To: WSFAlist at keithlynch.net
Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 13:25:52 -0500
Subject: [WSFA] Re: math problem
From: ronkean at juno.com
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>

On Sat, 8 Mar 2003 14:48:40 -0500 "Ted White" <twhite8 at cox.net> writes:
>

> You're kidding, right?   The winning strategy is simply to quit
> while
> ahead.
>

Yes, of course, that is the most obvious answer, but I'm not yet sure it
is correct and complete.  Along those lines, it also seems that a winning
strategy would require going to the casino with substantially more money
than the typical amount available to the losing players, the ones who
lose because they persistently play until they lose most of the money
they have with them, the ones who never quit when ahead (unless the
casino closes while they are ahead).  But simply planning to quit when
ahead does not tell what amount ahead is the optimal amount at which to
quit for the day.  For example, it might be better to quit when one is 20
units ahead, or 100 units ahead, as opposed to five units ahead.

Also, I wonder if, as a matter of logic, playing until one is ahead some
amount, would really yield net winnings in the long run, given the
assumptions described in the original message.  If a player quits when he
is 20 units ahead, when does he start to play again?  It would seem to
make no fundamental difference whether he starts playing again right away
the same day, or waits until the next day.  And so long as he keeps
playing, what's the difference between that plan and the practice of
playing until all of one's money is lost?

Ron Kean

.

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