14 Wednesday February 16 2022 | 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 3112
© 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 5505 Futoshiki No 4153
8 42 12 16 21 6 7
6
2223 4
3
9 22
14
33 9
9 35 16
23 4
617
24
4
1730
28
27 4
4
13 4
146
17 23316
416
16
31 244 24 14(^)
Take them to the river
One of the areas where profes-
sional players (pros) seriously out-
perform recreational players (recs)
is understanding how other play-
ers play. Recs generally have a
reasonable grasp of what hands
should be played pre-flop and
decent ideas about post-flop strat-
egy. However, they tend to play in
a rigid style. They do the same
stuff again and again, hand after
hand, never adjusting to the oppo-
sition. Groundhog Day poker.
Pros could not be more differ-
ent. Their game is based on obser-
ving what is going on at the table
and adjusting accordingly. They
understand implicitly where the
serious profit comes from. It does
not come from subtle nuances
when heads-up against a fellow
pro. In such situations they may
make a great read, a brilliant
deduction and a highly accurate
bet-sizing. They may play fabu-
lous poker and feel great about
themselves. However, because
they are up against a very good
Villain, the actual profit from the
play is most likely to be peanuts.
The real profit comes from adjust-
ing in order to exploit bad players.
An example. Our Hero is on
the button with Q-Q. A very good
Villain opens and everyone folds
round to Hero. The only players
coming after Hero are the Small
Blind (SB) and the Big Blind (BB).
The SB plays tight so will almost
always fold. The BB, however, is
the table maniac. The BB loves to
play any hand and consistently
overrates their modest holdings,
rarely folding anything post-flop.
Consult any hand-range chart
and it will tell you Hero should re-
raise with their pair of queens. In
theory this is absolutely correct. A
pair of queens is very strong but
plays much better heads-up than
multi-way. Heads-up, a pair of
queens is often good enough to
win unimproved at showdown.
Multi-way, there is a far greater
chance someone will make some-
thing that overtakes the queens.
So, Hero should re-raise. Right?
In general, yes. In this particu-
lar scenario, probably not (in
poker it is difficult to be 100 per
cent certain about anything). If
Hero re-raises, then the BB –
even though they love to play –
will probably take the hint and
fold. Hero will be heads-up facing
an excellent Villain and will find
it very difficult to extract value.
Calling however, will give the
maniac BB a great price to enter
the pot with any old hand – a
temptation they will find hard to
resist. If the BB were strong this
would be a blunder as Hero would
have weakened their position by
creating a multi-way pot with no
upside. However, because the BB
plays badly, especially being very
spewy post-flop, it is hugely prof-
itable for Hero to keep them in
the pot when holding a very strong
hand. As the pros like to say (accu-
rately if somewhat tactlessly),
target the weak players, take them
to the river and drown them.
© 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 1557
Lexica No 6225 No 6226
F L
B
T
L
L
U
S
R
T
E
R
I S
T L
E U
A B
F A
R
E
LE
C
V
NN
N
O
S F
E
V E
R E
E O
M
Codeword No 4513
Winning Move
Poker Byron Jacobs
W____W^
ákDWDrDWD]
à0pDWDp0W]
ßWgWDpDWD]
ÞDWDW)WDp]
ÝqDWDWDW)]
ÜDWDQDW)W]
ÛPDWDW)WD]
ÚDW$RDWIW]
WÁÂÃÄÅÆÇÈW
White to play.
This position is from Remizov-
Nugumanov, Lozovatsky
Memorial, Chelyabinsk 2022.
White has a material advantage
here with rook against bishop
and pawn. In such situations it
helps the player with the rook if
there are open lines on which
the rook(s) can operate. Here
this is very much the case as
White dominates the open
c- and d-files. How did he
quickly capitalise?
For more puzzles, including an extra
Codeword, Train Tracks and Futoshiki
go to page 10