Raise Your Game

Gaming

Shut Up & Sit Down Game Recommendations

February 19, 2020 by Kelly

Finding the perfect gift can be tricky. As minimalist sensibilities have continued to power pop culture (think Marie Kondo, mid-century modern furniture, and experiences over objects) the landscape has become even more daunting. What if I told you, dear readers, that there exists a compact gift that transcends age and...

What's Making Waves at SIG

Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World By David Epstein

January 13, 2020 by Rob

I have seen a theme in several books I’ve been reading lately. The authors make the case that the only way to succeed in a competitive field is to specialize early and commit to deliberate practice from an early age. This idea can be frustrating for people who weren’t given...

Gaming

Highlights from the 2019 U.S. Amateur Team East Chess Tournament

August 16, 2019 by Eric

The 2019 edition of the U.S. Amateur Team East chess tournament took place February 16-18 in Parsippany, NJ. Over 300 teams competed for the bragging rights that come with being USATE champions. SIG was able to field a competitive team this year, “Masters of the Exchange,” with team members Stas,...

Sports

SIG’s Night at the Ballpark Sweepstakes Challenge

July 22, 2019 by Dan

Wednesday morning, June 26, 2019 At SIG’s Philadelphia office, we celebrate the summer each year with our “Night at the Ballpark” perfect for enjoying each other’s company and cheering on the Philadelphia Phillies. This year, the Phillies will be hosting the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park. To make...

Mathematical Magic: Tricks to Stump Your Friends

Gaming

Mathematical Magic: 3 Tricks to Stump Your Friends

April 17, 2019 by Todd

Much of the content of this blog has focused on games and gambling, and an underlying theme in many of the posts has been the mathematics that underlie decisions or approaches to play. There is another area where mathematics comes up in clever but unexpected ways: magic. (And no, this...

Poker

Poker Tournament Tips for New Players

February 7, 2019 by Rob

In anticipation of SIG’s annual firm-wide No Limit Texas Hold’em Poker Tournament, we asked some of our experienced poker players what advice they would give to new players. Here are their answers: Blinds Don’t underestimate the importance of picking up the blinds. When it is folded to you in late...

Serena Williams’s probability of winning the US Open

Sports

Williams vs. Osaka – A Cool Calculation

January 10, 2019 by Mike

Emotions were high in Flushing Meadows when Serena Williams protested the umpire’s decisions during the 2018 US Open Finals against Naomi Osaka. It would become one of the hottest topics on social media in the days and weeks that followed, with millions of people around the world debating issues ranging...

how to quantify Marcus Smart's value as a defensive player

Sports

How Do We Quantify the Value of a Defensive Basketball Player?

October 24, 2018 by Stephen

After a close Game 7 loss to LeBron and the Cavs, a frustrated Marcus Smart ranted about his upcoming free agency. “To be honest, I’m worth more than $12-14 million, just for the things I do on the court that don’t show up on the stat sheet,” he said. “You...

Sports

Strategy in Baseball – A Look at Pitch Count

August 23, 2018 by Alex M.

One of the simplest applications of game theory and strategy to sports is pitch selection in baseball. On every single play, the pitcher has dozens of possibilities in his arsenal. For example, Arizona Diamondbacks’ star Zack Greinke has five main pitches: two types of fastballs (four seam and two seam),...

Sports

NHL Draft Pick Probability

June 4, 2018 by Ned

Getting the top pick in the NHL draft is a big deal for NHL teams and fans. Each year the league holds a lottery to determine the order teams receive draft picks. To discourage teams from purposely losing to guarantee the top pick, all 15 teams that didn’t make the...