This game is played by two players at a round table. They each take turns placing identical coins onto the table's surface. No two coins can overlap, and the entirety of the coin's surface must rest on the table. The loser of the game is the first person who is unable to put down a coin because there is no more room.

Which of the players has a winning strategy? What is it?

Mouse over for a hint:

(In reply to Symmetry? by Alan)

As long as there are at least 2 lines of symmetry that intersect at the center of gravity, and/or the center of gravity is a point of rotational symmetry with a period of 180°/n (π/n radians) where n is a natural number (positive integer), this strategy will work.

Posted by TomM on 2003-01-27 15:10:08