Game Theory - First Class

OK ... something strange is going on around the Cox school. Yesterday was my first day back at school. Last mod there was this student who was in my Excel modeling class. Towards the end of the mod, he stopped shaving ... I thought that he was just using so much time for school that shaving wasn't a top priority. Yesterday, I was eating my Chipotle burrito when I noticed the same student walk in sporting a full-blown beard. He looked like a true mountain-man. But that isn't the kicker. Well, let me back up ... Mr. Moutain-Man is in my game theory class. So he's sitting there in the front row. After a few minutes, in walks another student whom I've worked with and he too is growing a beard! I think that it's unusual for him to grow a beard, but no big deal. Just before class begins, our teacher, Dr. Smith comes in and it appears that he too is in the early stages of a full beard! What is going on?! I just thought it was rather odd.

Game Theory

The first class was last night. The teacher is really layed back and easy going. I think I'll like this class. He talked about what we should have read for next week. He went over the syllabus and course outline. Then he gave us a sample quiz and we took it. He wanted to give us a feel for what to expect each week at the beginning of class. The quiz wasn't graded. He said that if we do well on all the quizes, then we should expect to get a good grade. He said that about if we average about 85% and above on the quizes and final, we'll get an A- or A. The quizes are based on the readings from the book. He also made available the past finals so that we can practice them and get a feel for what the final will be like.

The rest of the class was a lecture. We played lots of games ... Centipede, 21 flags (he showed a video from Survivor Thailand where they played this same game - see the immunity challege from episode 6), 3 Pirates and a few other games I can't remember right now. Anyway ... the whole purpose was to demonstrate sequential games and how it's important to know about 1st or 2nd mover strategy as well as dominate strategy. We also talked about game trees, the two pigs game and other stuff. It'll be a great mod with this class ... I hope.

PTAP

Tonight is my first class. I need to read the chapters today sometime. I'll be underprepared for this class.

Quixote Update

Didn't read last night. The house is in disarray from all the painting.

Chess Update

Didn't play last night.

The 3/14/06 chessgames.com puzzle is 24. ...? Fairly easy ra1+ 25. Kf2 Nd3+ black wins a queen for a knight.

The answer is 24. ... the same as above. Except white doestn't even trade a rook for a knight.

That's all for today.