Problem : Compute the position values for 0 through 16 for 1-row misere Nim where the legal moves are to take 1, 4, or 5 stones.

n012345678910111213141516
outcome classNPNPNNNNNPNPNNNNN

Problem : Consider a normal game played with $n$ rows of stones. On each turn, the current player can take any number of stones from any row, or may move any number of stones to the row directly above it (including to a row that has been emptied, not skipping over any row that has not been emptied, and not to a row that never existed).


Problem : Prove or disprove: for any position $G \approx *n$ and any $m \lt n$, there is an option $G'$ of $G$ such that $G + G' \approx *m$.

Counterexample: Let $G = *2$ amd $m = 1$. The only options from $G$ are $*1$ and $*0$, but $*2 + *1 \approx *3$ and $*2 + *0 \approx *2$, so there is no $G'$ such that $G + G' \approx *0$.

Problem :


Problem : Consider a constant-sum game with payoff matrix $$\left( \begin{array}{ccc} 0 & 2 & -1 \\ 1 & -2 & 0 \\ -2 & 0 & 2 \end{array} \right)$$.


Problem : Find a saddle point and its value for the constant-sum game with payoff matrix $$ \left( \begin{array}{cc} 3 & 2 \\ 0 & 4 \\ \end{array} \right) $$

The inequalities for $X$ are \begin{array}{rcccl} E(X, 1) & = & 3x & \ge & v \\ E(X, 2) & = & 4-2x & \ge & v \\ \end{array} The maximum value of $v$ that is below both lines is at their intersection, which is where $3x = 4 - 2x$, or $x = \frac{4}{5}$, so $X^* = (\frac{4}{5} \frac{1}{5})$.

For $Y$ the inequalities are \begin{array}{rcccl} E(1, Y) &=& y + 2 &\le& v \\ E(2, Y) &=& 4 - 4y &\le& v \\ \end{array} The minimum value of $v$ above both lines is at their intersection, which is where $y + 2 = 4 - 4y$, or $y = \frac{2}{5}$, so $Y^* = (\frac{2}{5} \frac{3}{5})$.

$E(X^*, Y^*) = \frac{12}{5}$.


Problem : Set up the linear program to find a saddle point for the constant-sum game with payoff matrix $$ \left( \begin{array}{ccc} 4 & 7 & 3 \\ 0 & 5 & 4 \\ 10 & 6 & 2 \\ \end{array} \right) $$

Minimize $p_1 + p_2 + p_3$ subject to \begin{array}{rcl} -5p_1 - p_2 - 11p_3 & \le & -1 \\ -8p_1 - 6p_2 - 7p_3 & \le & -1 \\ -4p_1 - 5p_2 - 3p_3 & \le & -1 \\ p_1, p_2, p_3 & \ge & 0 \\ p_1, p_2, p_3 & \le & 1 \\ \end{array}

Minimize $-q_1 - q_2 - q_3$ subject to \begin{array}{rcl} 5q_1 + 8q_2 + 4q_3 & \le & 1 \\ q_1 + 6q_2 + 5q_3 & \le & 1 \\ 11q_1 + 7q_2 + 3q_3 & \le & 1 \\ q_1, q_2, q_3 & \ge & 0 \\ q_1, q_2, q_3 & \le & 1 \\ \end{array}