# Nim — take the last stone

- From: Nim, an old strategy game for two
- Players: 2 players
- Time: 5–8 min
- Made by: Traditional; named by Charles L. Bouton, who worked out its theory in 1901

Made with boardgameBuilder 0.14.4. To design from it, open boardgameBuilder and choose Open game: its blocks go on the canvas, and the feelings are left for you to pick.

Twelve stones in three heaps and one rule about taking them. There is no luck at all. Whoever takes the last stone wins, and after a few games you start to see that the winner was often settled several moves before the end.

## What it shows a designer

No luck and nothing hidden, yet the winner is often settled many moves before the end by a pattern the players can't yet see. It shows why designers add uncertainty to a game that can be solved.

## What you need

- 12 coins, pebbles or bottle caps

## How to play

1. **Set up.** Make three heaps: 3 stones, 4 stones and 5 stones.
2. **Take from one heap.** On your turn, take as many stones as you like from ONE heap, at least one. You may take the whole heap.
3. **Never two heaps.** You may not take from two heaps in the same turn.
4. **Last stone wins.** Whoever takes the last stone wins.
5. **Play again.** Play three games, taking turns to go first. Notice when you knew how the game would end.

## After playing, talk about

- When did you know who would win?
- Was there a position you wanted to leave your opponent?
- Did going first help?

## Where the rules are written down

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nim

## Its blocks

- Chance or skill: mostly skill
- Theme: abstract
- Information visibility: full information
- Timing: take turns

## Saved state

boardgameBuilder reads this part back when the file is opened.

```json
{"mechanics": {"chance-skill": "mostly-skill", "information": "full-information", "theme": "abstract", "timing": ["take-turns"]}, "chosenFeelings": [], "previousMechanics": {}, "previousFeelings": [], "turnNumber": 0, "locked": false, "turnHistory": [], "answers": {}, "tests": {}}
```