Listening again to Dennis: materials specifically game strategy #1 the text mentioned something called a Cliff Stick game this is nonsense.
The correct definition is Cleft Stick:
a difficult situation
If you say that a person or organization is in a cleft stick, you mean that they are in a difficult situation which will bring them problems and harm whatever they decide to do. [British]
The next version of the transcripts and book will show this correctly, I'll update here as required
https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/in-a-cleft-stick.html