Nim

Take the last ball to win

Ages 6+ 1 boardpuzzles
Nim
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About Nim

Nim is one of the oldest strategy games there is, and one of the few with a perfect strategy hiding inside it. Rows of balls sit on the table; on your turn you take as many as you like โ€” but only from one row. Whoever takes the very last ball wins. It looks like luck at first, and then one day a child spots the pattern and starts winning every time. Every layout here is one a good player can win from.

How to Play

  • Tap a ball to take it and every ball to its right in that row.
  • You must take at least one, and only from a single row.
  • Then the computer takes its turn.
  • Whoever takes the very last ball wins.

Tips & Tricks

  • Try to leave the rows balanced โ€” two equal rows are strong.
  • Think about what you're leaving behind, not what you're taking.
  • On Hard the computer plays perfectly, so you have to be exact.

What Kids Learn

Nim is more than fun โ€” it helps build real skills:

  • Thinking a move ahead
  • Finding a pattern in a game
  • Working backwards from the goal

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