The Dots and Boxes Game: Sophisticated Child's Play / Edition 1

by Elwyn R. Berlekamp

Overview

The game of Dots-and-Boxes, the popular game in which two players take turns connecting an array of dots to form squares, or "boxes" has long been considered merely a child's game. In this book, however, the author reveals the surprising complexity of the game, along with advanced strategies that will allow the reader to win at any level of gameplay desired. This book is an essential guide to the game of Dots-and-Boxes and its mathematical underpinnings. Chapters of strategy are interspersed with dozens of sample problems and their solutions. Furthermore, the strategies can be applied to several other games, such as Strings-and-Coins and Nimstring.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781138427594
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	07/27/2017
Series:	AK Peters/CRC Recreational Mathematics Series
Pages:	144
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

Table of Contents

Preface, 1. Dots-and-Boxes—An Introduction, 2. Strings-and-Coins, 3. Elementary Chain Counting Problems, 4. Advanced Chain Counting, 5. Advanced Chain Counting Problems, 6. Nimber Values for Nimstring Graphs, 7. Elementary Problems with Nimbers, 8. More about Nimstring, Arrays, Mutations, Vines, etc, 9. Advanced Nimstring Problems, 10. Playing Dots-and-Boxes with Very Close Scores, 11. Dots-and-Boxes Problems with Close Scores, 12. Unsolved Problems, Bibliography, Index

Editorial Reviews

The strategies for playing Dots and Boxes<-->a paper-and-pencil game that many know from childhood<-->can introduce mathematical game theory, a subject of particular importance in economics. This guide to the game teaches the mathematical underpinnings of strategies that mathematicians have agonized over for decades. Chapters of strategy are interspersed with abundant sample problems and their solutions. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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