Why can being unpredictable help in a penalty shoot-out?
Your favorite corner of the goal becomes less useful if the goalkeeper knows you always aim there. A penalty kick makes unpredictability a strategic choice, with a balance that depends on each player’s strengths.
Questions you could explore
- Does being unpredictable mean choosing left and right equally often?
Start reading
- Ignacio Palacios-Huerta, Review of Economic Studies 70 (2003), 395-415; original article hosted by Álvaro RiascosProfessionals Play Minimax
The paper connects a simple left-or-right model to professional penalty kicks recorded in 1995–2000. Its assumptions explain why strategic randomness need not be a coin toss.
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