What characterizes a pure strategy?

A pure strategy is characterized by being a consistent and decisive approach to decision-making in a game or competition. This means that a player will always follow the same strategy without deviating, regardless of the actions or strategies employed by opponents or any other external conditions. By sticking to one predefined course of action, the player maintains clarity and predictability in their strategy.

In this context, the other options describe different concepts. A strategy chosen based on the opponent's moves suggests a mixed or adaptive strategy, where changes are made based on what the other player does. Blending different tactics refers to a mixed strategy, where multiple strategies might be used to respond to varying situations. Utilizing random elements for optimization also points towards a stochastic or randomized strategy, which relies on unpredictability and variance rather than a single, defined approach. Therefore, the essence of a pure strategy is its commitment to a specific, unchanging plan of action.