MathDB

A game is played with two players and an initial stack of

n

pennies

(n \geq 3)

. The players take turns choosing one of the stacks of pennies on the table and splitting it into two stacks. The winner is the player who makes a move that causes all stacks to be of height

1

2.

For which starting values of n does the player who goes first win, assuming best play by both players?

Problem Statement