Raise Your Game

Gaming

Shut Up & Sit Down Game Recommendations

February 19, 2020 by Kelly

Finding the perfect gift can be tricky. As minimalist sensibilities have continued to power pop culture (think Marie Kondo, mid-century modern furniture, and experiences over objects) the landscape has become even more daunting. What if I told you, dear readers, that there exists a compact gift that transcends age and...

Susquehanna Tournaments

The Final Table: Big Chip Stack Falls Short

May 12, 2016 by The Runner-Up

I’ve been playing and studying poker seriously since I joined SIG almost 11 years ago. I’d describe my playing style as tight-aggressive (sometimes a bit too aggressive!), but I can adapt to the table. I’m currently a Software Configuration and Build Engineer at SIG’s Bala office. In my free time,...

Sports

NHL Draft Pick Probability

June 4, 2018 by Ned

Getting the top pick in the NHL draft is a big deal for NHL teams and fans. Each year the league holds a lottery to determine the order teams receive draft picks. To discourage teams from purposely losing to guarantee the top pick, all 15 teams that didn’t make the...

Gaming

Why Margaery Tyrell Would Make a Better Poker Player than The High Sparrow

June 30, 2016 by Rob

WARNING: SPOILERS ARE COMING In Game of Thrones Season 6 Episode 10, the Sparrows are holding a trial for Cersei Lannister, which they expect her to attend. It is clear that the Sparrows have more military strength than Cersei. They have the Faith Militant, as well as the King’s army....

Sports

Insuring the Indians’ Win Streak

September 22, 2017 by Todd

ESPN recently ran an article about an Ohio-based window company that guaranteed any of its customers who installed windows (the kind that makes walls transparent, not the PC operating system), siding, or doors in the month of July would have their money returned if the Cleveland Indians had a 15-game...

Sports

Rooting for the Favorite

November 8, 2017 by Doug

Imagine this hypothetical scenario: The Patriots have advanced to the AFC Championship game against the Chiefs and are waiting to see who will play the Falcons in the NFC Championship game. The Eagles are playing the Packers in the divisional round for the right to play the Falcons in the...

Sports

Sports Science and Data Analytics Presentation by Dr. Sam Robertson

January 31, 2018 by Rob

Thanks to increased computational power and improvements in data collection technologies, sports analytics researchers are now able to ask questions (and get answers) they were not able to in the past. The beneficiaries of these new technologies will be teams and individuals who are intellectually curious enough to ask these...

Sports

Olympic Curling – A Turn-Based Strategy Game

February 22, 2018 by Todd

I regularly go 47 months in a row without thinking about curling even once, and then I spend a month fascinated by the sport. I don’t think I am alone in this. The Winter Olympics provides the only venue for me to watch curling (I think; I really haven’t looked),...

Sports

Soccer Formations and Matchups – A Strategic Look at the World’s Favorite Sport

March 8, 2018 by Sarah

For most people, soccer was introduced by their parents as a way to exhaust their kids and make some friends in the process. For me, soccer has been a part of my life since I was four years old (and yes my parents put me in the sport for the...

Sports

Strategy in Baseball – A Look at Pitch Count

August 23, 2018 by Alex M.

One of the simplest applications of game theory and strategy to sports is pitch selection in baseball. On every single play, the pitcher has dozens of possibilities in his arsenal. For example, Arizona Diamondbacks’ star Zack Greinke has five main pitches: two types of fastballs (four seam and two seam),...