Originally posted by PBE6 I think I've got something. You definitely want to go first and place a coin in the centre of the table. On all your subsequent turns, you place your coin opposite your opponent's coin on the same diameter. To be a bit clearer:
Let "O" be the centre of the table (where the first coin was placed)
Let "A" be your opponent's coin
Let "B" be your c ...[text shortened]... lacing your coin in the centre avoids this problem, and ensures you always follow your opponent.
Nothing matters after you put the first coin down deadcenter. Wherever your opponent places his coin after that you can always put your coin in a place mirroring where he put his.. This also mean that the numer of coins you could place in the circle is always an odd number.
Originally posted by chasparos Nothing matters after you put the first coin down deadcenter. Wherever your opponent places his coin after that you can always put your coin in a place mirroring where he put his.. This also mean that the numer of coins you could place in the circle is always an odd number.
There are an infinite number of ways to implement the "mirroring" strategy, but I thought it would be clearest if I explained it using a diameter, as that is the closest "mirror" to the mirroring strategy.
It does matter what you do after you place the first coin, because it is conceivable that by proper placement you could eliminate spots for subsequent coins, thereby changing the parity (eveness/oddness) of the number of coins ultimately placed on the table, thereby losing the game when you could have won.
Table and coins puzzle
23 Oct '05 12:26
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