Impartial Games

By Fernando Rodriguez Villegas

I gave a the kick-off Basic Notions talk at ICTP in 2014 on Impartial Games (one of the topics of the course Math, Puzzles and Computers).

I expected students in the class to connect to puzzles and eventually to the corresponding mathematics through a chilhood experience. It is certainly what happened to me while preparing the lectures.

I have a somewhat vague but powerful memory of being introduced to the standard version of the game of Nim at an early age. I was fascinated to learn so many years later how the theory of a very general class of games (impartial games) all boil down somehow to Nim.