Kayles (Rip van Winkle's Game)
Martin J. Chlond
This game was proposed by H E Dudeney in 'The Canterbury Puzzles' where he also presents
the winning strategy for a particular starting configuration. More complete treatments
using Sprague-Grundy analysis are given by Beasley and Berlekamp et al.
A number of coins are set out as above with at least one gap. Players take turns
removing coins. At each turn a player may remove either a single coin or two coins
that are touching each other.
Click on the coin(s) to be removed and then click on 'Remove Marked Coins'. The computer
will then mark the coin(s) that it intends to remove. Once again click on 'Remove Marked
Coins'.
The player who removes the last coin(s) wins.
References
Dudeney, H.E., (1919), The Canterbury Puzzles, Thomas Nelson and Sons.
Beasley, J.D., (1990), The Mathematics of Games, Oxford University Press.
Berlekamp, R.B., Conway, J.H., Guy, K.G., (1982), Winning Ways for your Mathematical Plays, Academic Press.
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