Brain Teasers Melbourne

Tricky Tuesday @ The Peacock Inn

Welcome to the **Tricky Tuesday** Meet Up! This is a smaller event but still the same sized fun! Come join us to play and explore modern card games (especially trick-takers and climbing/shedding games)! It's a great chance to learn a new game and meet some new people. You can usually find us at the tables in the side room! * *This event is made possible (and kept free for all members) via the support of [Pretty Tricky Games](http://prettytrickygames.com.au). An Australian online store for niche and unique imported and indie board and card games. Some of these you will be able to experience at our events!* Bring some games to this event if you can. There are none available at the venue. I will always have some packed - feel free to search for the rules and prepare yourself to play! These regular suspects include: Skull King, Farm Hand, The Crew, Space Dragons, VIVO, and Inside Job. Please consider others when coming and in the lead up to the event. We want as many people there as possible. If you are unable to attend mark yourself as such as soon as you can so others can be notified and attend. There's an FAQ below but if you have any questions please don't hesitate to reach out. Your tricky friend, Dave **FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS** **What is a trick taking game? Good question you handsome person.** * Generally speaking, a trick taking game is a card game which is played in a series of rounds known as ***tricks***. * Each trick is evaluated to determine a winner or ***taker*** of that trick and then will usually start - or ***lead*** *-* the next trick. * The goal is usually tied to either winning or losing a number of tricks. This may also come in the form of you guessing how many tricks you will win - known as a ***bid***. * Some games may have a suit that always wins - known as a ***trump***. * Most trick taking games are **competitive** needing between 3-5 players, others are **cooperative**, there are also solo and two-player trick taking games as well! * Popular trick taking/trick taking adjacent games you may have heard of: [The Crew](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/324856/the-crew-mission-deep-sea), [Skull King](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/150145/skull-king), [Cat in the Box](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/345972/cat-in-the-box-deluxe-edition), [Scout](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/291453/scout), [Fox in the Forest](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/221965/the-fox-in-the-forest), the classic games of [Spades](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/592/spades) and [Hearts](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/6887/hearts), **What makes a Trick Taking game fun?** * There's so much to trick taking games! They're generally quick to teach, quick to play, have interesting decision spaces, and a wide variety of novelty. Even the classics though can be played thousands of times without getting tiresome. Part of the fun is in the interaction with others, assessing their moves and countering them, and how to win (or lose) at the right times. You have to stay on your toes, adapt frequently, and keep tabs on the other players, what they have played, and what they may play next! **Do I need to know how to play/have played a trick taking game before?** * Not at all, but it is good to understand the basics and general terminology so you can pick things up a bit easier on the night. You can check out [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7O7QyhKmCsk) for a bit of a general breakdown . **Is this event free?** * Yes, but please support the venue by purchasing a drink or two. **I'm on the waitlist can I still come?** * Unfortunately, no. We have limited capacity and must abide by it. **I don't have a game to bring, is that okay?** * Generally it will be okay, but it is encouraged to bring and share a game where you can! You can always bring a standard deck of cards or tarot cards and learn a card game or two as well! **Can I bring a guest?** * Unfortunately, unless they have signed up too it won't be possible. We have a strict limit on guests and the event would fill up too quickly otherwise. **How do I get to the venue?** * The 86 Tram is your best bet and has a stop pretty much right outside of the venue. * There are two train stations (Westgarth and Northcote) which are within walking distance. * Parking is available in the area but can get busy. If you don't mind a little walk there is parking down the adjacent street. **Dave, I worry you will win all the games we play. Such an intelligent and beautiful man, you must be a master of the tricks, is this true?** * Firstly - thank-you for the kind words, but secondly - no. I suck at trick taking games and lose more than I win. Yet, I enjoy them for their variety, high interaction, and quick nature regardless. You will be fine if you don't take things too seriously. It's about fun and meeting people... (but if you do beat me too often I will ban you from the group and venue...).

Brain on Fire

Thought Experiment: A What-if Event

# **THOUGHT EXPERIMENT: The Dark Descent** **Arc:** Horrors of Consequence **Keywords:** Fear, Morality, Responsibility, Trust, Survival, Consequence Something has gone wrong. You don't yet know what. The situation is unclear. Information is limited. Everyone has a different idea of what should happen next. At first, the choices seem manageable. Then the consequences begin to appear. New information changes what you thought you understood. Small decisions become harder to undo. And as the situation deteriorates, the group must decide what it is willing to risk, who it can trust and whether the right decision still exists once every option carries a cost. Every decision will shape what happens next. Every argument will reveal something about the people making it. And by the time the full picture becomes clear, it may be far too late to change what has already been set in motion. Welcome to **Thought Experiment**, a meetup where we explore large “What if…?” scenarios through discussion, role-play and difficult decisions. Each session places the group inside one unfolding story. New information is revealed in phases, forcing participants to reconsider what they believe about morality, responsibility, trust, fear and human nature. Some people bring research. Others bring instinct, imagination and personal values. There are no perfect answers. The aim is curiosity, disagreement and the uncomfortable moment when a simple answer stops feeling simple. **The Dark Descent** is part of our **Horrors of Consequence** arc — stories about decisions that become harder to live with the further the story unfolds. This event is for curious minds of all kinds: students, professionals, creatives, horror fans, psychological-thriller fans, philosophy lovers or anyone who enjoys thinking differently. ## Event Details 📍 **Melbourne Central Lion Hotel** 🕒 **3 PM start** 👥 **Small-group event: 6–14 people** 🎟 **Free for the first 14 people, then $6 plus booking fee** 🌐 **Tickets:** [https://thoughtexperiment.au](https://thoughtexperiment.au/) ⌛ **Find the table with the hourglass.** Please RSVP, as places are limited. We ask everyone to purchase a drink from the venue. Conversational English is required to get the most from the discussion. ## Format * Introduction and private roles * An unfolding psychological-horror scenario * Moral and ethical decisions * Small-group discussion * Hidden information * New information revealed in phases * Final reveal * Debrief and optional post-event drinks * No right answers, just curiosity, debate and the uncomfortable question of whether a bad outcome always requires a bad person.

Thursday night Rainbow Boardgames - Marché Board Games Cafe

Join your fellow LGBTQIA+ folks for a social evening of board games at Marché Board Games Cafe. We have access to the games library at the cafe. If you have a game that you want to share, please feel free to bring it along. We play all sorts of games - card games, party games, strategy games - and we're happy to teach new players. Groups for games usually form between 6:30-6:45, so it's important to try arrive on time to ensure you're allocated to a game/group. Anyone arriving late may have to wait for a game if all groups have started. The cafe has drinks and food available. Check out their menu here: https://mbgcafe.com.au/menu.pdf We only accept payment at the time of booking to reserve your spot. This means you will need to pay the booking amount via PayPal at the time of booking to confirm your spot. If you can't make it to the event, please ensure you get in touch by messaging the event hosts or emailing rainbowbg.melbourne@gmail.com at least one day before the event, and we can reverse your payment via PayPal. The cafe does NOT have a liquor licence. Consuming alcohol on the premises is illegal, and will result in any members being banned from future events. See you on Thursday!

1. Parser Differentials 2. I Built a RAG Chatbot. Then I Broke It

*Talk Submissions*: [ruxmon@proton.me](http://ruxmon@proton.me%2A%2A/) **1\. Parser Differentials \- SiJing \(@moat\) and chsh** This is one of the bug classes we are always super excited to find and never tire from hearing about. In this talk we will go through a brief review of the latest literature around parser differentials, then examine a real case where an unchecked assumption could have caused huge problems in a complex cloud setup. **2\. I Built a RAG Chatbot\. Then I Broke It \- Sahil Devkota** Building an AI chatbot is exciting until someone tries to break it. In this talk, we'll explore prompt injection attacks in RAG systems, how attackers can manipulate AI to ignore its instructions, leak private data, or behave in unexpected ways. We'll also look at simple, practical ways to defend against these attacks. Whether you're a developer building AI applications or just curious about AI security, you'll leave with a practical understanding of how prompt injection works — and how to make sure your RAG system doesn't become someone else's weapon. **Location** Room 080.02.002 at RMIT (Building 80) - 445 Swanston St, Melbourne **Discord** [Discord Invite](https://discord.gg/2qcaxce8Mw)

Filipino feast at Serai

Are you ready for a Filipino feast? Serai replicates the spirit, vitality, passion and sense of fun of the Phillipines, offering Filipino dishes reimagined and cooked over a wood-fired grill, fun cocktails and an all-natural wine list. I’ve eaten here before had have been dying to go back for their mouth-watering cabbage (it’s soooo good!) I have booked for 6 Fine Diners to enjoy the chef’s Feed Me menu at $105 per person for dinner from 6.30pm on Wednesday 26 August. Check out a sample menu here - price and menu items subject to change - https://seraikitchen.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Chefs-Tasting-Menu-Card-3_6.pdf 

Join the waitlist to express interest. After the first day or so of posting, once I have names in the waitlist, I’ll send you a ‘Meetup Message’ to confirm you have a spot and how to pay. You’ll need to send me $50 to secure your place (equivalent to the cancellation fee - this will be deducted from your bill when we settle up). Once paid I’ll move you from the waitlist to ‘Attending’. As these are small group events, there are often more Fine Diners interested than there are seats available. My approach to hosting an event is to share seats around amongst members of the group in as fair a manner as I can, including mixing Fine Diners regulars with newcomers. Please be respectful if there are events when you miss out on a spot. I will always message you so you know if you have secured a seat or are still waitlisted in case a seat opens up. Please check that you don’t have your settings blocking messages; if I can’t contact you, I’ll have to move on to the next person. Also if you don’t respond to my message offering you a spot within 3 days, I’ll let you know that I’m offering the seat to another person on the waitlist. 

I look forward you experiencing this amazing cabbage with me!

How the mind works

The optimum computing machine is a subject many of us have studied. If you were building one how would you design it? First the computer should be able to compute with perfect accuracy on any problem in the universe and produce answers which were always and invariably right. Second the computer would have to be swift, working much more quickly than the problem and process could be vocally articulated. Third the computer would have to be able to handle large numbers of variables and large numbers of problems simultaneously. Forth, the computer would have to be able to evaluate its own data and there would have to remain available within it not only a record of its former conclusions but the evaluations leading to those conclusions. Fifth, the computer would have to be served by a memory bank of nearly infinite capacity and would have to be available to the analytical portion of the computer in the smallest fractions of a second. Sixth, the computer would have to be able to rearrange former conclusions or alter them in the light of new experience. Seventh, the computer would need no exterior director, but would be entirely self determined about its programing guided only by the necessity –value of the solution which it itself would determine. Eight the computer should be self servicing and self arming against present and future damage and would be able to estimate future damage. Ninth the computer should be served by perception by which it could determine necessity –value. Tenth ,the memory bank should store perceptions as perceived ,consecutive with time received with the smallest possible time divisions between perception .It would then store in color-Visio (moving),tone audio (flowing),odor ,tactile and self sensation ,all of them cross –coordinated . Eleventh, for the purposes of solutions, it would have to be able to create new situations and imagine new perceptions hitherto not perceived and should be able to conceive these to itself in terms of tone –audio ,color-visio ,odor, tactile, and self sensation –and should be able to file anything so conceived as imagined ,labeled “memories” Twelfth, the entire machine should be portable. It might be somewhat astonishing at first to conceive such a computer .But the fact is, the machine is in existence .There are billions of them in use today and many ,many more billions have been made and used in the past . In fact you’ve got one .for we are dealing with the human mind. L.RON .HUBBARD Do you want to learn how the mind works?Then do not miss this meetup. RSVP now !!

Calling All Smarty Pants! Trivia Night at a popular venue in BRIGHTON! 🦊🦊🦊

Thought Experiment: A What-if Scenario Event

# **THOUGHT EXPERIMENT: The Dark Descent** **Arc:** Horrors of Consequence **Keywords:** Fear, Morality, Responsibility, Trust, Survival, Consequence Something has gone wrong. You don't yet know what. The situation is unclear. Information is limited. Everyone has a different idea of what should happen next. At first, the choices seem manageable. Then the consequences begin to appear. New information changes what you thought you understood. Small decisions become harder to undo. And as the situation deteriorates, the group must decide what it is willing to risk, who it can trust and whether the right decision still exists once every option carries a cost. Every decision will shape what happens next. Every argument will reveal something about the people making it. And by the time the full picture becomes clear, it may be far too late to change what has already been set in motion. Welcome to **Thought Experiment**, a meetup where we explore large “What if…?” scenarios through discussion, role-play and difficult decisions. Each session places the group inside one unfolding story. New information is revealed in phases, forcing participants to reconsider what they believe about morality, responsibility, trust, fear and human nature. Some people bring research. Others bring instinct, imagination and personal values. There are no perfect answers. The aim is curiosity, disagreement and the uncomfortable moment when a simple answer stops feeling simple. **The Dark Descent** is part of our **Horrors of Consequence** arc — stories about decisions that become harder to live with the further the story unfolds. This event is for curious minds of all kinds: students, professionals, creatives, horror fans, psychological-thriller fans, philosophy lovers or anyone who enjoys thinking differently. ## Event Details 📍 **Melbourne Central Lion Hotel** 🕒 **3 PM start** 👥 **Small-group event: 6–14 people** 🎟 **Free for the first 14 people, then $6 plus booking fee** 🌐 **Tickets:** [https://thoughtexperiment.au](https://thoughtexperiment.au/) ⌛ **Find the table with the hourglass.** Please RSVP, as places are limited. We ask everyone to purchase a drink from the venue. Conversational English is required to get the most from the discussion. ## Format * Introduction and private roles * An unfolding psychological-horror scenario * Moral and ethical decisions * Small-group discussion * Hidden information * New information revealed in phases * Final reveal * Debrief and optional post-event drinks * No right answers, just curiosity, debate and the uncomfortable question of whether a bad outcome always requires a bad person.

Sunday Gamers Meetup & Social by Respawn Gaming

Welcome to Respawn’s Gamers Citadel! 🛡️ Come hang out, meet fellow gamers, and enjoy a chill vibe with great food and drinks. 🥤 Entry is $4 or buy yourself a drink or food. 🍲 At the “Gamers Citadel”, we provide the consoles for you and have two multiplayer (2-4 player) game stations (A, B, C and D). For our board games area you are allowed to BYO! 😯 ♟️ Currently available are: Switch, PS1, PS2, SNES, N64, Cardfight!! Vanguard, Yu-Gi-Oh! and more! If you’re bringing anything, please DM us so we can accommodate. ❤️ Conditions of entry are to either purchase any food or drink of your choice and we will provide you a reusable badge to show that you’re one of us! ✌️ Whether you’re a casual player or a hardcore fan, this is the place to be. Don’t miss out on the fun! 🤩 Our games list is below! 👇 Game Station A - PS4/PS3 - Abaan: 1st Game: ??? 2nd Game: ??? Game Station B - Emulator - Dean: 1st Game: Halo 3 - ??? 2nd Game: ??? Game Station C - Retro Console - Michael 1st Game: ??? 2nd Game: ??? Game Station D - TCG + Board Games: Pokémon TCG YU-Gi-OH! TCG UNO JENGA BYO available! You can bring your own board games, controllers, equipment etc. 👍 Follow us on Instagram: @respawn.social 📱 Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/phscMtBqpW 🎧 Find Respawn on Facebook: https://facebook.com/events/s/respawn-gaming-social-club-lau/940165205164472/ 🔗 Visit our website for all info: https://intermingle.au/respawn/ 👩‍💻

Respawn Gaming Monthly Yu-Gi-OH! TCG Edison Format Tournament

Welcome to Respawn’s TCG Tournament edition Event! 🛡️ Respawn is going to be doing a monthly Yu-Gi-Oh! Tournament. The Edison Format is a format that took place in the Shonen Jump Championship (SJC), the 75th SJC in Edison, New Jersey which occurred April 24-25, 2010. Decklist reference: https://img.yugioh-card.com/en/downloads/forms/KDE_DeckList.pdf What happens if you don't have any Yu-Gi-Oh! Cards? Proxies will be printed out for you guys before the tournament. You cannot use April 2010 cards. Swiss Rounds with 45mins per round, Best of 3 and best of luck! 🃏 Nothing to worry about as it’s not serious, more casual. Entry is $4 per person (seperate to entry fee). Prizes awarded to podium finishers worth $5-$20. Ages +6, supervised until +18 years old. 🫶 TOURNAMENT PRIZES: 1st Place: Blue-Eyes White Dragon Funko Pop Vinyl. 🥇 2nd Place: Jaden Yuki keyring.🥈 3rd Place: X1 Yu-Gi-Oh! Booster Pack Retro Pack 2.🥉 🏆 You can also come hang out, meet fellow gamers, and enjoy a chill vibe with great food and drinks. Spectator game stations available!🥤 Entry is $4 or buy yourself a drink or food. 🍲 At the “Gamers Citadel”, we provide the consoles for you and this time have 2 multiplayer (2-4 player) game stations (A and B). For our board games area you are allowed to BYO! 😯 ♟️ Currently available are: Switch, PS1, PS2, PS3, PS4, SNES, N64, Vanguard, Yu-Gi-Oh! and more! If you’re bringing anything, please DM us so we can accommodate. ❤️ Conditions of entry are to either purchase any food or drink of your choice and we will provide you a reusable badge to show that you’re one of us! ✌️ Whether you’re a casual player or a hardcore fan, this is the place to be. Don’t miss out on the fun! 🤩 Our games list is below! 👇 Game Station A - Emulator N64 & PS1 - Dean: • ??? • ??? Game Station B - Wii U - Michael: • ??? • ??? Game Station C - PS4 - Abaan: • ??? • ??? Game Station D - Yu-Gi-OH! TCG Tournament dedicated station. You can bring your own board games, controllers, equipment etc. 👍 You can pre-register on the Tournament Ladder Link: https://challonge.com/kupzkt47. Please email your deck list to us or pre-register here: RespwnzZ@hotmail.com Edison format rules and banned cards: https://formatlibrary.com/formats/edison Follow us on Instagram: @respawn.social 📱 Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/phscMtBqpW 🎧 Find Respawn on Facebook: https://facebook.com/events/s/respawn-gaming-social-club-lau/940165205164472/ 🔗 Visit our website for all info: https://intermingle.au/respawn/ 👩‍💻 IT’S TIME TO D-D-D-D-DDDUEELLL! 🔥

Study Technology FREE Workshop! - How to improve your study or teaching.

Applied Scholastics Study Technology is able to improve anyone's ability to study. Millions of people are already using this technology and whole countries are now adopting it. - You can learn Faster with less stress - You don't forget the information - You stay interested in the subject - Your marks increase English literacy rates routinely improve by 25 to 35 percent. Likewise, student test scores improve dramatically with students routinely meeting or exceeding grade level expectations in EVERY ACADEMIC SUBJECT. Our workshop will be focusing on how students learn. Study Technology can easily be incorporated into any educational activity—from classroom instruction and curriculum design to employee training or homeschooling. It provides a stable foundation enhancing all educational efforts. Study Technology is what teachers, tutors, trainers, parents and students can use to improve the quality of teaching and learning. No matter the curriculum in your current academic setting, Study Technology offers proven teaching strategies and resources that can help resolve classroom issues and improve student achievement. No matter if you are a teacher yourself or a good students or bad student we can all do better at study once we have this technology under our belt. Teachers who use this technology report amazing turn around with once troubled students. The application of Study Technology has quite literally changed millions of lives. You are most welcome to bring along a friend or those that struggle with study. (any topic) If you are unable to attend this meetup then let me know, We can arrange for you to meetup at a different time and date. Light refreshments will be provided.