10 Wednesday December 22 2021 | the times
MindGames
Fill the grid
using the
numbers 1 to 9
only. The
numbers in each
horizontal or
vertical run of
white squares
add up to the
total in the
triangle to its left
or above it. The
same number
may occur more
than once in a
row or column,
but not within
the same run of
white squares.© PUZZLER MEDIAKakuro No 3072
© 2010 KENKEN PUZZLE & TM NEXTOY. DIST. BY UFS, INC. WWW.KENKEN.COMFill the blank squares so that every row and column contains
each of the numbers 1 to 5 once only. The symbols between
the squares indicate whether a number is larger (>) or smaller
(<) than the number next to it.All the digits 1 to 6 must appear in every row and column. In
each thick-line “block”, the target number in the top left-hand
corner is calculated from the digits in all the cells in the block,
using the operation indicated by the symbol.
KenKen Medium No 5457 Futoshiki No 4113
23 23 42 16 25 7
16 17
103
16
20
2920
16
28 26
31
14 31
36 11
13 6
237
12
11 9
38419
249
6
16 28
3
17 1916 4 3(^)
Too much and never enough
Last week’s article discussed the
thorny topic of bankroll manage-
ment – a poker discipline where
players set aside an amount of
money to form their poker bank-
roll. The theory helps a (winning)
player select the games and buy-
ins that are less likely to jeopard-
ise their entire bankroll during
inevitable losing streaks.
Very few players actually fol-
low this. So, if you are a good
player and think you are a win-
ner, how can you decide which
cash games or tournaments are
appropriate in this context? If you
play cash games it doesn’t matter
much. It should be fairly obvious
which games you should be in
because you are probably playing
them already and are unlikely to
be tempted to advance beyond
your means. If your main cash
game is a $50 buy-in you may
occasionally take a shot at a $100
game, especially if it appears soft
(ie the players don’t look great).
However, unless you are a reck-
less, gambling thrill-seeker, you
are unlikely to be tempted by a
$1,000 game as it will be obvious
it is way out of your league.
Tournaments are a different
proposition. Tournaments, espe-
cially those with large fields, can
have substantial prize money for
the very top spots, even when the
buy-in is modest. So playing one
of these is more like buying a
lottery ticket. You invest a mod-
erate amount of money and if you
play well and run well you could
be in for a sizeable payday.
There is a crucial factor that
may affect how you play in the
late stages of such events on the
rare occasions when you go very
deep and are potentially in line
for a major prize. Let’s say you are
one of about 20 players left and
have a huge chip stack – up with
the leaders. The prizes are in the
big five figures. In such a situation
you may be tempted to play very
cautiously, realising that if you do
a number of the other players will
almost certainly bust out before
you. Taking this line means your
stack may well dwindle and you
will no longer be in the running
for the top spots. Nevertheless
this approach means you can
walk away with, say, $20,000.
With a big stack in the late
stages, correct strategy is nearly
always to be aggressive and fight
for major prizes. In this example
they could be in the region of
$80,000, $60,000 etc. But going
for it does mean you run the risk
of busting out and you may end
up with, say, “only” $5,000.
Taking a safe $20,000 is going
to be tempting. This could be a
once-in-a-lifetime event and
many players could opt for the
safe route in a way that they may
not if the prize fund were substan-
tially smaller. When choosing
your tournaments be aware that if
you are likely to adopt such an
approach, you are definitely giv-
ing up value. Poker is a game that
rarely rewards safety-first play.
© PUZZLER MEDIA
Slide the letters either horizontally or vertically back into the grid to produce a
completed crossword. Letters are allowed to slide over other letters
Every letter in this crossword-style grid has been substituted for a number from 1
to 26. Each letter of the alphabet appears in the grid at least once. Use the letters
already provided to work out the identity of further letters. Enter letters in the main
grid and the smaller reference grid until all 26 letters of the alphabet have been
accounted for. Proper nouns are excluded. Yesterday’s solution, right
Cluelines Stuck on Codeword? To receive 4 random clues call 0901 293 6262 or
text TIMECODE to 64343. Calls cost £1 plus your telephone company’s network
access charge. Texts cost £1 plus your standard network charge. For the full solution
call 0905 757 0142. Calls cost £1 per minute plus your telephone company’s network
access charge. SP: Spoke, 0333 202 3390 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5.30pm).
Winners will receive a Collins English Dictionary & Thesaurus
Solve the puzzle and text in the numbers in the three
shaded boxes. Text TIMES followed by a space, then
your three numbers, eg, TIMES 123, plus your name,
address and postcode to 84901 (UK only), by midnight.
Or enter by phone. Call 09012 925274 (ROI 1516 303 501)
by midnight. Leave your three answer numbers (in any
order) and your contact details.
Calls cost £1 (ROI €1.50) plus your telephone company’s
network access charge. Texts cost £1 plus your standard
network charge. Winners will be picked at random from
all correct answers received. One draw per week. Lines
close at midnight tonight. If you call or text after this
time you will not be entered but will still be charged.
SP: Spoke, 0333 202 3390 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5.30pm).
Fill the grid so
that every
column, every
row and every
3x2 box contains
the digits 1 to 6
What are your favourite puzzles in MindGames?
Email: [email protected]
Lay tracks to enable the train to travel from village A to village
B. The numbers indicate how many sections of rail go in each
row and column. There are only straight rails and curved rails.
The track cannot cross itself.
Win a Dictionary & Thesaurus
Train Tracks No 1512
Lexica No 6145 No 6146
P U
N
R
S
A
E
U
I
G
L
H B
U E
A
C D
Y B
T E
P
A
W B
G
L
M I
C
U
U
R H
I S
C T
H K
T
Codeword No 4465
Winning Move
Poker Byron Jacobs
áW4qDrDkD]
àDWDWDRGp]
ßpDW0W0WD]
ÞDW0W0WDW]
ÝWDPDPDW!]
ÜDPDWDWDW]
ÛPDWDWDP)]
ÚDWDbDWDK]
WÁÂÃÄÅÆÇÈW
White to play.
This position is from Tal-
Rantanen, Tallinn 1979.
Mikhail Tal had a brief tenure as
world champion from 1960 to
- Tal was one of the most
dynamic and creative players
ever. His extraordinary attacks
were not always sound but the
complications would inevitably
bamboozle his opponents as the
practical difficulties became
overwhelming. Can you spot his
brilliant finish here?
For more puzzles, including an extra
Codeword, Train Tracks and Futoshiki
go to page 6