The Mathematics of Games and Puzzles: From Cards to Sudoku

Overview — Course No. 1401

Games and puzzles have been a part of human civilization for thousands of years, rooted deeply in mathematics. In The Mathematics of Games and Puzzles, Professor Arthur T. Benjamin teaches you how to win games and solve puzzles using mathematical strategies. From blackjack to Sudoku, you’ll learn optimal tactics, probabilities, and the art of bluffing. This course will enhance your decision-making skills and provide new levels of enjoyment and success in games.

Video Lessons

01: Let the Games Begin!

Start with simple games and puzzles like 20 Questions, Mastermind, and The Tower of Hanoi to introduce basic strategies and the concept of expected value.

Duration: 49 min

02: Games of Chance and Winning Wagers

Learn to evaluate the fairness of games like roulette and craps using expected value. Discover strategies like the Kelly criterion for optimal betting.

Duration: 45 min

03: Optimal Blackjack and Simple Card Counting

Get the edge in blackjack with mathematical strategies for optimal play and simple card counting techniques.

Duration: 44 min

04: Mixed Strategies and the Art of Bluffing

Understand how to use mixed strategies in games with opposing goals, like poker, to make unpredictable decisions and bluff effectively.

Duration: 40 min

05: Practical Poker Probabilities

Calculate probabilities in Texas Hold’em, including how to improve your hand and use pot odds for better decisions.

Duration: 44 min

06: Expert Backgammon

Learn the mathematical strategies behind backgammon, including the use of the doubling cube and optimal opening moves.

Duration: 44 min

07: Games You Can’t Lose and Sneaky Puzzles

Explore nontransitive properties in games like penny ante and Bingo, and solve puzzles involving odd and even numbers.

Duration: 44 min

08: Solving “Impossible” Puzzles

Tackle classic puzzles with mathematical tools like mod 2 arithmetic and vector equations, demystifying complex games.

Duration: 45 min

09: Mastering Rubik’s Cube

Discover an eight-step method for solving the Rubik’s Cube quickly and accurately, taught by a world-champion cuber.

Duration: 46 min

10: Solving Sudoku

Learn advanced Sudoku strategies including crosshatching, miniboxes, and the unique rectangle rule to solve challenging grids.

Duration: 50 min

11: Mathematics and Chess

Connect math and chess, exploring strategies and tactics for openings, middlegames, and endgames, plus insights into computer chess.

Duration: 45 min

12: Winning Ways—It’s Your Move!

Reflect on game categories and strategies with puzzles like Cram, NIM, Chomp, and Connect Four. Explore how computers enhance gameplay.

Duration: 47 min