On the $1/e$-strategy for the best-choice problem under no information

Abstract

The main purpose of this paper is to correct an error in the previously submitted version [*] := arXiv:2004.13749v1. [*] had been already accepted for publication in a scientific journal, but withdrawn by the author after the discovery of the error. For the withdrawal from arXiv we follow their preference to maintain what remains of interest. The background of the open problem, and the brief survey which comes with it, stay relevant. These keep their place in the present corrected version. The same is true for two new modified odds-theorems proved in [*] since they are applicable for several different stopping problems. Then, and in particular, we show where exactly the error occurred in [*], why it invalidates its main theorem and title,and what the conclusions are. The final discussion of optimal strategies without value in Section 4 is believed to be of general independent interest.