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Wizard
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Wizard
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Joined: Oct 14, 2009
August 7th, 2024 at 3:36:14 PM permalink
The following are the rules for Tsyan Shizi, which translates from Chinese, I think, to "take stones." It may also be known as Chinese Nim.

  1. You start with two piles of stones, which may be of any number each.
  2. Players take turns taking any number of stones from one pile or both.
  3. The player to take the last stone WINS.


Please note you can't take an unequal number from both piles. Also note that unlike traditional Nim, the player who takes the last stone wins.

My question is what is the optimal strategy for this game? Fair warning that is rather complicated, but doable. I think it's easy to work out what to do in every situation in Excel, but hard to find a pattern to those situations where you can't force your opponent to a losing position (assuming optimal play).

The question for the poll is would you play Tsyan Shizi? Multiple votes allowed.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
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