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| May-28-16 | | zanzibar: Is this really the best photo of Nunn available?
What about this?
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe... and this (somewhat out-of-focus):
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe... And here's one I hadn't seen before:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe... All of which have the advantage that it does catch him mid-phrase, looking like he just sucked a lemon. (Stupid <CG> link-hacks...) |
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May-28-16
 | | Peligroso Patzer: I have started re-reading John Nunn’s excellent and fascinating book <Endgame Challenge> (Gambit Publications, ©2002, ISBN 1901983838). I came across a minor error in the analysis of problem no. 5. For lack of a better place, I decided to post my discovery on this page. The position in question is a study by Grigoriev from 1937; it is White to play and win from this starting position: 
click for larger view Without presenting the full analysis, I will mention that the main line of the study runs as follows: <1.g4 Ka3 2.Ka5! Ka2 3.Kb6 Kb3 4.Kb5 Kb2 5.Kc6 Kc3 6.Kc5 Kc2 7.Kd6 Kd3 8.Kd5 Kd2 9.Ke6 Ke3 10.Ke5 Ke2 11.Kf6 Kf3 12.Kf5 Kg2 13.Kg6 Kh3 14.Kh5> 1–0 The process by which White maneuvers his king to the K-side always maintaining the opposition is fascinating; even more instructive is the “anti-opposition” technique that Black uses to draw if White starts to bring his king across the board without having first played the advance g2-g4. At any rate, in his notes to White’s second move, Nunn comments that it is too early for White to play his king to the b-file, and he says that 2. Kb5? Kb3 "gives Black the opposition" and if he tries 2. Kb6?, then 2. … Kb4 creates a position that “is a draw whoever moves first” (op. cit. at 55). In fact, in the position with K/b6 vs. K/b4 (and with pawns on g4, h2 vs. g5, h6), Black on move is winning if he continues with … Kb4-c4. The position in question is: 
click for larger view |
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| May-28-16 | | john barleycorn: <Jim Bartle: I inhaled the book "Beat the Dealer" in the 60s. It was so much fun. It had these little cards which told you what to do under certain situations. I assume analysis has gone much further in the ensuing 50 years. The author found he could have a 2% advantage or something like that if he could keep track of the relationship of 10s to non-10s remaining in a single deck.> The analysis has indeed gone further - by the casinos. You will not find that game anymore as described in "Beat the dealer" which besides the standard excuse "I did not win because I was cheated" excells by a lot of faulty calculations. Anyway, Thorp made a career out of it as hedge fond manager. |
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| May-28-16 | | Jim Bartle: <The analysis has indeed gone further - by the casinos. > Why am I not surprised?
I assume the biggest change is multi-decks vs. single deck. As a casual player, I like multi-deck just because there were fewer delays in losing my money. |
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| May-28-16 | | john barleycorn: <Jim Bartle: <The analysis has indeed gone further - by the casinos. > Why am I not surprised?
I assume the biggest change is multi-decks vs. single deck. As a casual player, I like multi-deck just because there were fewer delays in losing my money.> Yes, while the players and sellers of "winning systems" tried to bring the calculations and count systems further the Casinos created conditions under which these systems were useless.
Anyway, if you look at these systems the recommendations are as useful as "develop knights before bishops" in chess openings. |
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| May-28-16 | | Jim Bartle: I'm waiting for someone to produce a "winning system" for roulette. |
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| May-28-16 | | john barleycorn: <Jim Bartle: I'm waiting for someone to produce a "winning system" for roulette.> Haha you wanna bet on how many suckers bought roulette systems? |
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| May-28-16 | | Jim Bartle: That cannot be. The odds are just too obvious. The 0 and 00 mean you will lose long term. |
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| May-28-16 | | john barleycorn: <Jim Bartle: That cannot be....> american roulette with a 00 is not a game but a hold up. The odds are obvious, yes but "Is it really not possible to touch the gaming table without being instantly infected by superstition?" |
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May-28-16
 | | perfidious: <Jim> The single zero gives a 2.7 per cent house edge--therefore impossible to beat--and 00 lends a handsome 5.26 % advantage. At least where the en prison rule applies, the house edge is reduced to 1.35 per cent, which still cannot be beaten over the long haul, but is something of an improvement. |
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| May-28-16 | | Jim Bartle: I think casinos make a huge amount of money playing on the psychology of gamblers. OK, that's obvious. But if gamblers went in with the idea of winning something and being happy with that, say start with $100 and leave with $140, the casinos would make a lot less. Less money bet. But too many gamblers start with $100 and decide they're not going to quit until they have $1000 or $5000 and that just is not going to happen very often. |
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| May-29-16 | | john barleycorn: <Jim Bartle: ...
But if gamblers went in with the idea of winning something and being happy with that, say start with $100 and leave with $140, the casinos would make a lot less. Less money bet. ...> Yes, and in theory I agree to that. quit when you are ahead. however, there is no "rule" to quit when winning. I still think Dostojevsky described best all the psychology involved in gambling. |
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| May-29-16 | | Jim Bartle: <I still think Dostojevsky described best all the psychology involved in gambling.> I prefer Kenny Rogers. |
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| May-29-16 | | john barleycorn: <Jim Bartle: ...
I prefer Kenny Rogers.>
yes, it is an alternative to McDostojevski
https://www.google.de/search?q=kenn... |
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| May-29-16 | | Jim Bartle: My cholesterol level shot up just by opening that link. Do you ever watch Seinfeld? Kramer flipped out because the lights of a Kenny Rogers restaurant kept him up at night, then he ended up gorging himself there. Don't remember the details. |
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| May-29-16 | | john barleycorn: never watched Seinfeld. probably, there is a german tv version but I managed to survive without it. |
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May-30-16
 | | offramp: <john barleycorn: never watched Seinfeld. probably, there is a german tv version but I managed to survive without it.> The German version was called "His Field." |
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| May-30-16 | | Appaz: <<john barleycorn> I still think Dostojevsky described best all the psychology involved in gambling.> He had first hand information since he for a period was more or less addicted himself. I read the novel in my teens and it had a huge impact on me. There are a few novels brilliantly describing fundamental psychological traits in humans, this is one of them. Others among my favorites is Hunger by Knut Hamsun and...John Barleycorn (!) by Jack London. They all have in common that they are very autobiographical. |
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| May-31-16 | | john barleycorn: <Appaz> yes, all good reads. now, tell me whether Dr. Faustus is also a favourite of yours? |
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| May-31-16 | | Appaz: <jb> No, I haven't read it, although I know about it. I'll take that as reading advice - or listening advice, as I mainly listen to audio books these days. |
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| May-31-16 | | john barleycorn: <Appaz> good. I think the before mentioned works which we both read were heavily autobiographical but revealing a lot about the human nature. Dr. Faustus is really into that, too. You will enjoy. However, I recommmend to read the book. It is my belief that the contents is remembered better that way. Actually, I have never tried "audio" books so I might be mistaken. |
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| May-31-16 | | Appaz: Reading is sooo 2000-ish... :) |
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| May-31-16 | | Appaz: To be serious, there is a challenge to concentrate and keep focus when you listen to audio books instead of reading. Your brain is so much more easily distracted in the simple process of listen, compared to reading. It's not the same quality in one way, but it has other advantages. You can take your literature out walking or comfortably fall asleep over it. |
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May-31-16
 | | HeMateMe: I tried audio books and I couldn't follow along. Too slow. You can read much faster than listen to someone speak. I kept losing track of what was going on. My first and last audio book. |
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| May-31-16 | | Conrad93: < Is this really the best photo of Nunn available?
What about this?
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe...
and this (somewhat out-of-focus):
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe...(A).jpg
And here's one I hadn't seen before:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe...
All of which have the advantage that it does catch him mid-phrase, looking like he just sucked a lemon.> He looks a bit like Neil Gaiman. |
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