A Subtraction Nim with a Pass

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Larsson, Urban, Manabe, Hikaru, Miyadera, Ryohei
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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_version_ 1866916011968561152
author Larsson, Urban
Manabe, Hikaru
Miyadera, Ryohei
author_facet Larsson, Urban
Manabe, Hikaru
Miyadera, Ryohei
contents We consider a subtraction Nim with subtraction set {s_1,s_2,s_3={2,4n,4n+2}, where n is a positive integer such that n >= 3. We do not treat the case that n=1 or n=2 in this article. We show that this game satisfies the reverse-mex property of Grundy numbers, i.e., G(x)=mex{G(x+s_1), G(x+s_2), G(x+s_3)}, where the mex is taken over successors rather than predecessors. We modify the rule of this subtraction Nim to allow a one-time pass, that is, a passing move usable at most once during the game, unavailable from terminal positions; once used by either player, it becomes unavailable. In classical Nim, the introduction of a pass move complicates the game, and finding a formula that describes the set of P-positions in traditional three-pile Nim with a pass remains an important open question. In the case of subtraction Nim with a pass, however, the introduction of a pass move does not complicate the game. We prove that this game still satisfies the reverse-mex property of Grundy numbers when a pass move is available.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2605_14321
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle A Subtraction Nim with a Pass
Larsson, Urban
Manabe, Hikaru
Miyadera, Ryohei
Combinatorics
91A46
We consider a subtraction Nim with subtraction set {s_1,s_2,s_3={2,4n,4n+2}, where n is a positive integer such that n >= 3. We do not treat the case that n=1 or n=2 in this article. We show that this game satisfies the reverse-mex property of Grundy numbers, i.e., G(x)=mex{G(x+s_1), G(x+s_2), G(x+s_3)}, where the mex is taken over successors rather than predecessors. We modify the rule of this subtraction Nim to allow a one-time pass, that is, a passing move usable at most once during the game, unavailable from terminal positions; once used by either player, it becomes unavailable. In classical Nim, the introduction of a pass move complicates the game, and finding a formula that describes the set of P-positions in traditional three-pile Nim with a pass remains an important open question. In the case of subtraction Nim with a pass, however, the introduction of a pass move does not complicate the game. We prove that this game still satisfies the reverse-mex property of Grundy numbers when a pass move is available.
title A Subtraction Nim with a Pass
topic Combinatorics
91A46
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.14321