If the player leaves an even number of non-zero heaps (as the player would do in normal play), the player takes last if the player leaves an odd number of heaps (as the player would do in misère play), then the other player takes last. If this removes either all or all but one objects from the heap that has two or more, then no heaps will have more than one object, so the players are forced to alternate removing exactly one object until the game ends. In either normal play or a misère game, when the number of heaps with at least two objects is exactly equal to one, the player who takes next can easily win. This is called normal play because the last move is a winning move in most games, even though it is not the normal way that Nim is played. Nim can also be played as a normal play game whereby the player taking the last object wins. Nim is typically played as a misère game, in which the player to take the last object loses. Bouton of Harvard University, who also developed the complete theory of the game in 1901, but the origins of the name were never fully explained. Its current name was coined by Charles L.

The game is said to have originated in China-it closely resembles the Chinese game of 捡石子 jiǎn-shízi, or 'picking stones' -but the origin is uncertain the earliest European references to Nim are from the beginning of the 16th century. Variants of Nim have been played since ancient times. Depending on the version being played, the goal of the game is either to avoid taking the last object or to take the last object. On each turn, a player must remove at least one object, and may remove any number of objects provided they all come from the same heap or pile. Nim is a mathematical game of strategy in which two players take turns removing (or 'nimming') objects from distinct heaps or piles.

Players take turns to choose a row and remove any number of matches from it. Matches set up in rows for a game of Nim.

Game of nim in java