Henry Ernest Dudeney/Modern Puzzles/206 - The 37 Puzzle Game

by : $206$

 * The $37$ Puzzle Game
 * Here is a beautiful new puzzle game, absurdly simple to play but quite fascinating.
 * To most people it will seem to be practically a game of chance -- equal for both players --
 * but there are pretty subtleties in it, and I will show how to win with certainty.


 * Place the five dominoes $1$, $2$, $3$, $4$, $5$, on the table.
 * There are two players, who play alternately.
 * The first player places a coin on any domino, say the $5$, which scores $5$;
 * then the second player removes the coin to another domino, say to the $3$,
 * and adds that domino, scoring $8$;
 * then the first player removes the coin again, say to the $1$, scoring $9$; and so on.
 * The player who scores $37$, or forces his opponent to score more than $37$, wins.
 * Remember, the coin must be removed to a different domino at each play.