Ethical? Does This Include “Moodying?” This was a "new" partner. Actually, I was a "stand-in" for someone with left the room to "use the facilities." Maybe they all had an understanding I wasn't aware of. But dummy thought it was HIS partner's fault.
Jun 6	comment	Should Japan and the US Meet on Another Battlefield Than the North Pacific In Axis and Allies? I'd might use the Don Rae version of the Pearl harbor attack (only Battleship and sub to Hawaii seazone, carrier and fighters in Wake out of retaliation range) if I had "nothing better" to do. But if Russia is overextended with an attack on Manchuria, or UK with Kwabang attack, I'd move west, take India, the SFE or Yakut, and really punish these guys. It's worth giving up Pearl Harbor because I think that the Axis have won the war right there (barring bad rolls like the UK transport off Kwantung sinking something).
Jun 6	comment	In Bridge, Which Forms of Deception Are Ethical? Does This Include “Moodying?” That helps with my "5" card major question, where partner is not deceived by opponents might be. But I strongly believe in the "figurative" over the "literal" truth, and will not only fill out the card, but explain why, as I have to you. Have I made myself understood?
Jun 6	comment	Should We Eliminate or Modify the “Factory Rule” In Axis and Allies? @scott: You're too modest. YOU (and Adam Wuerl) were the "good" players I was referring to. You both sound better than that nameless guy at Morrison games. Here's the irony: most "lobbying" for the rule seems to be on the behalf of US and UK players. But Japan actually benefits the most. Hence, JAPAN would benefit most from factories in India and Sinkiang, (when captured). Last, I don't consider the income rule restrictive enough. What if South Africa producers two fighters, or one bomber and one infantry?
Jun 6	comment	What is (Larry Cohen's) the “Law of Total Tricks” In Bridge? My sensse is that the "law" is basically pretty good. Now there are some "extreme" versions of it like the Bergen raises (of his partner, Marty Bergen), raise to 3 with NO HCP. That's where I, (and probably Lawrence), might have a few problems. Everything in moderation, right?
Jun 6	comment	What is a winning strategy for Italy with Diplomacy My "problem" is that this leaves Italy open to a double cross from Austria-Hungary. Hence I prefer to eliminate this threat at the outset. But Lepanto is my second choice. Possibly my first, if I trusted Austria-Hungary more than the others.
Jun 5	comment	Why Do Modern Players Use “Negative Doubles” In Bridge In two out of three cases shown, the double was negative. But in the third case, I WANT to chase the opponents out of one spade, and into the "wastelands" of a minor suit. (Note how strongly I feel about this.) Thanks for your (great) interest. I want to upvote you, but can't because I'm not registered (and don't know how.)
Jun 5	comment	How Would I Get A Modern Diplomacy -“Like” Game Produced? @pat: Thanks you.
Jun 5	comment	How Would I Get A Modern Diplomacy -“Like” Game Produced? @pat: How do I register so I can vote and (use meta)? I've "voted" by "accepting" answers, but that's all I can do for now.
Jun 5	comment	Why Do People “Pre-empt” With Seven Of A Suit In Bridge? Ok, it's "down four" versus "slam." Out of the fire and into the frying pan (the reverse of the usual).
Jun 5	comment	How Would I Get A Modern Diplomacy -“Like” Game Produced? great answer.
Jun 4	comment	In Axis and Allies, Can Heavy Bombers Be “Tamed”? Your version of heavy bombers is more or less in line with other techs, right?
Jun 4	comment	Can We Find a Middle Ground on the Russia First Turn Attack Rule In Allies and Axis? You were the "alert" reader for whom I subdivided the UK sea zone into Norwegian sea (north) and UK zone proper (south) in another post to prevent the Russian sub from attacking the German sub. The followup fix is historical: Germany had the battleship Tirpitz and the two battle cruisers in the Norwegian sea. Move the sub and transport from the Baltic there and give Germany a battleship unit to prevent a "cheap" Russia attack. Then give the UK a second battleship in the UK sea zone to compensate. All in line with "reality."
Jun 3	comment	Can We Find a Middle Ground on the Russia First Turn Attack Rule In Allies and Axis? Based on your post, my other alternative for letting Russia make a first attack is to allow the German player to move the fighter, armor, and two (out of three) infantry from Norway to either East Europe or the Ukraine at his option. This saves the Norwegian expeditionary force and may make the Ukraine prohibitively expensive to attack. I'm not worried about Asia either.
Jun 3	comment	Axis and Allies Europe edition: Neutral Territories? In some (computer) games I know, this dynamic is captured by the fact the "neutrals" is a separate (computer-controlled) player, which is to say, attack one and the computer will play them ALL against you.