A game of 11 marbles wherein each player can either pick one or two marbles from the total. Starting from Player A & then Player B alternatively. This continues till all the marbles are picked. The winner is the one having odd number of marbles.

What is the strategy to be followed for Player A & B to win?. What happens for higher total number of marbles (13, 15 etc )?

(In reply to Solution (spoiler) by Larry)

"So A's strategy is to finish a turn so that there are 3 marbles left, and it's B's turn." is wrong -- it should read "So A's strategy is to finish a turn so that there are 3 marbles left, AND A HAS AN ODD NUMBER OF MARBLES and it's B's turn....".

The offered strategy doesn't provide this, I'm afraid.

Posted by Federico Kereki on 2006-10-03 16:47:34