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The King of Diamonds, also known as Beauty Contest, is the hardest Diamonds game. It is run by an international lawyer and former no.3 in the Beach Keiichi Kuzuryu. It was participated in by 5 people: Keiichi KuzuryuShuntaro Chishiya, Benzo Yashige, Hinako Daimon, and Takashi Asuma. It was completed by Shuntaro Chishiya.

Game Overview[]

Set-up[]

Player limit: 5

Time limit:

1 minute/round

5 minutes/first round & rounds with new rules

Upon entering, all players shackle themselves to a seat and confirm the operation of the tablet in front of them. Above their heads is a weight/equilibrium stand that fills Aqua Regia.

Rules[]

All players remaining:

  • All players select a number between 0 and 100 in the given time.
  • The average of the values will be multiplied by 4/5ths (0.8).
  • The person who chooses the number closest to the calculated number wins. This constitutes one round.
  • All losers will lose a point.
  • A new rule is introduced for every player eliminated. On the first round and all following rounds where a new rule is introduced, players are allotted 5 minutes as a way to get used to the rules.

Game Clear: Be the last person remaining.

Game Over: Reach -10 points.

Every player who gets a “Game Over” will cause the weight stand to tip over, dumping Aqua Regia and burning the victim

4 players remaining:

  • If there are 2 people or more choose the same number, the number they choose becomes invalid, meaning they will lose a point even if the number is closest to 4/5ths the average.
    • Due to two players receiving a Game Over, this rule was introduced in the 3 players remaining announcement instead.

3 players remaining:

  • If there is a person who chooses the exact correct number, the loser penalty is doubled.

2 players remaining:

  • If someone chooses 0, the player who chooses 100 is the winner.

Strategy[]

All Players Left:[]

Before the beginning of the game, all players assumed that excess logic and mathematics would be the key to the game. However, it was quickly realized by Chishiya that it would be within the facet of rationality to eliminate abstract ideas such as nash equilibrium, recursive selection, and cognitive limit. Additionally, perfect rationality is also perfectly predictable. In truth, the game was simply about reading your opponents and simple calculations. He and Hinako Daimon proved his theory right when they used a seemingly absurd strategy outside all logic— intentionally picking obscure numbers to round the average into a more favorable value— in order to balance the losses between players so the damage for the King of Diamonds adds up.

3 Players Left:[]

With the addition of the invalidity rule, the strategy for the game completely changes. Consequently, the number of practical numbers and tactics reduce. Prior, 0 was a strong number but now there’s a high risk of choosing the same number. However, if 0 is avoided and 1 is chosen instead, another player could have the same thought process, yielding the person choosing 0 as the winner. On the other hand, if the results are | 0/ 1/ 2 | then the player who chooses 1 wins. But there’s not much difference between 2 or 100 either. In the following scenarios: | 0 /0 /2 | 0 /0 /100 | 2 /2 /100 |; 2, 100, and 100 win respectively. This was Daimon’s thought process. In conclusion, this battle is three-way between 0, 1, and 2-100. 2-100 may look nice initially, but if the other 2 choose the same the smallest number wins. This eliminates 3-100. In this round, all players chose 1. The only winning move would’ve been to choose any value other than 1.

2 Players Left:[]

When there are only 2 players left, it is the most ideal for the person who is behind in points to choose 100, and for the person in the lead to select 1 or 0. Although 0 is the most powerful number to choose from, it is also balanced by 100.

Synopsis[]

The winner of each round is in bold.

Round Chishiya's number Daimon's number Yashige's number Asuma's number Kuzuryū's number Winning number
Round 1 32
(-1)
40
(-1)
30
(-1)
33
(-1)
29
(0)
32.8x0.8=26.24
Round 2 17
(-2)
21
(-2)
16
(-2)
15
(-2)
14
(0)
16.6x0.8=13.28
Round 3 7
(-3)
11
(-3)
3
(-3)
7
(-3)
5
(0)
6.6x0.8=5.28
Round 4 2
(-4)
4
(-4)
0
(-4)
0
(-4)
1
(0)
1.14x0.8=1.12
Round 5 100
(-5)
1
(-4)
0
(-5)
0
(-5)
0
(-1)
20.2x0.8=16.16
Round 6 25
(-5)
100
(-5)
0
(-6)
5
(-6)
17
(-2)
29.2x0.8=23.52
Round 7 100
(-6)
30
(-5)
0
(-7)
4
(-7)
10
(-3)
28.8x0.8=23.04
Round 8 20
(-6)
10
(-6)
36
(-8)
34
(-8)
20
(-3)
24x0.8=19.2
Round 9 6
(-7)
8
(-6)
2
(-9)
20
(-9)
10
(-4)
9.2x0.8=7.36
Round 10 1
(-8)
7
(-7)
0
(-10)
0
(-10)
2
(-4)
2x0.8=1.6
Round 11 1
(-9)
1
(-8)
X X 1
(-5)
No winner
Round 12 23 (Exact match)
(-9)
62
(-10)
X X 1
(-7)
28.66x0.8=22.93
Round 13 100
(-9)
X X X 0
(-8)
100 overrules 0
Round 14 100
(-9)
X X X 0
(-9)
100 overrules 0
Round 15 100
(-9)
X X X 0
(-10)
100 overrules 0

Trivia[]

  • The Keynesian Beauty Contest was a famous experiment in behavioral economics. People voted from a list of women who they thought others would find the most beautiful. 20th century economist, Keynes, linked these contests to equity investments.
  • In summary, it was believed that to earn maximum profit, one mustn’t invest in the market they think is best, they must invest in what everyone else thinks is best. This directly compares to the psychology used in the King of Diamonds game.
  • Out of all the face card games, it is likely that due to Kuzuryū’s belief on equality, that this is the most impartial and generous game constructed.
  • “If there are 2 people or more choose the same number, the number they choose becomes invalid, meaning they will lose a point even if the number is 4/5ths the average.”— The reason this rule is put into place is to ensure that there can no longer be a nash equilibrium. Because of that, a new sense of danger arises, but there’s also a deeper layer of strategy.
  • “If someone chooses 0, the player who chooses 100 is the winner.”— The reason this rule is put into place is to balance the power of 0. By the time there are 2 players left, if anyone chooses 0, they’ll automatically win regardless of the number the other person choose. In that case, the person in lead would continually pick 0. Even if the other player also choose 0, they’ll both lose points but the player with lesser points would die first. To balance that quirk, 100 overrides 0 as the victorious number.
  • In addition, by rule 3, the game essentially becomes a game of rock, paper, scissors between the numbers 0, 1, and 100.
  • This was the eighth face card game to be completed in the Second Stage.

Gallery[]

KBC Round 1

Results of Round 1

KBC Round 10

Asuma and Yashige reach -10 points

KBC Round 12

Results of Round 12

KBC Game Clear

Chishiya clears the King of Diamonds

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Diamonds [♦] Ace of Diamonds Two of Diamonds Three of Diamonds Four of Diamonds Five of Diamonds Six of Diamonds Seven of Diamonds Eight of Diamonds Nine of Diamonds Ten of Diamonds Jack of Diamonds Queen of Diamonds King of Diamonds
Hearts [♥] Ace of Hearts Two of Hearts Three of Hearts Four of Hearts Five of Hearts Six of Hearts Seven of Hearts Eight of Hearts Nine of Hearts Ten of Hearts Jack of Hearts Queen of Hearts King of Hearts
Others [⚂] Unknown Cards · Unknown Venues
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