"Games of strategy are fairer than most other games." The Doctor tapped the playing cards on the table. "Before the cards are revealed, adults and children, men and women, the strong and the weak—all stand on equal footing. Until the cards are turned over, both players have a chance to compete."
"If you had a hand that was guaranteed to lose, what would you do?"
"Pretend my hand was strong and make the other person give up." A child's voice answered.
"That only works on someone less clever than you. Someone just as clever won't fall for it." The Doctor placed a piece of candy in the middle of the table. "You can raise the stakes."
"But my hand is so weak. I'm sure to lose." The child's voice was puzzled.
"Someone just as clever as you will think the same way." The Doctor said, "But if the other person has a very strong hand, you can only lose this round."
"I lost all my candy." The cards in the child's vision turned over, and the Doctor took the candy away, too.
"The fun of a game is that you can win or lose." The Doctor's blurred face seemed to smile. He laid two more cards on the table. "The weak can beat the strong."
The small hands turned over the two cards, and the child cried out in delight, "I won!"
The candy was back on the table.
"But Doctor, losing all the time isn't fun at all."
"So you have to try your best to win, especially when it matters." The Doctor smiled.
The small hands unwrapped the candy, and its sweetness spread at once. The child mumbled, "I beat you, Doctor. Will you hit me?"
"Maybe I will, maybe I won't." The Doctor turned and picked up