Pearls Before Swine: Who Can Beat Juan?

[gravenewworld]

http://www.transcience.com.au/pearl3.htmlCan anyone beat this guy? Man I am having a hard time with this game. 2 for me 8 for Juan.

 

[Hurkyl]

You're only allowed to take pearls from one row per turn.



Anyways, this is a classic game with two variations. Both have a straightforward solution, I think, but I only remember the other version -- the one where you win if you take the last one.

 

[DaveC426913]

Who are you talking to Hurkyl?


After playing a few rounds, you start to get the idea.

 

[Hurkyl]

All right, I think I have worked out the way to calculate what a winning position is in this version.

 

[drankin]

All right, I think I have worked out the way to calculate what a winning position is in this version.

What is it? My butt is kicked.

 

[Hurkyl]

The hint is to look at the numbers in each row in binary... The game where you want to take the last one is more straightforward, this version has to tweak the condition when the game is very small.

 

[Sorry!]

man this game is fun :P

 

[DaveC426913]

I just watch what he does, then make him go first and do that.

Course, this means my score cannot exceed 50%.