MathDB

Let

n\ge 1

be an odd integer. Alice and Bob play the following game, taking alternating turns, with Alice playing first. The playing area consists of

n

spaces, arranged in a line. Initially all spaces are empty. At each turn, a player either
• places a stone in an empty space, or • removes a stone from a nonempty space

s,

places a stone in the nearest empty space to the left of

s

(if such a space exists), and places a stone in the nearest empty space to the right of

s

(if such a space exists).
Furthermore, a move is permitted only if the resulting position has not occurred previously in the game. A player loses if he or she is unable to move. Assuming that both players play optimally throughout the game, what moves may Alice make on her first turn?

Problem Statement