I Know You Know I Know: Difference between revisions

** This exact scenario, with whatever permutations, has gone on in in the mind of every person who has played the game in real life, at least once.

* ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]'' is based around this trope SO MUCH. [[Manipulative Bastard|Gendo Ikari's]] relation with [[The Omniscient Council of Vagueness|SEELE]] IS this. They each know that the other is planning to betray them, so both work with that, but both know that the other knows. They just keep on trying to get one step ahead using their unimportant pawns, such as Shinji, Rei, Asuka, Toji, Kaworu etc etc. Both are surprised when {{spoiler|one of their pawns (Rei) decides to end the world rather spectacularily in favor of another pawn. So all the planning failed. Suckers.}}

* This makes up about a third of ''[[Kaiji]]'', the other two-thirds being basic game theory and heroic determination. In particular, the defeat of {{spoiler|Tonegawa}} in the first season is based on Kaiji's realization of when {{spoiler|Tonegawa}} will ''stop'' knowing he knows. {{spoiler|Tonegawa's observant enough to notice that two of Kaiji's cards are bloodstained on the back, and clever enough to realize that Kaiji has to know the cards are bloodstained. From there, Tonegawa assumes that Kaiji set a simple trap, bloodstaining cards other than the ones Tonegawa thought he had out, so as to trick him into playing the wrong card and losing. But because Tonegawa thinks he's better and smarter than lower-class gamblers like Kaiji, it doesn't occur to him that Kaiji would realize that Tonegawa would realize this, and that the cards are exactly the ones he initially thought they were.}}

* Appears in ''[[Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex]]'', strangely not as a part of an [[Evil Plan]], but in a sniper duel. In fact, the whole episode revolves around knowing and predicting enemy tactics. The story is told by one character during a poker game to illustrate to the other players why he is so good at bluffing.

'''Skipper:''' Maybe, maybe. But if you are me, and I am you, then we must ''both'' be? }}

* An episode of ''[[Samurai Jack]]'' had Jack and [[Big Bad|Aku]] agreeing to a final duel with no swords or special powers. Naturally, [[I Lied|Aku cheats]], which Jack prepared for by bringing his sword and hiding it. But Aku knew Jack would know that he cheated, and had a minion find the sword. But Jack knew that Aku knew that Jack knew that Aku would cheat, so he planted a decoy sword. But Aku knew that Jack knew that Aku knew that Jack knew that Aku would cheat, so he had his minions look for more swords. But [[Overly Long Gag|Jack knew that Aku knew that Jack knew that Aku knew that Jack knew that Aku would cheat]], so he had his sword {{spoiler|buried underground}}.

* In the ''[[Code Lyoko]]'' episode "Contact", Odd and Yumi have an instance of this.

{{quote|'''Yumi:''' Are you thinking what I think you're thinking?}}