🚀 go-pugleaf

vic@vulcan.anu.edu.au (Glenn Dickins) writes:

>Hi Im not sure if this is the correct group I
No it's not.

>there are 3 piles of stones 1 pile with 3 stones 1 with 5 stones and the last with 7 stones.
>Anyway, u can take anynumber of stones from 1 pile must be > 1, and u go first, and someone else
>then takes 1 or more stones from a pile, the person taking the last stone loses.
This game is called nim.
The winning strategy works as follows:
you throw the other guy into losing positions.
They are: n,n; 1,1,1; 3,2,1; 5,4,1
To get there, move first, and take one stone (from any pile).

I calculated this the painful way 15 years ago.  Is there a good theory
for it?

        -ans.
-- 
Ajay Shah, (213)749-8133, ajayshah@usc.edu