Nim is a gambling game played by the ancients. A group of pebbles, for example, is tossed on the ground. Each player can take up to an agreed upon amount of pebbles on his turn. Whoever is able to take the remaining pebble(s) (up to agreed amount) leaving none behind is the winner.
My priviate eye Dominic and I are cigar smokers and so I wanted to use this game in a story and of course, Dominic has to propose the wager and win. It has to look completely impromptu.
Lets us say you found yourself with a group of guys enjoying cigars and on the table is a box of stick matches.
Let us also say that in your pocket is an identical box of stick matches and you knew the exact number of matches in the box.
For this explanation the amount has to be a multiple of four. So lets us say there are 40 matches in your box.
You pick up the box of matches from the table, light your cigar and then put the matches, ‘absent mindedly’ into your pocket. Realizing your mistake, without commenting upon it, you put ‘the’ box of matches back on the table. In reality you have planted your box of matches on the table.
Now your box of matches is on the table and you know there are 40 matches inside it.
Let some time pass then tell your pals about how you were reading about this old time gambling game. Open the box of matches and spill them all out in a heap. Your instructions have to be quick and simple.
“Here’s the game you can take up to three matches at a time, 1, 2, or 3. Whoever takes the last match wins. Go ahead.”
Your opponent has to go first. If he takes 3 matches, you take 1 match. If he takes, 2 matches, you take 2; if he takes 1 you take 3.
The number of matches you start with has to be a multiple of 4 and he has to draw first. If you rig the game this way you can’t lose.
Let’s say you start with 20 matches.
He takes 2 so you take 2, 16 matches remain.
He takes 1 so you take 3, 12 matches remain.
He takes 3 so you take 1, eight matches remain.
He takes 2 so you take 2, four matches remain.
He can only take up to 3 matches so whatever he does, you win!
There is a story about one hustler who tried to pull the game on another hustler. The first guy didn’t know the second guy was wise. The second secretly added a match as he was taking his turn and screwed up the other guys count.
I’d keep it simple and limit the bet to a drink or a cigar. For me the key to the whole thing is switching out the boxes and making the whole think look ‘spur of the moment’.
You will find more stuff like this in my e-book 'Di Carini Investigations'. You can downlaod a free sample e-book by going to my site: www.dicarini.com
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