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Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Instant Runoff Voting is alot like Fizzbin

Instant Runoff Voting is quite simple, really, alot like the game Fizzbin. Fizzbin is a card game that was the center of a Star Trek episode. There are striking parallels to IRV counting procedures. Captain James T. Kirk explains the rules of the game, "its simple really...". Spock helps explain how to win.





"On Beta Antares 4, they play a real game, a mans game.. Its probably a little beyond you, it requires real intelligence.....of course the cards on Beta and Tarius 4 are a little different... each player gets 6 cards except for the dealer.. the second card is turned up except on Tuesday....Spock, what are the odds of getting a Royal Fizzbin?...."

Kirk explains Fizzbin, and if you understand Fizzbin, you will have no trouble understanding instant runoff voting. The rules are quite simple, really, and its a mans game. It gets a little rough near the end of the video.....

And like many reasons in support of IRV, it is made up, and in the end, just when you think you understand it, you get punched in the face.

You can read more about Fizzbin rules at this wikipedia article.