Check my thinking please. I'm playing solitaire and two cards with the
same number and color are on different stacks. One stack has more
cards than the other. Which one should be played? I think the taller
stack. The odds that a particular card will come up seems like it
should be the same no matter which is picked. But the odds that a
particular card would be in a certain stack would seem to favor the
stack with the most cards just because there are more cards to choose
from. Example: I'm looking for the ace of spades. I have two stacks,
one with just two cards and one with seven cards. Since there are
seven chances in the larger stack it would seem that the tall stack
should be the one to choose from. Am I wrong?
Thanks,
Eric

This doesn't sound like the solitaire I play, but in general:
if you draw 2 sets of cards from a deck, a set of 2 cards and a set of 7
cards, the probability that a particular card is in the 7-card set is 3
1/2 times the probability that it is in the 2-card set. 7/52 vs 2/52

However, the probability of *drawing* that card from either set is the
same. The first draw into sets did not change the final probability if
you cannot see the cards and draw again. Either way the probability is
1/52. (7/52 * 1/7) or (2/52 * 1/2)

Bob

"Eric R Snow" wrote: (clip)Since there are seven chances in the larger stack
it would seem that the tall stack should be the one to choose from. Am I
wrong?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Yes and no. I always play the card covering the tallest stack, but for a
different reason. When a stack goes empty, you can't use the opening until
you have a king available. Of course, you want to empty all the stacks, but
you want to do it as evenly as possible, so you don't get empty positions
that can't be played.

I don't think the odds of turning a useful card are any higher in a taller
stack--you turn only the top card. The odds of being able to play that card
are the same in either stack.

Now my question. Lets say you have a choice of playing a card from one of
the stacks in the row, of from the pile up above (don't know what to call
it.) Is there a preference, and how do you decide?

On Tue, 06 Dec 2005 22:07:06 GMT, Leo Lichtman wrote:

"Eric R Snow" wrote: (clip)Since there are seven chances in the larger stack
it would seem that the tall stack should be the one to choose from. Am I
wrong?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Yes and no. I always play the card covering the tallest stack, but for a
different reason. When a stack goes empty, you can't use the opening until
you have a king available. Of course, you want to empty all the stacks, but
you want to do it as evenly as possible, so you don't get empty positions
that can't be played.

I'll play to open _a_ stack, and then play on the tallest stacks.

Now my question. Lets say you have a choice of playing a card from one of
the stacks in the row, of from the pile up above (don't know what to call
it.) Is there a preference, and how do you decide?

It's all about getting that first opening.

Leo Lichtman wrote:
....
Now my question. Lets say you have a choice of playing a card from one of
the stacks in the row, of from the pile up above (don't know what to call
it.) Is there a preference, and how do you decide?

It depends. There are 2 ways of using the "remainder" cards: 1 pass of
1 card at a time, or 3 passes of 3 cards at a time. For 1 card at a
time, I use that (remainder) card, 'cause I won't see it again. 3 cards
at a time I use the stack card, 'cause I might have a chance to use the
remainder card on another pass. In 3's it also depends upon what's
under the remainder card.

Bob