Problematics | Which game is smarter, poker or teen patti?

Dec 06, 2022 09:07 AM IST

The Hollywood caper The Sting (1973) includes a memorable depiction of a poker game, in which a lot of cheating is going on. This too is about poker, and the rules of the game now may help you warm up for The Sting later.

The Hollywood caper The Sting (1973) includes a memorable depiction of a poker game, in which a lot of cheating is going on. Cinema must, however, wait until we are done with the first puzzle of the day. This too is about poker, and the rules of the game now may help you warm up for The Sting later.

Welcome to Problematics! (Shutterstock) PREMIUM
Welcome to Problematics! (Shutterstock)

Hierarchy #1.
Hierarchy #1.
Hierarchy #2.
Hierarchy #2.
#Puzzle 15.1: 

In poker, the straight flush’s top rank implies that it has a lower probability of appearing than four of a kind, which is ranked lower. On the other hand, in teen patti, the trio (three of a kind) ranks higher than a straight flush, which implies that the trio has a lower probability of appearing than a straight flush.

Is the ranking system flawed in one of the games, or both?

#Puzzle 15.2.
#Puzzle 15.2.

Mailbox: Last week’s solvers:

#Puzzle 14.1.
#Puzzle 14.1.
#Puzzle 14.2:  

Hi Kabir,

ARGENTINA + WALES = SENEGAL + IRAN + (TWA)

Three residual letters (TWA) in the anagram.

The interesting thing I notice about your puzzles is that they appear difficult when you read through it, but seem easier when you start solving.

— Amardeep Singh, Meerut

Solved #Puzzle 14.1: Naresh Dhillon (Gurgaon), Karthik Shankar (Delhi), Mahesh Mundhra (Indirapuram), Yojit Manral (Faridabad), Rina Shri (Noida Extension), Rajesh Haridas Asher, Nipun Bamania (Mumbai), Mudit Singhal, Natrajan (Bangalore), Amardeep Singh (Meerut), Madhuri Patwardhan (Thane), Jaikumar Bhatia (Ulhasnagar), Rahul Agarwal (Bay Area, California), Shishir Gupta (Indore), Prabhjot Singh (Delhi)

Problematics will be back next week. Please send in your replies to problematics@hindustantimes.com

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    Puzzles Editor Kabir Firaque is the author of the weekly column Problematics. A journalist for three decades, he also writes about science and mathematics.

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