Most Important Fundamental Rule of Poker Strategy

Poker is a large complex game of imperfect information, which has been singled out as a major AI challenge problem. Recently there has been a series of breakthroughs culminating in agents that have successfully defeated the strongest human players in two-player no-limit Texas hold 'em. The strongest agents are based on algorithms for approximating Nash equilibrium strategies, which are stored in massive binary files and unintelligible to humans. A recent line of research has explored approaches for extrapolating knowledge from strong game-theoretic strategies that can be understood by humans. This would be useful when humans are the ultimate decision maker and allow humans to make better decisions from massive algorithmically-generated strategies. Using techniques from machine learning we have uncovered a new simple, fundamental rule of poker strategy that leads to a significant improvement in performance over the best prior rule and can also easily be applied by human players

The Sat-Comms Game: teaching a complex subject for interdisciplinary audiences

This paper addresses general space education for interdisciplinary audiences. In particular, this paper considers education in the field of Satellite Telecommunications (Sat-Comms). The challenge in presenting the field of sat-comms for effective learning is two-fold. Firstly, this field is interdisciplinary, the disciplines are coupled, and it is complex. Secondly, the typical audiences for this subject often have diverse backgrounds. Hence, a suitable teaching strategy is required, so that all students can learn from a training session. Publicly available sat-comms training is largely engineering focused. This study could not find suitable training for the purpose of interdisciplinary sat-comms education. Hence, to address this absence in available training, the author has created a workshop, which provides sat-comms education to interdisciplinary audiences. The workshop was empirically developed from the author’s experience at Inmarsat and at the International Space University. The workshop uses elements from Constructivist, Behaviourism, Cognitive, Connectivism, and Experiential learning theories. Furthermore, it was designed to be taught in person and online. The Sat-Comms Game was first trialled in an online format in 2021. The workshop worked well in engaging the participants during the session. Additionally, feedback on the workshop was positive. Hence, this trial indicated that the workshop could function logistically and engage people pedagogically. The author intends to conduct further trials and corresponding assessment methods to gauge the pedagogic effectivenes

Engaging Students during Research through the Use of Games

Engaging students during a research seminar/meeting can be a difficult challenge, and as as student myself, I can attest to how difficult actively listening to a presentation can be. As such, upon researching more ways to have an audience engaged, one of the most promising concepts is the use of games. Games, in any form, can be very engaging to a person, and even more so if there is active engagement and participation within an audience group. With this concept in mind, I decided to take it upon myself to create a game based around a theoretical computer science model, and see if I can have newcomers learn how the theoretical model works faster than during a normal presentation. I have worked with the concept of games various times before, and as such, I will include that work in this thesis for the sake of theme, and to argue that learning with games tends to be a lot easier than traditional forms of learning

The entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana reduces instantaneous blood feeding in wild multi-insecticide-resistant Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes in Benin, West Africa.

BACKGROUND: Mosquito-borne diseases are still a major health risk in many developing countries, and the emergence of multi-insecticide-resistant mosquitoes is threatening the future of vector control. Therefore, new tools that can manage resistant mosquitoes are required. Laboratory studies show that entomopathogenic fungi can kill insecticide-resistant malaria vectors but this needs to be verified in the field. METHODS: The present study investigated whether these fungi will be effective at infecting, killing and/or modifying the behaviour of wild multi-insecticide-resistant West African mosquitoes. The entomopathogenic fungi Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana were separately applied to white polyester window netting and used in combination with either a permethrin-treated or untreated bednet in an experimental hut trial. Untreated nets were used because we wanted to test the effect of fungus alone and in combination with an insecticide to examine any potential additive or synergistic effects. RESULTS: In total, 1125 female mosquitoes were collected during the hut trial, mainly Culex quinquefasciatus Say. Unfortunately, not enough wild Anopheles gambiae Giles were collected to allow the effect the fungi may have on this malaria vector to be analysed. None of the treatment combinations caused significantly increased mortality of Cx. quinquefasciatus when compared to the control hut. The only significant behaviour modification found was a reduction in blood feeding by Cx. quinquefasciatus, caused by the permethrin and B. bassiana treatments, although no additive effect was seen in the B. bassiana and permethrin combination treatment. Beauveria bassiana did not repel blood foraging mosquitoes either in the laboratory or field. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first time that an entomopathogenic fungus has been shown to reduce blood feeding of wild mosquitoes. This behaviour modification indicates that B. bassiana could potentially be a new mosquito control tool effective at reducing disease transmission, although further field work in areas with filariasis transmission should be carried out to verify this. In addition, work targeting malaria vector mosquitoes should be carried out to see if these mosquitoes manifest the same behaviour modification after infection with B. bassiana conidia

After the Prestige: A Postmodern Analysis of Penn and Teller

By mocking the magic community and revealing the secret behind some of their tricks, Penn and Teller perform a kind of parodic and post-modern “anti-magic.” Penn and Teller display an artful use of rhetoric; in exposing the secrets and shortcomings of conjuring, they are revolutionizing the way people think about both the art of magic and the magic community. Individuals such as Penn and Teller may use parody to subvert the hegemonic interpretations. However, we also know that it is difficult to bring down a system while operating within that system. Thus, this article explores the way Penn and Teller are challenging the metanarrative of the magic community, using several of the duo’s more popular illusions as examples for analysis. Ultimately, this paper should help us gain a better understanding of the way parody can be used to challenge hegemonic conceptions, and the limitations of this type of rhetorical approach

Collaborative computer personalities in the game of chess

Computer chess has played a crucial role in Artificial Intelligence research since the creation of the modem computer. It has gained this prominent position due to the large domain that it encompasses, including psychology, philosophy and computer science. The new and innovative techniques initially created for computer chess have often been successfully transferred to other divergent research areas such as theorem provers and economic models. The progress achieved by computers in the game of chess has been illustrated by Deep Blue’s famous victory over Garry Kasparov in 1997. However, further improvements are required if more complex problems are to be solved. In 1999 the Kasparov versus the World match took place over the Internet. The match allowed chess players from around the world to collaborate in a single game of chess against the then world champion, Garry Kasparov. The game was closely fought with Kasparov coming out on top. One of the most surprising aspects of the contest was the high quality of play achieved by the World team. The World team consisted of players with varying skill and style of play, despite this they achieved a level of play that was considered better than any of its individual members. The purpose of this research is to investigate if collaboration by different players can be successfully transferred to the domain of computer chess

Exploration of the theory underlying the construction of a multi-puzzle contest

Thesis (S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Humanities, Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies, 1998.This is an exploration of the rules and guidelines that underlie the structure of a multi-puzzle contest (a competition consisting of one large puzzle made up of a number of smaller constituent puzzles). The MIT Mystery Hunt, a multi-puzzle contest held on campus each January, is the second-largest annual event of this nature in the United States. The theories put forth in this exploration were culled from personal experience. Having played in four MIT Mystery Hunts and constructed two, as well as participating in other multi-puzzle contests such as the Miami Herald Tropic Hunt, the Random House $10,000 Trivia Challenge, and the National Puzzlers' League convention extravaganza, I am familiar with the specific format in question. Furthermore, I have a firsthand understanding, from both sides of the contest, of what is necessary and what is optional and, more importantly, what works and what does not. It was found that the structural framework of a multi-puzzle contest is rather loose; most of the guidelines and elements are optional. The only necessary aspects are the most basic structural components: an endgame and a number of individual puzzles. However, while a multi-puzzle contest can technically work without a majority of the elements discussed, many of these must be included for such a contest to be a successful form of entertainment. The most vital aspects are theme and variety; others that should be included are puzzles that use the available geography and experimental puzzles. Ultimately, the puzzle maker should design the multi-puzzle contest he would most like to participate in himself.by Mark Louis Gottlieb.S.B