Last Bead

This is a game for two players. Take turns to remove beads from the strings. The player who removes the last bead wins.

Click to choose a bead and click again to confirm.

Can you figure out if and when you are guaranteed to win?

You can watch Rachel and Marianne play the game to see how they got on.

Once you've mastered this game try Driplets, Droplets or, for the ultimate challenge, Drips.

Comments

The last bead

Permalink Submitted by Matias Rodrigue... on Wed, 04/06/2016 - 21:02

My strategy is ...

if there are an even amount of beads on the board you let him go first and then play normally.
But if it's an odd number just play normally and you will win.

Re: The last bead

Permalink Submitted by emp1001 on Thu, 04/07/2016 - 09:02

Thanks for your post, Matias. I have hidden your strategy under a 'reveal' button so that other players can choose to see it if they wish.

I wonder how you worked out the strategy?

Have you seen our similar game, Driplets?

strategy

Permalink Submitted by logan on Wed, 04/06/2016 - 21:02

if its an ...

odd amount of counters then you go first
if its an even amount of counters then you let AI go first

Re: strategy

Permalink Submitted by emp1001 on Thu, 04/07/2016 - 09:08

Logan, thank you for your comment about the strategy for this game. I have hidden it under a 'reveal' button so that others can decide whether or not to take a look.

Can you explain how you came to this conclusion?

You might like to have a go at Driplets which is a very similar game, but this time rather than there only being one bead on each string, there are either one or two 'driplets' on a 'driplet trail'.

strategy

Permalink Submitted by lucy on Mon, 05/09/2016 - 13:02

I count the number of beads first.

If the number is odd then remove a bead. If the number is even then wait for Al to go.

Re: strategy

Permalink Submitted by emp1001 on Tue, 05/10/2016 - 09:05

Thanks for your comment, Lucy. I've hidden it under a 'reveal' button in case other people want to think about it themselves first!

How did you come to these conclusions?

last bead strategy

Permalink Submitted by lauren on Mon, 05/09/2016 - 13:08

TRY IT BEFORE READING:

If there is 1, 3 or 5 you would take your turn first. If there is 2, 4 or 6 then you would take your turn second.

Re: last bead strategy

Permalink Submitted by emp1001 on Tue, 05/10/2016 - 09:08

Good thinking, Lauren. I have hidden what you wrote under a 'reveal' button so we don't 'give the game away' for other people!

How did you work out what to do?

Last Bead Ultimate Strategy

Permalink Submitted by Shannon on Mon, 05/09/2016 - 13:15

Mathematicians spend months maybe even years on tricky problems, but if you're looking for something steady to start working on, then I recommend this game LAST BEAD. I think this game will get you and your brain to prepare for questions that ask you to find the strategy. I have a few tips to just edge in the right direction:

-An odd number of beads a good way to start getting used to going first
-An even number of beads will be a good way to start getting you to wait until the timer ends

When you get the strategy you will know what I mean!

Re: Last Bead Ultimate Strategy

Permalink Submitted by emp1001 on Tue, 05/10/2016 - 09:09

Thank you for your tips, Shannon. I have hidden them under a 'reveal' button so other users can decide whether or not they take a look.

Can you explain how you worked out your strategy?

Really bad for two players

Permalink Submitted by Illuminati on Tue, 06/14/2016 - 10:53

Make the game 2 player so you can play with your friends.

Birch the last bead

Permalink Submitted by Chips on Tue, 06/14/2016 - 10:55

Make it two player

Beads

Permalink Submitted by Louie on Thu, 06/16/2016 - 11:18

If the number of beads are even, then

you can wait and let the AI go first. Then you've basically guaranteed a win. If it starts odd, then you've also won. Either way, you've won! The reason being is that odd will ensure a win, for example if I have 1, 2, 3 and I take away 1, then there's 2, 3 left. The AI takes 3 then you take 2, hey presto, you've won! Same with even numbers, just then you let the AI go first and then thrash them at your leisure!

Hi Louie. Good thinking, it's

Permalink Submitted by mf344 on Fri, 06/17/2016 - 11:15

Hi Louie. Good thinking, it's exactly right! I've hidden the comment so as not to give things away to other players.

My stratergy

Permalink Submitted by Sam F Lochinver... on Thu, 06/16/2016 - 11:30

My strategy is if ...

...the set of beads is even you should always let tour opponent go first because there are 2 players and an even set of beads , the player that goes first will lose as their moves will be 1,3 and 5 if the set of beads is six where as player two will have 2,4 and 6. If odd go first and play normally. For example if there are 8 beads let your opponent go first but if there are 7 beads you go first to win the match.

Well done Sam. I've hidden

Permalink Submitted by mf344 on Fri, 06/17/2016 - 11:17

Well done Sam. I've hidden the comments so that other players can work the strategy out for themselves. Why not move on to the next difficult game, Driplets?

You should let Al go first if

Permalink Submitted by Niam on Thu, 06/16/2016 - 11:34

You should let Al go first if ...

....there is an even number of beads so you can take the second, fourth etc. If there is an odd number of beads then you should go first so you can take the first, third, fifth etc. These rules are because you want to take the last counter.

Thanks Liam! Very good

Permalink Submitted by mf344 on Fri, 06/17/2016 - 11:20

Thanks Liam! Very good thinking! I've hidden your strategy so as not to spoil everyone's fun. Why not try the next difficult game, Driplets?

Permalink Submitted by Lela on Thu, 06/16/2016 - 18:25

The most funnest maths game ever, I am going to recommend it to my teacher, thanks nrich.

last bead

Permalink Submitted by Rali on Fri, 06/24/2016 - 14:46

If there is an...

...an odd number of beads and you start you will always win. If it is an even number you have to let AI go first to win.

Thanks Rali, good thinking! I

Permalink Submitted by mf344 on Mon, 06/27/2016 - 07:06

Thanks Rali, good thinking! I have hidden your answer so we don't give it away. Have you tried the game Driplets? It's a little more of a challenge.

Last Bead

Permalink Submitted by EG nlcs on Fri, 06/24/2016 - 14:46

This game, last bead, is great fun, and I think I have worked out the solution.

If there is an odd number of counters, you go first, because then you will get the last bead. And if there is an even number of counters, let AI go first, and then you will get the last bead again! :)

Thank you, that's exactly

Permalink Submitted by mf344 on Mon, 06/27/2016 - 07:08

Thank you, that's exactly right! I've hidden your strategy so we don't give it away. Have you tried the game Driplets?

Last beads

Permalink Submitted by Avril Chloe NLCS on Fri, 06/24/2016 - 14:49

I now really understand the game because...

with an odd number and you start you will definitely win but with an even number and you start the opponent will win, and you will have to wait so your opponent starts first.

Well done Avril! I've hidden

Permalink Submitted by mf344 on Mon, 06/27/2016 - 07:10

Well done Avril! I've hidden your strategy so as to not give it away. The next difficult game along is Driplets. Have you tried it?

last bead strategy

Permalink Submitted by Shreya from NLCS on Fri, 06/24/2016 - 14:51

It was so much fun !!!!!! After a few games I realised that a different person would win due to the number of beads at the beginning.

At the start if there is an odd number of beads then you go first. At the start if there is an even number of beads then let Al go first.

Hi Shreya! Glad you enjoyed

Permalink Submitted by mf344 on Mon, 06/27/2016 - 07:12

Hi Shreya! Glad you enjoyed it! I've hidden your strategy so as to not give it away. Have you tried Driplets? It's a related game, but a bit more of a challenge!

Last Bead Strategy

Permalink Submitted by Lana from NLCS on Fri, 06/24/2016 - 14:53

If there is...

... an even number of beads then you should let the other person go first so you can win so for example if there were 5 beads then you would get 3 beads and the other person will get two beads which means you will automatically get the winning bead. If there is an odd number and you go first then you will win.