Noah, owner of the long-defunct Noah's Arcade, has finally passed away. His grandson, Noah III, has inherited everything including the arcade. Fortunately for you and me, Noah III has no interest in old arcade games and wants to get rid of the few still in the arcade.
Ten of the machines are still on the arcade floor, arranged in a circle as depicted in the diagram below:
Noah will allow you and I to take turns removing the machines and placing them in our respective trucks. On each turn we may take one game or two games, but if we take two games they must be adjacent to each other in the circle. For whichever of us takes the last game (or two games) from the formation, Noah III has a bonus prize: a dedicated
Bouncer machine, complete and working. Noah III is also filthy rich now and isn't concerned with the money this historic find would bring; he just wants to get rid of it.
For whoever starts the first game against me in which they strategically remove the last game and win the fictional Bouncer machine, I have a real t-shirt:
If you already have one you may play me just for sport.
You may start a game against me by posting in this thread. You may take the first turn by identifying the game (or two adjacent games) that you wish to remove, or you may begin by deferring the first move to me. I can play as many games as I need to simultaneously.
Remember the prize goes to the first person to
start a winning game against me, not necessarily the first person to beat me. So don't waste any time making your first move, or engaging me to make the first move.
You may start another game if I beat you, but we must play out to the bitter end, you may not resign, so make your moves wisely.
