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A collection of games on the NIM theme
Start with any number of counters in any number of piles. 2 players take it in turns to remove any number of counters from a single pile. The winner is the player to take the last counter.
An article for teachers and pupils that encourages you to look at the mathematical properties of similar games.
A game for 2 players with similaritlies to NIM. Place one counter on each spot on the games board. Players take it is turns to remove 1 or 2 adjacent counters. The winner picks up the last counter.
Can you discover whether this is a fair game?
The aim of the game is to slide the green square from the top right hand corner to the bottom left hand corner in the least number of moves.
This article for teachers describes several games, found on the site, all of which have a related structure that can be used to develop the skills of strategic planning.
This article invites you to get familiar with a strategic game called "sprouts". The game is simple enough for younger children to understand, and has also provided experienced mathematicians with. . . .
Some puzzles requiring no knowledge of knot theory, just a careful inspection of the patterns. A glimpse of the classification of knots and a little about prime knots, crossing numbers and. . . .
A Sudoku with a twist.
Help the bee to build a stack of blocks far enough to save his friend trapped in the tower.
Here is a solitaire type environment for you to experiment with. Which targets can you reach?
Players take it in turns to choose a dot on the grid. The winner is the first to have four dots that can be joined to form a square.
Can you beat Piggy in this simple dice game? Can you figure out Piggy's strategy, and is there a better one?
Four numbers on an intersection that need to be placed in the surrounding cells. That is all you need to know to solve this sudoku.
Can you work out how to win this game of Nim? Does it matter if you go first or second?
Match the cards of the same value.
A game for two people, or play online. Given a target number, say 23, and a range of numbers to choose from, say 1-4, players take it in turns to add to the running total to hit their target.
A game for 2 players that can be played online. Players take it in turns to select a word from the 9 words given. The aim is to select all the occurrences of the same letter.
A game for 2 players. Can be played online. One player has 1 red counter, the other has 4 blue. The red counter needs to reach the other side, and the blue needs to trap the red.
Slide the pieces to move Khun Phaen past all the guards into the position on the right from which he can escape to freedom.
Match pairs of cards so that they have equivalent ratios.
Can you beat the computer in the challenging strategy game?
Can you be the first to complete a row of three?
A game in which players take it in turns to try to draw quadrilaterals (or triangles) with particular properties. Is it possible to fill the game grid?
A simple game of patience which often comes out. Can you explain why?
This is a game for two players. You will need some small-square grid paper, a die and two felt-tip pens or highlighters. Players take turns to roll the die, then move that number of squares in. . . .
A game for 1 person to develop stategy and shape and space awareness. 12 counters are placed on a board. Counters are removed one at a time. The aim is to be left with only 1 counter.
A game for 1 or 2 people. Use the interactive version, or play with friends. Try to round up as many counters as possible.
The game uses a 3x3 square board. 2 players take turns to play, either placing a red on an empty square, or changing a red to orange, or orange to green. The player who forms 3 of 1 colour in a line. . . .
A game for 2 players. Given an arrangement of matchsticks, players take it is turns to remove a matchstick, along with all of the matchsticks that touch it.
This is a game for 2 players. Each player has 4 counters each, and wins by blocking their opponent's counters. A good follow-on from two stones.
A game to make and play based on the number line.
There are nasty versions of this dice game but we'll start with the nice ones...
Two sudokus in one. Challenge yourself to make the necessary connections.
A game that tests your understanding of remainders.
Who said that adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing couldn't be fun?
Use the tangram pieces to make our pictures, or to design some of your own!
Here are a collection of games from around the world to try during the holidays or the last few weeks of term.
The computer starts with all the lights off, but then clicks 3, 4 or 5 times at random, leaving some lights on. Can you switch them off again?
Advent Calendar 2010 - a mathematical game for every day during the run-up to Christmas.
Here is a machine with four coloured lights. Can you develop a strategy to work out the rules controlling each light?
Collect as many diamonds as you can by drawing three straight lines.
A game for 2 players. Take turns to place a counter so that it occupies one of the lowest possible positions in the grid. The first player to complete a line of 4 wins.
Practise your diamond mining skills and your x,y coordination in this homage to Pacman.
This pair of linked Sudokus matches letters with numbers and hides a seasonal greeting. Can you find it?
This article supplies teachers with information that may be useful in better understanding the nature of games and their role in teaching and learning mathematics.
A Sudoku with clues as ratios.