ABSTRACT
Preparation for Chapter 1
Prep Problem 1.1. Play dots & boxes with a friend or classmate. The rules are found on page 307 of Appendix D. You should start with a 5 × 6 grid of dots. You should end up with a 4 × 5 grid of 20 boxes, so the game might end in a tie.
When playing a game for the first time, feel free to move quickly to familiarize yourself with the rules and to get a sense for what can happen in the game.
After a few games of dots & boxes, write a few sentences describing any observations you have made about the game. Perhaps you found a juncture in the game when the nature of play changes? Did you have a strategy? (It need not be a good strategy.)
Prep Problem 1.2. Play snort with a friend or classmate. The rules are found on page 313 of Appendix D. (Note that if the Winner is not specified in a ruleset, you should assume normal play, that the last legal move wins.) You should play on paths of various lengths: for instance, https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781482243048/27066273-287e-4f87-9432-f815edbc9855/content/pg10_1.tif" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>
Jot down any observations you have about the game, and then try playing col on the same initial positions.
Prep Problem 1.3. Play clobber with a friend or classmate. The rules are found on page 305 of Appendix D. You should start with a 5 × 6 grid of boxes: https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781482243048/27066273-287e-4f87-9432-f815edbc9855/content/pg10_2.tif" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>
Jot down any observation you have about the game.
Prep Problem 1.4. Play nim (rules on page 311) with a friend or classmate. Begin with the three heap position with heaps of sizes 3, 5, and 7.
To the instructor: While dots & boxes is a popular topic among students, it also takes quite a bit of time to appreciate. View the topic as optional. If you do cover it, allow time for students to play practice games. Another option is to cover it later in the term before a holiday break.
If an enemy is annoying you by playing well,
consider adopting his strategy.
Chinese proverb