Always Look For the Edge – IOTW Report

Always Look For the Edge

Playing cards for money is all about finding an edge. And that edge is often very small, but over time you increase the odds for making a profit if you stick to a good game plan and not “go on your gut.” Your gut can’t compete with math.

When you’re trying to make a hand and are faced with a bet, you calculate the odds of making your hand versus the money you have to bet in relation to the size of the pot. Sounds complicated? It’s not.

For instance, if the odds that you will get the card you need for a winning hand is 4 to 1, and there is 100 dollars in the pot, you better not call a bet for more than 25 dollars. That is the break even point. You actually need better odds than this to make money over time. If the odds are lower and you do it anyway, that’s what’s known as being a fish, a donk, a chump.

But let’s not talk about gambling on Easter. It feels wrong. Let’s talk about a life or death situation instead. lol.

Remember, you’re looking for any edge whatsoever to improve your odds.

The Emperor’s Proposition

GetYourBrainWorking-

You are sentenced to death by an evil emperor.

You are granted, however, a chance at life.

He gives you 50 black marbles, 50 white marbles and 2 empty bowls. He then says, “divide these 100 marbles into these 2 bowls. You can divide them any way you like as long as you use all the marbles. Then I will blindfold you and maybe rearrange the bowls. You then can choose one bowl and remove ONE marble. If the marble is WHITE you will live, but if the marble is BLACK… you will die.

”How do you divide the marbles up so that you have the greatest probability of choosing a WHITE marble?

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Some complain that this is too easy. Others maintain that the probability is still 50/50 no matter what you do.

 

 

19 Comments on Always Look For the Edge

  1. “Choose one bowl” implies you can touch one bowl. Put all the marbles except one white one in one of the bowls. When blindfolded, pick the almost empty bowl. Guaranteed a white marble. Even if you can’t touch the bowls you can likely hear which one has the mobile marble.

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  2. Never learned to play cards and I think you have to sit for hours sometimes. I can’t sit for more than
    30 minutes. No one ever asked me to play cards with them either. But I do open carry my .357 magnum and
    my wife says I scare people so maybe that’s why no one ever asked.
    How tuff could I be I drink tea.

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  3. If the evil Emperor wants you dead, you’re gonna die.
    Tricking Mrs. Clinton will only enrage her – and make your death that much more miserable.

    This is why Americans (used to) try to avoid Emperors, Kings, Tyrants, and other such maggots.

    izlamo delenda est …

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  4. If you have a spare white marble, you can palm the marble, then pretend to pick it from one of the bowls, in each of which you have chosen to place an equal number of black and white marbles.

    This is why I always carry one white marble with me at all times.

    Because you never know.

    😉

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  5. You tell the guards that you’re the rightful emperor. The imposter to the throne is only there because he consorts with demons. Then all the guards, who only got their jobs because of their impeccable honor, will Ides of March the current emperor, and lead you to the throne.

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  6. If he’s only rearranging the bowls and not what’s in the bowls, then place the black marbles at the bottom of both bowls and the white marbles on top of both bowls. Then when blindfolded, pick off a marble from the top of whatever bowl you find first.

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