diff --git a/src/game.rs b/src/game.rs
index 9d5c47e..a30aade 100644
--- a/src/game.rs
+++ b/src/game.rs
@@ -1,20 +1,24 @@
 
 use rand::{self, Rng};
+use std::convert::From;
 use std::collections::HashSet;
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 use std::fmt;
 
+use info::*;
+
 /*
 * Type definitions
 */
 
 pub type Color = &'static str;
-const COLORS: [Color; 5] = ["blue", "red", "yellow", "white", "green"];
+pub const COLORS: [Color; 5] = ["blue", "red", "yellow", "white", "green"];
 
 pub type Value = u32;
 // list of (value, count) pairs
-const VALUE_COUNTS : [(Value, u32); 5] = [(1, 3), (2, 2), (3, 2), (4, 2), (5, 1)];
-const FINAL_VALUE : Value = 5;
+pub const VALUES : [Value; 5] = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5];
+pub const VALUE_COUNTS : [(Value, u32); 5] = [(1, 3), (2, 2), (3, 2), (4, 2), (5, 1)];
+pub const FINAL_VALUE : Value = 5;
 
 pub struct Card {
     pub color: Color,
@@ -27,22 +31,22 @@ impl fmt::Debug for Card {
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug)]
-pub struct Pile(Vec<Card>);
-// basically a stack of cards
-impl Pile {
-    pub fn new() -> Pile {
-        Pile(Vec::new())
+// basically a stack of cards, or card info
+pub struct Pile<T>(Vec<T>);
+impl <T> Pile<T> {
+    pub fn new() -> Pile<T> {
+        Pile(Vec::<T>::new())
     }
-    pub fn draw(&mut self) -> Option<Card> {
+    pub fn draw(&mut self) -> Option<T> {
         self.0.pop()
     }
-    pub fn place(&mut self, card: Card) {
-        self.0.push(card);
+    pub fn place(&mut self, item: T) {
+        self.0.push(item);
     }
-    pub fn take(&mut self, index: usize) -> Card {
+    pub fn take(&mut self, index: usize) -> T {
         self.0.remove(index)
     }
-    pub fn top(&self) -> Option<&Card> {
+    pub fn top(&self) -> Option<&T> {
         self.0.last()
     }
     pub fn shuffle(&mut self) {
@@ -52,6 +56,15 @@ impl Pile {
         self.0.len()
     }
 }
+impl <T> From<Vec<T>> for Pile<T> {
+    fn from(items: Vec<T>) -> Pile<T> {
+        Pile(items)
+    }
+}
+
+pub type Cards = Pile<Card>;
+
+pub type CardsInfo = Pile<CardInfo>;
 
 pub type Player = u32;
 
@@ -89,18 +102,18 @@ pub struct GameOptions {
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub struct PlayerState {
     // the player's actual hand
-    pub hand: Pile,
+    pub hand: Cards,
     // represents what is common knowledge about the player's hand
-    // pub known: ,
+    pub info: CardsInfo,
 }
 
 // State of everything except the player's hands
 // Is all completely common knowledge
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub struct BoardState {
-    deck: Pile,
-    pub discard: Pile,
-    pub fireworks: HashMap<Color, Pile>,
+    deck: Cards,
+    pub discard: Cards,
+    pub fireworks: HashMap<Color, Cards>,
 
     pub num_players: u32,
 
@@ -123,9 +136,9 @@ pub struct BoardState {
 pub struct GameStateView<'a> {
     // the player whose view it is
     pub player: Player,
-    // what is known about their own hand
-    // pub known:
-    // the cards of the other players
+    // what is known about their own hand (and thus common knowledge)
+    pub info: &'a CardsInfo,
+    // the cards of the other players, as well as the information they have
     pub other_player_states: HashMap<Player, &'a PlayerState>,
     // board state
     pub board: &'a BoardState,
@@ -150,18 +163,22 @@ impl GameState {
                     // we can assume the deck is big enough to draw initial hands
                     deck.draw().unwrap()
                 }).collect::<Vec<_>>();
+            let infos = (0..opts.hand_size).map(|_| {
+                CardInfo::new()
+            }).collect::<Vec<_>>();
             let state = PlayerState {
-                hand: Pile(raw_hand),
+                hand: Cards::from(raw_hand),
+                info: CardsInfo::from(infos),
             };
             player_states.insert(i,  state);
         }
 
-        let mut fireworks : HashMap<Color, Pile> = HashMap::new();
+        let mut fireworks : HashMap<Color, Cards> = HashMap::new();
         for color in COLORS.iter() {
-            let mut pile = Pile::new();
+            let mut firework = Cards::new();
             let card = Card { value: 0, color: color };
-            pile.place(card);
-            fireworks.insert(color, pile);
+            firework.place(card);
+            fireworks.insert(color, firework);
         }
 
         GameState {
@@ -169,7 +186,7 @@ impl GameState {
             board: BoardState {
                 deck: deck,
                 fireworks: fireworks,
-                discard: Pile::new(),
+                discard: Cards::new(),
                 num_players: opts.num_players,
                 player: 0,
                 turn: 1,
@@ -183,8 +200,8 @@ impl GameState {
         }
     }
 
-    fn make_deck() -> Pile {
-        let mut deck: Pile = Pile(Vec::new());
+    fn make_deck() -> Cards {
+        let mut deck: Cards = Cards::from(Vec::new());
 
         for color in COLORS.iter() {
             for &(value, count) in VALUE_COUNTS.iter() {
@@ -227,6 +244,7 @@ impl GameState {
         }
         GameStateView {
             player: player,
+            info: &self.player_states.get(&player).unwrap().info,
             other_player_states: other_player_states,
             board: &self.board,
         }
@@ -234,10 +252,12 @@ impl GameState {
 
     // takes a card from the player's hand, and replaces it if possible
     fn take_from_hand(&mut self, index: usize) -> Card {
-        let ref mut hand = self.player_states.get_mut(&self.board.player).unwrap().hand;
-        let card = hand.take(index);
+        let ref mut state = self.player_states.get_mut(&self.board.player).unwrap();
+        let card = state.hand.take(index);
+        state.info.take(index);
         if let Some(new_card) = self.board.deck.draw() {
-            hand.place(new_card);
+            state.hand.place(new_card);
+            state.info.place(CardInfo::new());
         }
         card
     }
diff --git a/src/info.rs b/src/info.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..77f05cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/info.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+use std::collections::HashMap;
+use std::cmp::Eq;
+use std::hash::Hash;
+
+use game::*;
+
+// Represents a bit of information about T
+trait Info<T> where T: Hash + Eq + Clone {
+    // get all a-priori possibilities
+    fn get_possibilities() -> Vec<T>;
+
+    // get map from values to whether it's possible
+    // true means maybe, false means no
+    fn get_possibility_map(&self) -> &HashMap<T, bool>;
+    fn get_mut_possibility_map(&mut self) -> &mut HashMap<T, bool>;
+
+    fn initialize() -> HashMap<T, bool> {
+        let mut possible_map : HashMap<T, bool> = HashMap::new();
+        for value in Self::get_possibilities().iter() {
+            possible_map.insert(value.clone(), true);
+        }
+        possible_map
+    }
+
+    fn merge(&mut self, other: &Self) {
+        for (value, possible) in self.get_mut_possibility_map().iter_mut() {
+            *possible = *possible && *other.get_possibility_map().get(value).unwrap();
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn mark_true(&mut self, value: &T) {
+        // mark everything else as definitively impossible
+        for (other_value, possible) in self.get_mut_possibility_map().iter_mut() {
+            if other_value != value {
+                *possible = false;
+            } else {
+                assert_eq!(*possible, true);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn mark_false(&mut self, value: &T) {
+        self.get_mut_possibility_map().insert(value.clone(), false);
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct ColorInfo(HashMap<Color, bool>);
+impl ColorInfo {
+    pub fn new() -> ColorInfo {
+        ColorInfo(ColorInfo::initialize())
+    }
+}
+impl Info<Color> for ColorInfo {
+    fn get_possibilities() -> Vec<Color> {
+        let mut possible : Vec<Color> = Vec::new();
+        for color in COLORS.iter() {
+            possible.push(*color);
+        }
+        possible
+    }
+    fn get_possibility_map(&self) -> &HashMap<Color, bool> {
+        &self.0
+    }
+    fn get_mut_possibility_map(&mut self) -> &mut HashMap<Color, bool> {
+        &mut self.0
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct ValueInfo(HashMap<Value, bool>);
+impl ValueInfo {
+    pub fn new() -> ValueInfo {
+        ValueInfo(ValueInfo::initialize())
+    }
+}
+impl Info<Value> for ValueInfo {
+    fn get_possibilities() -> Vec<Value> {
+        let mut possible : Vec<Value> = Vec::new();
+        for value in VALUES.iter() {
+            possible.push(*value);
+        }
+        possible
+    }
+    fn get_possibility_map(&self) -> &HashMap<Value, bool> {
+        &self.0
+    }
+    fn get_mut_possibility_map(&mut self) -> &mut HashMap<Value, bool> {
+        &mut self.0
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct CardInfo {
+    pub color_info: ColorInfo,
+    pub value_info: ValueInfo,
+}
+impl CardInfo {
+    pub fn new() -> CardInfo {
+        CardInfo {
+            color_info: ColorInfo::new(),
+            value_info: ValueInfo::new(),
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 055bd07..b3aad5c 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -4,12 +4,15 @@ extern crate log;
 
 mod game;
 mod strategies;
+mod info;
 
 
 struct SimpleLogger;
 impl log::Log for SimpleLogger {
     fn enabled(&self, metadata: &log::LogMetadata) -> bool {
-        metadata.level() <= log::LogLevel::Debug
+        // metadata.level() <= log::LogLevel::Warn
+        metadata.level() <= log::LogLevel::Info
+        // metadata.level() <= log::LogLevel::Debug
     }
 
     fn log(&self, record: &log::LogRecord) {
diff --git a/src/strategies.rs b/src/strategies.rs
index 455d76a..8945960 100644
--- a/src/strategies.rs
+++ b/src/strategies.rs
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ pub fn simulate<S: Strategy>(opts: &GameOptions, strategy: &S, n_trials: u32) ->
     average
 }
 
+// dummy, terrible strategy
 pub struct AlwaysPlay;
 impl Strategy for AlwaysPlay {
     type InternalState = ();