Optimal soccer penalty kicks require the use of mixed strategies. Zidane and Buffon are cited not only as world-class players but also master strategists. (by Tim Harford)

Lawyers will face off, with the assistance of paralegals. Perhaps mixed strategy equilibria will be a required topic in law schools. (by Matt Sokoloff)

Major auction houses forced to play rock-paper-scissors over rights to auction eccentric millionaire's art. "Sotheby's decided to leave its decision to chance, and had no particular strategy." (by Lloyd Garver)

Major auction houses forced to play rock-paper-scissors over rights to auction eccentric millionaire's art. "Sotheby's decided to leave its decision to chance, and had no particular strategy." (by Carol Vogel)

People see patterns even when none exist, such as in IPod's randomization feature. This presents a behavioral challenge for mixed strategies. (by Steven Levy)

An evolutionary take on public goods contribution experiments, in which subject populations may converge to mixed strategies

What states should presidential candidates visit in the final days of their campaign? Some strategies are dominant, others are mixed. (by Jordan Ellenberg)

Daphne Koller, winner of the MacArthur "genius award," develops methods for calculating mixed strategies.

A model offers game theoretic predictions of the likelihood of terrorist attacks.

Coins are more likely to end up facing the same way they started the coin toss, calling into question their use as a method of resolving disputes.

Athletes appear subconsciously to apply Bayes' Rule and to play equilibrium mixed strategies

A more reasoned approach to football strategy determines the value of each field position to calculate optimal play calling. (by Josh Levin)

The World Championships of Rock, Paper, Scissors take mixed strategies a bit too far but guarantee fun for all.

Both tightening of security post 9/11 and terrorists' increased pursuit of "soft" targets reflect optimal mixed strategies.

The threat of stealing a base keeps the opponent guessing but few games are won due to base stealing.

A perverse (and incorrect) application of the minimax notion of mixed strategies to poker.

Hundreds of competitors at the World Rock Paper Scissors Society add a heuristic approach to mixed strategies.

Auditing tax payers requires mixed strategies but greater enforcement costs require proportionally greater funding.

Short commentary argues most poker players decide on a whim, not optimal mixed strategies.

Union uses mixed strategies in threatening slowdowns to gain upper hand in negotation

Understanding the mixed strategy game of target selection and defense helps quantify risk.

Disequilibrium play in the traveler's dilemma and games with mixed strategies

Lack of uniformity across European Euro coins leads to different odds of heads and tails in different countries. (by Debora MacKenzie)

Multiple mating strategies survive in the mixed-strategy equilibrium

Multiple mating strategies survive in the mixed-strategy equilibrium

Optimal bluffing in poker requires understanding mixed strategies

Describes how the game of chicken applies not only to film versions of teenage angst, but also to common business situations. (by John Kay)

Quantum computing can revolutionize game theory with a new breed of mixed strategies

Mixed strategies provide a solution for working and shirking in a mythical kingdom.

Why beating the S&P is like playing matching pennies