#surreal numbers
15 matchsticks are laid out in a row. Eggbug sits on the other side of the matchsticks relative to you. Three buttons can be clicked, each one causing you to take either one, two or three matchsticks from the table. Whenever you click a button, Eggbug will also remove one, two or three matchsticks from the table. If you lose the game, eggbug will encourage you to try again. If you win, eggbug becomes happy and congratulates you.
Take turns to draw one, two or three sticks from the board. Whoever has to draw the last stick
loses!
I win! Click the read more link to try again!
oh i love this game! the math behind it is pretty interesting. you're trying to force them to pick the 15th stick in this case, so you have to pick the 14th stick. you can always force them to let you go up in fours (if they pick one then you pick three, and vice versa) so you can always win by doing 14 mod 4 and then going up in fours
Back when I posted this someone (thank you) replied with this video about what happens when you start generalizing the math behind games such as these:
Spoiler: The math gets wacky real quick. I recommend a watch!