# I swore I would never do this... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 29, 2000, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swore-i-would-never-do-this/35042 "2000-09-29T18:58:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gazoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ce73a5/32.png) [@Gazoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gazoo)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2000, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swore-i-would-never-do-this/35042/21 "2000-09-29T19:52:22Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by sdimbert \* \*\* > [@](#): > > This will work only if the “other card” he takes is an Ace… otherwise she can beat him with 2 pair… Aces and Aces. 😃 \*\* No, because he has a SF to the king. ---
**Author:** ![jmullaney](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85e7bf/32.png) [@jmullaney](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jmullaney)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2000, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swore-i-would-never-do-this/35042/22 "2000-09-29T19:56:43Z")
This might not help: [Click and Clack’s answer](http://cartalk.cars.com/Radio/Puzzler/Transcripts/200039/answer.html) ---
**Author:** ![Gazoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ce73a5/32.png) [@Gazoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gazoo)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2000, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swore-i-would-never-do-this/35042/23 "2000-09-29T20:09:02Z")
Ok, that’s cool. Her taking the four 10’s excludes my undercutting theory. If she takes the 10’s, the best I can possibly wind up with is a SF to the 9. No matter what I choose then she can always beat me. (If I try to undercut her by taking the 9’s, she just draws to get a Royal Flush). ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2000, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swore-i-would-never-do-this/35042/24 "2000-09-29T20:10:58Z")
I had a whole long post written, but then when I previewed it, I saw the link to the answer, which got in there while I was writing. So now I’ve read it, and it makes sense **except** that it only works as a story, where Ray gets to explain his “two Royal Flushes are tied” strategy. It does not work as a riddle, because there are two critical features needed: After Ray convinces his wife that it will always end in a tie, the wife **switches** the order so that **she** will go first. And not only does she **pick** first, but it is also she who gets the option of **exchanging** first. Once you see that, it doesn’t really work as a riddle any more. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2000, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swore-i-would-never-do-this/35042/25 "2000-09-29T20:29:02Z")
> [@](#): > > _from Hexaflexagons and Other Mathematical Diversions by Martin Gardner_ > There are 88 winning first hands. They fall into two categories: (1) Four tens and any other card (48 hands); (2) Three tens and any of the following pairs from the suit not represented by a ten: A-9, K-9, Q-9, J-9, K-8, Q-8, J-8, Q-7, J-7, J-6 (40 hands). Gardner’s version of the problem also specifies that the discards are set aside from the game. Click and Clack probably left that part out, thinking it unimportant or obvious. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2000, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swore-i-would-never-do-this/35042/26 "2000-09-29T20:45:14Z")
For a slightly different version (real poker drawing rules), [click here](http://www.greylabyrinth.com/Puzzles/puzzle010.htm) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swore-i-would-never-do-this/35042.md?page=1)