Raise Your Game

When Push Comes to Shove

March 15, 2017 by Shannon

I learned how to play 5-card from my Grandma when I was in kindergarten. I probably logged a thousand hands on my grandma’s handheld poker game by the age of 6! This is my second SIG tournament, and my favorite part about playing is the table talk. Chatting and making...

Sports

Did Kyle Shanahan blow the Super Bowl for the Atlanta Falcons?

February 27, 2017 by Justin

Here is the situation: The Falcons have the ball on the New England 23. It is 2nd and 11 with four minutes left, and the Falcons are nursing a 28 to 20 lead. Matt Ryan doesn’t hand it off! He gets sacked, putting the Falcons out of field goal range,...

Gaming

World Chess Championship 2016 Through the Eyes of a Chess Fan

February 6, 2017 by Bill

The position seen below is from the last tiebreak game of the 2016 World Chess Championship match in New York City. The defending World Champion, Magnus Carlsen, holding White, simply had to find a draw to retain his title against the Challenger Sergey Karjakin. Instead, he sealed the victory with...

Gaming

On Trading Games

January 13, 2017 by Joey

We talk a lot on this site about how various games are related to trading. Poker is our favorite example, but we’ve also mentioned Agricola, Magic: The Gathering, fantasy drafting, and even video games. One may notice, however, that we’ve never mentioned a board game that involves trading. Why is...

Why you should play your worse fantasy football lineup

Sports

Fantasy Football: Play Your Worse Lineup?

November 28, 2016 by Todd

Before we get into fantasy football strategies, let’s first discuss nontransitivity in preferences. Most of our day-to-day experience is with coherent preferences; if I like Kit Kats more than Mounds, and I like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups more than Kit Kats, then I must like the PB Cups more than...

Sports

Taking Biases out of Fantasy Trades

November 1, 2016 by Sri

It’s a classic Fantasy Football situation. Team A has an extra running back, but only one startable wide receiver. Team B has an extra receiver, but only one startable running back. It’s a fantasy match made in heaven, but somehow they’re not able to agree on a trade. How is...

Gaming

Why Crossword Construction is Still Driven by Humans

October 3, 2016 by Sam

This is an original crossword I wrote which hasn’t appeared anywhere else. It gets spoiled within the post, so try solving before reading on! So why do you need humans at all? In our technology-driven world where computers are doing more and more of the tedious tasks once relegated to...

Sports

Penalties in Gaelic Football: When to Go for Goal and When to Take Your Point

September 16, 2016 by Barry

With the All-Ireland Gaelic football final nearly upon us, let’s take a look at the strategies around penalty kicks. For those not familiar with the game, a brief primer: Gaelic football is a 15 player-a-side field sport where the ball can be handled and carried somewhat similarly to rugby, but...

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

Trading for a Chance at the Super Bowl

May 19, 2016 by Justin

In response to “The Only Way to Beat the NFL Draft: Trade with Someone Who Thinks They Can!”, there are some qualitative arguments to support the Eagles giving up many picks to trade up for the #2 draft pick this year. This is not an endorsement for their trades. However,...