How to Outsmart the Obstacles Surrounding Fate

Your ancestors stole a powerful card deck from Fate herself hundreds of years ago, but it cost them dearly. Every 23 years, one member of your family must engage in a combat with Fate under conditions that are only known to the other side. The result is the same each time, generation after generation: Fate takes their soul. It's your time now. Could you overcome Fate? Dan Finkel demonstrates. Dan Finkel did some investigation into this.

According to legend, hundreds of years ago, one of your distant ancestors stole a magical card deck from Fate. Your family has earned a reputation as the greatest fortune tellers in the world today.

Your fortunes have multiplied thanks to the deck, but it came at a horrible price. A door appears in your home once every 23 years. One member of your family must enter and engage Fate in a combat with mysterious rules that you are unaware of.

The result is the same each time, generation after generation: Fate takes their soul. Your father accepted the challenge 23 years ago, but he failed. It's your time now. As you pace the duelling arena, you discover something that might change everything: your father had hidden a camera there.

After that, Fate deals the Soul, another card, and says: "Any card with at least one component on the table is available for you to take. Then I'll get every detail.” Consider the Tower as an example. With elements 1, 2, 4, and 8, it is 16. Those are now mine, bringing our score to 16 to 15. You will triumph if your final score is higher than mine.

Play once more while being aware that I will take all of the remaining cards if you run out of moves. Fate comments that if your father were to win and hold the 10, that would bring him tremendous success as the game progresses. Six is real love. The two would permanently break the family omen. But none of that matters because his final total is insufficient.

Fate appears as the image goes static. You hear her giving you the Tower to start the game while having the sensation that you are dreaming. What other good fortune can you achieve for yourself and how can you overcome Fate? Take a moment to determine it for yourself. Answer in three, two, and one. You must think strategically if you wish to trick Fate. Fate receives the 1, 2, 4, and 8 after accepting the 16. She actually possesses the 23, 19, 17, and 13 as well since once 1 is taken off the board, prime numbers cannot be taken.

More modest primes, such as 11, 7, 5, and 3, will also be sent to Fate. Nonetheless, you will be permitted to take their multiples, such as 22 and 21. This signifies that these are the cards that are still in play. Since Fate receives at least one for each card you choose, you can ultimately only claim at most half of them, rounded down. The best you can do, then, is to choose the seven biggest cards.

Your final total would be 138 if you added those plus the 16 together. And the sum of Fate? Also, 138. Given that fate determines ties, giving your ancestors the 16. Fate has been playing the game to ensure her triumph before revealing the entire set of rules. But you now understand better because of your father.

Speaking of your family, you must choose the 2 on your first turn because it is prime if you wish to break the omen. If you do, Fate will receive 1, and Fate is once again certain of receiving the high primes.

Theoretically, you can obtain a maximum of eight of the remaining 17 cards. If you took the eight biggest, you would win by a razor-thin margin of 140 to 136. But is it even feasible?

To obtain the fewest number of cards for each one you take, Fate is necessary. The 22 and 14 are good places to start. You can grab the 21 and then the 15 once the 7 is gone. The following one you take will give Fate two cards, and you still need them. But it's all right.

Consider the 16, for instance. Fate receives the 4 and the 8, but you still receive the 12, 18, and 20. Similar thinking suggests that you could play the 23 on your first turn and win the 10 or 6. But it's not possible to receive more than one award. Do you choose to break the omen or pursue fortune or love? You have a choice, but Fate is waiting!