nim

Thân thiện

Two children play nim with matchsticks on a wooden table.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A mathematical game of strategy: Nim is a two-player game where players take turns removing objects, such as matchsticks or counters, from distinct piles or rows. The core strategic principle involves binary digital sums (nim-sums). The specific winning condition—whether the player who takes the last object wins or loses—defines the variant being played.

Usage

• Nim is typically used as a proper noun to name this specific game. It is often discussed in contexts related to mathematics, game theory, and recreational logic.
• Example: "They spent the afternoon playing nim with toothpicks."
• Example: "The classic analysis of nim is foundational to combinatorial game theory."

Advanced Usage

• "nim-sum": The key mathematical operation (binary digital sum without carry) used to determine the winning strategy in nim.
  • A position in nim is a losing position if and only if the nim-sum of the pile sizes is zero.
• "misère nim": A variant of the game where the player who is forced to take the last remaining object the game.
  • The strategy for misère nim differs slightly from the standard version.

Variants and Related Words

• Nim-like game (n): Any impartial combinatorial game that shares strategic characteristics with nim.
• Nimber (n): A number used in the theory of impartial games, derived from the analysis of nim heap sizes.

Synonyms

• Strategy game: A game where optimal decision-making is key to winning.
• Mathematical game: A game whose analysis involves mathematical concepts and strategies.

Related Phrases

• To play nim: The standard phrase for engaging in the game.
  • Can I show you how to play nim?
• A game of nim: A specific instance or session of playing.
  • They engaged in a complex game of nim.

Related Idioms

(There are no common idioms directly derived from the word "nim" itself. Its usage is almost exclusively confined to the name of the game and its theoretical analysis.)

Học thuật

Noun

1. game in which matchsticks are arranged in rows and players alternately remove one or more of them; in some versions the object is to take the last remaining matchstick on the table and in other versions the object is to avoid taking the last remaining matchstick on the table