Nim with Two Piles at Once
Four piles of stones contain 5, 8, 11 and 13 stones. Two players alternate. On each turn a player chooses one or two piles and removes at least one stone from each chosen pile (the amounts may differ). The player who takes the last stone wins. The first player has exactly one winning first move. After that move, how many stones are left in total? Give an integer.
Related problems & prerequisites
Worth solving first
- Fibonacci Nim 6.0/10
- Exits from a Wythoff Position 6.0/10
- A Ladder with Steps 1, 3 and 4 6.0/10
Source: E. H. Moore's generalization of Nim (1910). Statement written for AxiomIQ.