Advanced Strategies for Games: Mind Power Analysis

May 10, 2019 FinTech and Alternative Finance, Fintech Opinions, Fundraising, Investing, Trading, Innovation and Resources No comments

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Today, we’re going to talk about cognitive abilities vis-a-vis gameplaying. Mindpower has been attributed to successful outcomes in skill and strategy-based games. But how far does mind power go when an element of luck is involved? Every strategy-based game features knowns and unknowns.

These variables need to be assessed through probability analysis. Players understand what proverbial cards they have been dealt in any particular game such as chess, battleships, professional sport, blackjack, poker, or World of Warcraft et al. But, it’s variables that can throw a wrench in the works.

Our discussion begins with fascinating insights into the mind of chess players and blackjack players. Both of these games put player against player (or dealer) in pursuit of victory. In chess, players have multiple pieces on a board, each capable of moving in a specific direction/s.

These rules-based games feature carefully contrived statistical analyses regarding actions which should be taken when certain situations present. Let’s take a look!

CHESS

In a game of chess, the player has to make a series of decisions based on the position of the pieces on the board and the possible moves that can be made.

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The chess player has to consider the following:

The position of their own pieces.
The position of the opponent’s pieces.
The possible moves that can be made.
The likely outcomes of those moves.
The ultimate goal of the game (checkmate).

A player with strong mind power will be able to quickly assess the situation and make the best move possible. They will also be able to anticipate their opponent’s moves and counter them accordingly.

BLACKJACK

In blackjack, the player is trying to beat the dealer by getting as close to 21 as possible without going over. You’ll have to be au fait with stuff like blackjack card values, etc., and experience is key – but you can pick it up quite easily.

The blackjack player has to consider the following:

The cards they have been dealt.
The cards that have been dealt to the dealer.
The possible moves that can be made (hit, stand, double, split, insurance, etc.).
The likely outcomes of those moves.
The ultimate goal of the game (to get closer to 21 than the dealer).

A player with strong mind power will be able to quickly assess the situation and make the best move possible. They will also be able to anticipate the dealer’s moves and adjust their strategy accordingly.

Card counting is an intractable component of professional blackjack play. Granted, it is done on the QT, but it’s an important skill that blackjack professionals learn.

The essence of blackjack card counting is as follows:

Every time a low card is dealt, the player bets more.
Every time a high card is dealt, the player bets less.
The player keeps track of which cards have been dealt and adjust their betting accordingly.

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The goal of card counting is to get an edge over the casino by betting more when the deck is in the player’s favor and less when it’s not. While card counting does require some mind power, it’s also important to note that it’s not illegal and it’s not cheating. Provided you don’t use any electronic devices, or equipment, unobtrusive mental calculations of high and low cards remaining in the deck typically go unnoticed.

It’s simply taking advantage of the fact that the odds are not always in the casino’s favor. Players who are able to count cards effectively will be able to increase their winnings over time. However, it should be noted that card counting is not a guaranteed way to win, as the deck can still be shuffled at any time, and the player can still lose their bet.

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