public static int luckBalance(int k, List<List<Integer>> contests) {
        // determine total luck balance 
        
        // get list of important contests that holds each luck val
        int luckBalance = 0;
        List<Integer> importantContests = new ArrayList<>();
        
        // add the uninmportant contests to the luck val
        for(int i = 0; i < contests.size(); i++){
            int luckVal = contests.get(i).get(0);
            int important = contests.get(i).get(1);
            if(important == 1) importantContests.add(luckVal);
            else luckBalance += luckVal;
        }
        
        //sort descending to get highest competitions added first
        Collections.sort(importantContests, Collections.reverseOrder());
        
        //for each important contest add the important vals
        for(int j = 0; j < importantContests.size(); j++){
            luckBalance += (j < k) ? importantContests.get(j) : -importantContests.get(j);
        }
        
        return luckBalance;
    }