The Times - UK (2022-02-23)

14 Wednesday February 23 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 MEDIA

Kakuro No 3117

© 2010 KENKEN PUZZLE & TM NEXTOY. DIST. BY UFS, INC. WWW.KENKEN.COM

Fill 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 5511 Futoshiki No 4158

4 3 29 14 24 23 39 15

4 29

19

4

38 3

23

3

17

39

27

14

20 30

16

4

24

3 16

16

14

30

17

12 28

13

15

29 33

6

29 17

6 16 17

16 33

12 11 16

Cold calling

Cold calling in poker has nothing

to do with unwanted interruptions

on your phone. A cold call is a

feature of pre-flop betting. It is a

call when you have no money

already invested in the pot. During

the pre-flop betting (subsequent to

at least one player making a bet),

players can fold, call or raise. Call-

ing in precisely this spot is a cold

call. One player opens and another

calls. That’s a cold call. One player

opens, another raises, then some-

one calls. That’s also a cold call.

You could watch a high-stakes

game, populated by professionals

(pros), for hours on end and never

see a cold call. However, in low-

stakes games, featuring recrea-

tional players (recs), you could see

cold calling on almost every deal.

Assuming a player has a hand

they want to play, they have two

options after someone has already

entered the pot. They can call

(cold calling) or they can raise.

Recs love to cold call, pros hate

doing it and will do so only in

very specific circumstances.

In general, cold calling is a bad

idea. The reasons why it is loved

by recs and hated by pros give an

insight into their differing percep-

tion of what poker is fundamen-

tally all about. A rec wants to play

numerous hands in the hope of

occasionally hitting a glorious flop

and scooping a massive pot. They

want the thrill of playing 7-5 and

seeing a flop of 8-6-4, giving them

a straight and the near certainty

of winning. To this end, they

don’t mind investing a lot of little

bets so they can see flops. A start-

ing hand is a lottery ticket and

you have to be in it to win it.

Pros, on the other hand, are not

remotely interested in amazing

flops. They know full well that,

although not as rare as a lottery

win, these are highly improbable

occurrences. Pros are focused on

expected value (EV). Every deci-

sion is based on EV. If they put

$20 in the pot they want to be

very clear that, in their judgment,

the EV of this play is more than

$20. If it is less than $20 then it’s

a gamble, not an investment.

So, why is cold calling such a

bad idea? If someone has bet and

you want to play, you should

(almost always) raise. All sorts of

good things can then happen.

Everyone, including the original

opener, can fold and you win the

pot at once. Or everyone folds,

the original opener calls and you

see the flop heads-up. Now you

have taken the initiative, have only

one opponent to beat and are

playing in position (Villain has to

play first on each post-flop street).

This is a very profitable scenario.

And the drawbacks of raising?

You commit more chips and you

may get a bad flop. Then you will

be playing for more money and

have difficult decisions. For a rec

this can be very uncomfortable.

Here, however, poker (as so often)

imitates life. Consistently running

away from difficult decisions is

rarely a good strategy.

© 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 1563

Lexica No 6235 No 6236

B

S

D

E

O N

A

T

R

T

X

W

W E

L F

T I

N U

T E

S O

R

R

A

E

H

A

Y K

F E

M

N U

S

I O

C M

Codeword No 4519

Winning Move

Poker Byron Jacobs

W____W

áWDWDWDWD]

àDWDWDWDW]

ßWDNDWDKD]

ÞDWDWDW0W]

ÝW0WiWDWD]

ÜDWDWDpDW]

ÛPDWDWDW)]

ÚDWDWDWDW]

WÁÂÃÄÅÆÇÈW

Black to play.

This position is from Titichoca

Daza-Owezdurdiyeva, Titled

Tuesday, chess.com 2022.

Knights are terrible pieces for

the job of dealing with a passed

pawn. Their short-range hopping

motion means that (unlike rooks

and bishops) they have to get up

close and personal to be effective.

In today’s puzzle Black is in

check. Which accurate move

prevents the white knight from

saving the day?

For more puzzles, including an extra

Codeword, Train Tracks and Futoshiki

go to page 10