Prime number construction game
Clash Royale CLAN TAG#URR8PPP
This is a variant of Prime number building game.
Player $A$ begins by choosing a single-digit prime number. Player $B$ then appends any digit to that number such that the result is still prime, and players alternate in this fashion until one player loses by being unable to form a prime.
For instance, play might proceed as follows:
$A$ chooses 5
$B$ chooses 3, forming 53
$A$ loses since there are no primes of the form 53x
Is there a known solution to this game? It seems like I might be able to try a programmatic search...or might some math knowledge help here?
prime-numbers combinatorial-game-theory
add a comment |
This is a variant of Prime number building game.
Player $A$ begins by choosing a single-digit prime number. Player $B$ then appends any digit to that number such that the result is still prime, and players alternate in this fashion until one player loses by being unable to form a prime.
For instance, play might proceed as follows:
$A$ chooses 5
$B$ chooses 3, forming 53
$A$ loses since there are no primes of the form 53x
Is there a known solution to this game? It seems like I might be able to try a programmatic search...or might some math knowledge help here?
prime-numbers combinatorial-game-theory
What does this game have to do with nim?
– Wojowu
Dec 21 '18 at 6:54
4
Seems unlikely that there's anything better you can do than just listing out the whole game tree by brute force.
– Eric Wofsey
Dec 21 '18 at 6:59
Edited title. I think I had confused nim with this game's misère win condition.
– scip
Dec 21 '18 at 7:00
3
The game has a determinate winning strategy for the second player (see answers) if by 'append' you restrict adding digits to the right. A more complex version would allow a player to append a digit either to the right or the left. It's not clear to me that the game so enlarged would be so straight forward to analyze.
– Keith Backman
Dec 21 '18 at 17:51
@KeithBackman As regards your variant I edited my answer with a P.S.
– Robert Z
Dec 23 '18 at 9:28
add a comment |
This is a variant of Prime number building game.
Player $A$ begins by choosing a single-digit prime number. Player $B$ then appends any digit to that number such that the result is still prime, and players alternate in this fashion until one player loses by being unable to form a prime.
For instance, play might proceed as follows:
$A$ chooses 5
$B$ chooses 3, forming 53
$A$ loses since there are no primes of the form 53x
Is there a known solution to this game? It seems like I might be able to try a programmatic search...or might some math knowledge help here?
prime-numbers combinatorial-game-theory
This is a variant of Prime number building game.
Player $A$ begins by choosing a single-digit prime number. Player $B$ then appends any digit to that number such that the result is still prime, and players alternate in this fashion until one player loses by being unable to form a prime.
For instance, play might proceed as follows:
$A$ chooses 5
$B$ chooses 3, forming 53
$A$ loses since there are no primes of the form 53x
Is there a known solution to this game? It seems like I might be able to try a programmatic search...or might some math knowledge help here?
prime-numbers combinatorial-game-theory
prime-numbers combinatorial-game-theory
edited Dec 21 '18 at 6:59
asked Dec 21 '18 at 6:46
scip
459511
459511
What does this game have to do with nim?
– Wojowu
Dec 21 '18 at 6:54
4
Seems unlikely that there's anything better you can do than just listing out the whole game tree by brute force.
– Eric Wofsey
Dec 21 '18 at 6:59
Edited title. I think I had confused nim with this game's misère win condition.
– scip
Dec 21 '18 at 7:00
3
The game has a determinate winning strategy for the second player (see answers) if by 'append' you restrict adding digits to the right. A more complex version would allow a player to append a digit either to the right or the left. It's not clear to me that the game so enlarged would be so straight forward to analyze.
– Keith Backman
Dec 21 '18 at 17:51
@KeithBackman As regards your variant I edited my answer with a P.S.
– Robert Z
Dec 23 '18 at 9:28
add a comment |
What does this game have to do with nim?
– Wojowu
Dec 21 '18 at 6:54
4
Seems unlikely that there's anything better you can do than just listing out the whole game tree by brute force.
– Eric Wofsey
Dec 21 '18 at 6:59
Edited title. I think I had confused nim with this game's misère win condition.
– scip
Dec 21 '18 at 7:00
3
The game has a determinate winning strategy for the second player (see answers) if by 'append' you restrict adding digits to the right. A more complex version would allow a player to append a digit either to the right or the left. It's not clear to me that the game so enlarged would be so straight forward to analyze.
– Keith Backman
Dec 21 '18 at 17:51
@KeithBackman As regards your variant I edited my answer with a P.S.
– Robert Z
Dec 23 '18 at 9:28
What does this game have to do with nim?
– Wojowu
Dec 21 '18 at 6:54
What does this game have to do with nim?
– Wojowu
Dec 21 '18 at 6:54
4
4
Seems unlikely that there's anything better you can do than just listing out the whole game tree by brute force.
– Eric Wofsey
Dec 21 '18 at 6:59
Seems unlikely that there's anything better you can do than just listing out the whole game tree by brute force.
– Eric Wofsey
Dec 21 '18 at 6:59
Edited title. I think I had confused nim with this game's misère win condition.
– scip
Dec 21 '18 at 7:00
Edited title. I think I had confused nim with this game's misère win condition.
– scip
Dec 21 '18 at 7:00
3
3
The game has a determinate winning strategy for the second player (see answers) if by 'append' you restrict adding digits to the right. A more complex version would allow a player to append a digit either to the right or the left. It's not clear to me that the game so enlarged would be so straight forward to analyze.
– Keith Backman
Dec 21 '18 at 17:51
The game has a determinate winning strategy for the second player (see answers) if by 'append' you restrict adding digits to the right. A more complex version would allow a player to append a digit either to the right or the left. It's not clear to me that the game so enlarged would be so straight forward to analyze.
– Keith Backman
Dec 21 '18 at 17:51
@KeithBackman As regards your variant I edited my answer with a P.S.
– Robert Z
Dec 23 '18 at 9:28
@KeithBackman As regards your variant I edited my answer with a P.S.
– Robert Z
Dec 23 '18 at 9:28
add a comment |
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
The game is trivial to brute force; there just aren't very many possibilities. Assuming I have not made a mistake brute-forcing it by hand (with the aid of a computer to test for primality), the second player to move can win via the following strategy (this is not the only winning strategy):
- If the first player starts with $2$, move to $29$, and then all the moves are forced until you win at $29399999$
- If the first player starts with $3$, move to $37$. If they then move to $373$, move to $3733$ and you will win no matter what (at either $37337999$ or $373393$). If they instead move to $379$, you move to either $3793$ or $3797$ and win immediately.
- If the first player starts with $5$, move to $53$ and win.
- If the first player starts with $7$, move to $71$ and then every move is forced until you win at $719333$.
As a heuristic for why it should not be surprising that the game is so limited, note that by the prime number theorem, there are about $fracNlog N$ primes less than $N$, so the probability of a random $n$-digit number being prime is about $frac1log(10^n)=frac1nlog(10)$. Assuming that the primality of a number is independent from the primality of a number obtained by adding a digit at the end (which seems like a reasonable heuristic assumption), this gives that there are about $frac10log(10)$ $1$-digit numbers that are valid positions in this game, and then $frac10log(10)cdotfrac102log(10)$ $2$-digit numbers, and in general $frac10^nn!log(10)^n$ $n$-digit numbers. Adding up all the valid positions (including the empty string at the start) gives about $$sum_n=0^inftyfrac10^nn!log(10)^n=e^10/log(10)approx 77$$ total positions. In fact, this heuristic estimate is not far from the actual value, which is $84$.
11
I like the heuristic argument! (+1)
– Robert Z
Dec 21 '18 at 8:08
add a comment |
As mentioned by others, it isn't too hard to create the whole trie.
Player $A$ is green and Player $B$ is orange:
For reference purposes, here's the corresponding Python code. It uses networkx and graphviz:
import networkx as nx
from networkx.drawing.nx_agraph import to_agraph
def is_prime(n):
if n == 2:
return True
if n < 2 or n % 2 == 0:
return False
for d in range(3, int(n**0.5) + 1, 2):
if n % d == 0:
return False
return True
def add_prime_leaves_recursively(current_number=0, current_representation='',
base=10, graph=nx.DiGraph(), level=0,
colors=['#FF851B', '#2E8B57']):
graph.add_node(current_number,
label=current_representation,
color=colors[level % 2])
for next_digit in range(base):
next_number = current_number * base + next_digit
if is_prime(next_number):
graph.add_edge(current_number, next_number)
add_prime_leaves_recursively(
next_number,
current_representation + '0123456789ABCDEFGHIJ'[next_digit],
base, graph, level + 1)
return graph
G = add_prime_leaves_recursively(base=10)
G.nodes[0]['color'] = 'black'
A = to_agraph(G)
A.draw('prime_number_construction_game.png', prog='dot')
This code can generate the diagram for any base below 20. The game is boring in base 3:
1
Beautiful code and image!
– Vincent
Dec 21 '18 at 13:57
add a comment |
Since there are "only" 83 right-truncatable primes (and 4260 left-truncatable primes), the game is a finite impartial game (like Nim) and for each position we can compute the corresponding Grundy value. So for example $g(53)=0$. This game is trivial to brute force, but by computing the Grundy values we can consider non-trivial combined games.
Note the second player, i.e. player $B$, has a winning strategy:
If player $A$ starts with $2$, then player $B$ appends a $9$ and the game is forced to $29399999$.
If player $A$ starts with $3$, then player $B$ appends a $7$, and the game is forced to $3793$, or $373393$, or $37337999$.
If player $A$ starts with $5$, then player $B$ appends a $3$.
If player $A$ starts with $7$, then player $B$ appends a $1$ and the game is forced to $719333$.
P.S. Also the variant proposed by Keith Backman, where a player is allowed to append a digit either to the right or the left, is a finite impartial game.
In fact left- or right-truncatable primes are finite, with $149677$ terms (see OEIS A137812) and the largest one is $8939662423123592347173339993799$, so any game ends in at most $31$ moves.
1
I guess the tow direction game was easier to analyze than I naively imagined. Thanks for the fun analysis.
– Keith Backman
Dec 23 '18 at 21:37
@KeithBackman It seems that also in your variant the second player has a winning strategy but the analysis is much harder.
– Robert Z
Dec 24 '18 at 15:06
add a comment |
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3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
The game is trivial to brute force; there just aren't very many possibilities. Assuming I have not made a mistake brute-forcing it by hand (with the aid of a computer to test for primality), the second player to move can win via the following strategy (this is not the only winning strategy):
- If the first player starts with $2$, move to $29$, and then all the moves are forced until you win at $29399999$
- If the first player starts with $3$, move to $37$. If they then move to $373$, move to $3733$ and you will win no matter what (at either $37337999$ or $373393$). If they instead move to $379$, you move to either $3793$ or $3797$ and win immediately.
- If the first player starts with $5$, move to $53$ and win.
- If the first player starts with $7$, move to $71$ and then every move is forced until you win at $719333$.
As a heuristic for why it should not be surprising that the game is so limited, note that by the prime number theorem, there are about $fracNlog N$ primes less than $N$, so the probability of a random $n$-digit number being prime is about $frac1log(10^n)=frac1nlog(10)$. Assuming that the primality of a number is independent from the primality of a number obtained by adding a digit at the end (which seems like a reasonable heuristic assumption), this gives that there are about $frac10log(10)$ $1$-digit numbers that are valid positions in this game, and then $frac10log(10)cdotfrac102log(10)$ $2$-digit numbers, and in general $frac10^nn!log(10)^n$ $n$-digit numbers. Adding up all the valid positions (including the empty string at the start) gives about $$sum_n=0^inftyfrac10^nn!log(10)^n=e^10/log(10)approx 77$$ total positions. In fact, this heuristic estimate is not far from the actual value, which is $84$.
11
I like the heuristic argument! (+1)
– Robert Z
Dec 21 '18 at 8:08
add a comment |
The game is trivial to brute force; there just aren't very many possibilities. Assuming I have not made a mistake brute-forcing it by hand (with the aid of a computer to test for primality), the second player to move can win via the following strategy (this is not the only winning strategy):
- If the first player starts with $2$, move to $29$, and then all the moves are forced until you win at $29399999$
- If the first player starts with $3$, move to $37$. If they then move to $373$, move to $3733$ and you will win no matter what (at either $37337999$ or $373393$). If they instead move to $379$, you move to either $3793$ or $3797$ and win immediately.
- If the first player starts with $5$, move to $53$ and win.
- If the first player starts with $7$, move to $71$ and then every move is forced until you win at $719333$.
As a heuristic for why it should not be surprising that the game is so limited, note that by the prime number theorem, there are about $fracNlog N$ primes less than $N$, so the probability of a random $n$-digit number being prime is about $frac1log(10^n)=frac1nlog(10)$. Assuming that the primality of a number is independent from the primality of a number obtained by adding a digit at the end (which seems like a reasonable heuristic assumption), this gives that there are about $frac10log(10)$ $1$-digit numbers that are valid positions in this game, and then $frac10log(10)cdotfrac102log(10)$ $2$-digit numbers, and in general $frac10^nn!log(10)^n$ $n$-digit numbers. Adding up all the valid positions (including the empty string at the start) gives about $$sum_n=0^inftyfrac10^nn!log(10)^n=e^10/log(10)approx 77$$ total positions. In fact, this heuristic estimate is not far from the actual value, which is $84$.
11
I like the heuristic argument! (+1)
– Robert Z
Dec 21 '18 at 8:08
add a comment |
The game is trivial to brute force; there just aren't very many possibilities. Assuming I have not made a mistake brute-forcing it by hand (with the aid of a computer to test for primality), the second player to move can win via the following strategy (this is not the only winning strategy):
- If the first player starts with $2$, move to $29$, and then all the moves are forced until you win at $29399999$
- If the first player starts with $3$, move to $37$. If they then move to $373$, move to $3733$ and you will win no matter what (at either $37337999$ or $373393$). If they instead move to $379$, you move to either $3793$ or $3797$ and win immediately.
- If the first player starts with $5$, move to $53$ and win.
- If the first player starts with $7$, move to $71$ and then every move is forced until you win at $719333$.
As a heuristic for why it should not be surprising that the game is so limited, note that by the prime number theorem, there are about $fracNlog N$ primes less than $N$, so the probability of a random $n$-digit number being prime is about $frac1log(10^n)=frac1nlog(10)$. Assuming that the primality of a number is independent from the primality of a number obtained by adding a digit at the end (which seems like a reasonable heuristic assumption), this gives that there are about $frac10log(10)$ $1$-digit numbers that are valid positions in this game, and then $frac10log(10)cdotfrac102log(10)$ $2$-digit numbers, and in general $frac10^nn!log(10)^n$ $n$-digit numbers. Adding up all the valid positions (including the empty string at the start) gives about $$sum_n=0^inftyfrac10^nn!log(10)^n=e^10/log(10)approx 77$$ total positions. In fact, this heuristic estimate is not far from the actual value, which is $84$.
The game is trivial to brute force; there just aren't very many possibilities. Assuming I have not made a mistake brute-forcing it by hand (with the aid of a computer to test for primality), the second player to move can win via the following strategy (this is not the only winning strategy):
- If the first player starts with $2$, move to $29$, and then all the moves are forced until you win at $29399999$
- If the first player starts with $3$, move to $37$. If they then move to $373$, move to $3733$ and you will win no matter what (at either $37337999$ or $373393$). If they instead move to $379$, you move to either $3793$ or $3797$ and win immediately.
- If the first player starts with $5$, move to $53$ and win.
- If the first player starts with $7$, move to $71$ and then every move is forced until you win at $719333$.
As a heuristic for why it should not be surprising that the game is so limited, note that by the prime number theorem, there are about $fracNlog N$ primes less than $N$, so the probability of a random $n$-digit number being prime is about $frac1log(10^n)=frac1nlog(10)$. Assuming that the primality of a number is independent from the primality of a number obtained by adding a digit at the end (which seems like a reasonable heuristic assumption), this gives that there are about $frac10log(10)$ $1$-digit numbers that are valid positions in this game, and then $frac10log(10)cdotfrac102log(10)$ $2$-digit numbers, and in general $frac10^nn!log(10)^n$ $n$-digit numbers. Adding up all the valid positions (including the empty string at the start) gives about $$sum_n=0^inftyfrac10^nn!log(10)^n=e^10/log(10)approx 77$$ total positions. In fact, this heuristic estimate is not far from the actual value, which is $84$.
edited Dec 21 '18 at 8:06
answered Dec 21 '18 at 7:27
Eric Wofsey
180k12207335
180k12207335
11
I like the heuristic argument! (+1)
– Robert Z
Dec 21 '18 at 8:08
add a comment |
11
I like the heuristic argument! (+1)
– Robert Z
Dec 21 '18 at 8:08
11
11
I like the heuristic argument! (+1)
– Robert Z
Dec 21 '18 at 8:08
I like the heuristic argument! (+1)
– Robert Z
Dec 21 '18 at 8:08
add a comment |
As mentioned by others, it isn't too hard to create the whole trie.
Player $A$ is green and Player $B$ is orange:
For reference purposes, here's the corresponding Python code. It uses networkx and graphviz:
import networkx as nx
from networkx.drawing.nx_agraph import to_agraph
def is_prime(n):
if n == 2:
return True
if n < 2 or n % 2 == 0:
return False
for d in range(3, int(n**0.5) + 1, 2):
if n % d == 0:
return False
return True
def add_prime_leaves_recursively(current_number=0, current_representation='',
base=10, graph=nx.DiGraph(), level=0,
colors=['#FF851B', '#2E8B57']):
graph.add_node(current_number,
label=current_representation,
color=colors[level % 2])
for next_digit in range(base):
next_number = current_number * base + next_digit
if is_prime(next_number):
graph.add_edge(current_number, next_number)
add_prime_leaves_recursively(
next_number,
current_representation + '0123456789ABCDEFGHIJ'[next_digit],
base, graph, level + 1)
return graph
G = add_prime_leaves_recursively(base=10)
G.nodes[0]['color'] = 'black'
A = to_agraph(G)
A.draw('prime_number_construction_game.png', prog='dot')
This code can generate the diagram for any base below 20. The game is boring in base 3:
1
Beautiful code and image!
– Vincent
Dec 21 '18 at 13:57
add a comment |
As mentioned by others, it isn't too hard to create the whole trie.
Player $A$ is green and Player $B$ is orange:
For reference purposes, here's the corresponding Python code. It uses networkx and graphviz:
import networkx as nx
from networkx.drawing.nx_agraph import to_agraph
def is_prime(n):
if n == 2:
return True
if n < 2 or n % 2 == 0:
return False
for d in range(3, int(n**0.5) + 1, 2):
if n % d == 0:
return False
return True
def add_prime_leaves_recursively(current_number=0, current_representation='',
base=10, graph=nx.DiGraph(), level=0,
colors=['#FF851B', '#2E8B57']):
graph.add_node(current_number,
label=current_representation,
color=colors[level % 2])
for next_digit in range(base):
next_number = current_number * base + next_digit
if is_prime(next_number):
graph.add_edge(current_number, next_number)
add_prime_leaves_recursively(
next_number,
current_representation + '0123456789ABCDEFGHIJ'[next_digit],
base, graph, level + 1)
return graph
G = add_prime_leaves_recursively(base=10)
G.nodes[0]['color'] = 'black'
A = to_agraph(G)
A.draw('prime_number_construction_game.png', prog='dot')
This code can generate the diagram for any base below 20. The game is boring in base 3:
1
Beautiful code and image!
– Vincent
Dec 21 '18 at 13:57
add a comment |
As mentioned by others, it isn't too hard to create the whole trie.
Player $A$ is green and Player $B$ is orange:
For reference purposes, here's the corresponding Python code. It uses networkx and graphviz:
import networkx as nx
from networkx.drawing.nx_agraph import to_agraph
def is_prime(n):
if n == 2:
return True
if n < 2 or n % 2 == 0:
return False
for d in range(3, int(n**0.5) + 1, 2):
if n % d == 0:
return False
return True
def add_prime_leaves_recursively(current_number=0, current_representation='',
base=10, graph=nx.DiGraph(), level=0,
colors=['#FF851B', '#2E8B57']):
graph.add_node(current_number,
label=current_representation,
color=colors[level % 2])
for next_digit in range(base):
next_number = current_number * base + next_digit
if is_prime(next_number):
graph.add_edge(current_number, next_number)
add_prime_leaves_recursively(
next_number,
current_representation + '0123456789ABCDEFGHIJ'[next_digit],
base, graph, level + 1)
return graph
G = add_prime_leaves_recursively(base=10)
G.nodes[0]['color'] = 'black'
A = to_agraph(G)
A.draw('prime_number_construction_game.png', prog='dot')
This code can generate the diagram for any base below 20. The game is boring in base 3:
As mentioned by others, it isn't too hard to create the whole trie.
Player $A$ is green and Player $B$ is orange:
For reference purposes, here's the corresponding Python code. It uses networkx and graphviz:
import networkx as nx
from networkx.drawing.nx_agraph import to_agraph
def is_prime(n):
if n == 2:
return True
if n < 2 or n % 2 == 0:
return False
for d in range(3, int(n**0.5) + 1, 2):
if n % d == 0:
return False
return True
def add_prime_leaves_recursively(current_number=0, current_representation='',
base=10, graph=nx.DiGraph(), level=0,
colors=['#FF851B', '#2E8B57']):
graph.add_node(current_number,
label=current_representation,
color=colors[level % 2])
for next_digit in range(base):
next_number = current_number * base + next_digit
if is_prime(next_number):
graph.add_edge(current_number, next_number)
add_prime_leaves_recursively(
next_number,
current_representation + '0123456789ABCDEFGHIJ'[next_digit],
base, graph, level + 1)
return graph
G = add_prime_leaves_recursively(base=10)
G.nodes[0]['color'] = 'black'
A = to_agraph(G)
A.draw('prime_number_construction_game.png', prog='dot')
This code can generate the diagram for any base below 20. The game is boring in base 3:
edited Dec 21 '18 at 14:56
answered Dec 21 '18 at 10:44
Eric Duminil
2,48411018
2,48411018
1
Beautiful code and image!
– Vincent
Dec 21 '18 at 13:57
add a comment |
1
Beautiful code and image!
– Vincent
Dec 21 '18 at 13:57
1
1
Beautiful code and image!
– Vincent
Dec 21 '18 at 13:57
Beautiful code and image!
– Vincent
Dec 21 '18 at 13:57
add a comment |
Since there are "only" 83 right-truncatable primes (and 4260 left-truncatable primes), the game is a finite impartial game (like Nim) and for each position we can compute the corresponding Grundy value. So for example $g(53)=0$. This game is trivial to brute force, but by computing the Grundy values we can consider non-trivial combined games.
Note the second player, i.e. player $B$, has a winning strategy:
If player $A$ starts with $2$, then player $B$ appends a $9$ and the game is forced to $29399999$.
If player $A$ starts with $3$, then player $B$ appends a $7$, and the game is forced to $3793$, or $373393$, or $37337999$.
If player $A$ starts with $5$, then player $B$ appends a $3$.
If player $A$ starts with $7$, then player $B$ appends a $1$ and the game is forced to $719333$.
P.S. Also the variant proposed by Keith Backman, where a player is allowed to append a digit either to the right or the left, is a finite impartial game.
In fact left- or right-truncatable primes are finite, with $149677$ terms (see OEIS A137812) and the largest one is $8939662423123592347173339993799$, so any game ends in at most $31$ moves.
1
I guess the tow direction game was easier to analyze than I naively imagined. Thanks for the fun analysis.
– Keith Backman
Dec 23 '18 at 21:37
@KeithBackman It seems that also in your variant the second player has a winning strategy but the analysis is much harder.
– Robert Z
Dec 24 '18 at 15:06
add a comment |
Since there are "only" 83 right-truncatable primes (and 4260 left-truncatable primes), the game is a finite impartial game (like Nim) and for each position we can compute the corresponding Grundy value. So for example $g(53)=0$. This game is trivial to brute force, but by computing the Grundy values we can consider non-trivial combined games.
Note the second player, i.e. player $B$, has a winning strategy:
If player $A$ starts with $2$, then player $B$ appends a $9$ and the game is forced to $29399999$.
If player $A$ starts with $3$, then player $B$ appends a $7$, and the game is forced to $3793$, or $373393$, or $37337999$.
If player $A$ starts with $5$, then player $B$ appends a $3$.
If player $A$ starts with $7$, then player $B$ appends a $1$ and the game is forced to $719333$.
P.S. Also the variant proposed by Keith Backman, where a player is allowed to append a digit either to the right or the left, is a finite impartial game.
In fact left- or right-truncatable primes are finite, with $149677$ terms (see OEIS A137812) and the largest one is $8939662423123592347173339993799$, so any game ends in at most $31$ moves.
1
I guess the tow direction game was easier to analyze than I naively imagined. Thanks for the fun analysis.
– Keith Backman
Dec 23 '18 at 21:37
@KeithBackman It seems that also in your variant the second player has a winning strategy but the analysis is much harder.
– Robert Z
Dec 24 '18 at 15:06
add a comment |
Since there are "only" 83 right-truncatable primes (and 4260 left-truncatable primes), the game is a finite impartial game (like Nim) and for each position we can compute the corresponding Grundy value. So for example $g(53)=0$. This game is trivial to brute force, but by computing the Grundy values we can consider non-trivial combined games.
Note the second player, i.e. player $B$, has a winning strategy:
If player $A$ starts with $2$, then player $B$ appends a $9$ and the game is forced to $29399999$.
If player $A$ starts with $3$, then player $B$ appends a $7$, and the game is forced to $3793$, or $373393$, or $37337999$.
If player $A$ starts with $5$, then player $B$ appends a $3$.
If player $A$ starts with $7$, then player $B$ appends a $1$ and the game is forced to $719333$.
P.S. Also the variant proposed by Keith Backman, where a player is allowed to append a digit either to the right or the left, is a finite impartial game.
In fact left- or right-truncatable primes are finite, with $149677$ terms (see OEIS A137812) and the largest one is $8939662423123592347173339993799$, so any game ends in at most $31$ moves.
Since there are "only" 83 right-truncatable primes (and 4260 left-truncatable primes), the game is a finite impartial game (like Nim) and for each position we can compute the corresponding Grundy value. So for example $g(53)=0$. This game is trivial to brute force, but by computing the Grundy values we can consider non-trivial combined games.
Note the second player, i.e. player $B$, has a winning strategy:
If player $A$ starts with $2$, then player $B$ appends a $9$ and the game is forced to $29399999$.
If player $A$ starts with $3$, then player $B$ appends a $7$, and the game is forced to $3793$, or $373393$, or $37337999$.
If player $A$ starts with $5$, then player $B$ appends a $3$.
If player $A$ starts with $7$, then player $B$ appends a $1$ and the game is forced to $719333$.
P.S. Also the variant proposed by Keith Backman, where a player is allowed to append a digit either to the right or the left, is a finite impartial game.
In fact left- or right-truncatable primes are finite, with $149677$ terms (see OEIS A137812) and the largest one is $8939662423123592347173339993799$, so any game ends in at most $31$ moves.
edited Dec 23 '18 at 9:52
answered Dec 21 '18 at 7:01
Robert Z
93.3k1061132
93.3k1061132
1
I guess the tow direction game was easier to analyze than I naively imagined. Thanks for the fun analysis.
– Keith Backman
Dec 23 '18 at 21:37
@KeithBackman It seems that also in your variant the second player has a winning strategy but the analysis is much harder.
– Robert Z
Dec 24 '18 at 15:06
add a comment |
1
I guess the tow direction game was easier to analyze than I naively imagined. Thanks for the fun analysis.
– Keith Backman
Dec 23 '18 at 21:37
@KeithBackman It seems that also in your variant the second player has a winning strategy but the analysis is much harder.
– Robert Z
Dec 24 '18 at 15:06
1
1
I guess the tow direction game was easier to analyze than I naively imagined. Thanks for the fun analysis.
– Keith Backman
Dec 23 '18 at 21:37
I guess the tow direction game was easier to analyze than I naively imagined. Thanks for the fun analysis.
– Keith Backman
Dec 23 '18 at 21:37
@KeithBackman It seems that also in your variant the second player has a winning strategy but the analysis is much harder.
– Robert Z
Dec 24 '18 at 15:06
@KeithBackman It seems that also in your variant the second player has a winning strategy but the analysis is much harder.
– Robert Z
Dec 24 '18 at 15:06
add a comment |
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What does this game have to do with nim?
– Wojowu
Dec 21 '18 at 6:54
4
Seems unlikely that there's anything better you can do than just listing out the whole game tree by brute force.
– Eric Wofsey
Dec 21 '18 at 6:59
Edited title. I think I had confused nim with this game's misère win condition.
– scip
Dec 21 '18 at 7:00
3
The game has a determinate winning strategy for the second player (see answers) if by 'append' you restrict adding digits to the right. A more complex version would allow a player to append a digit either to the right or the left. It's not clear to me that the game so enlarged would be so straight forward to analyze.
– Keith Backman
Dec 21 '18 at 17:51
@KeithBackman As regards your variant I edited my answer with a P.S.
– Robert Z
Dec 23 '18 at 9:28