What is the simplest game?

What is the simplest game? The absolute most minimal activity involving at least two people, with a clearly defined winner and loser.

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  1. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    tic tac toe

  2. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    RPS or Coinflip if it counts as a game.

  3. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    I tried to play go online against AI so many times, and I still don't get what the HELL is going on

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      Put down stone
      Don't let yourself get totally surrounded
      When in doubt, do something else

  4. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Rock, Paper and Scissors
    Tic Tac Toe
    Nine Holes
    Hangman

  5. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    > What is the simplest game?
    You remembered it. :]

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      jesus christ what year is it

  6. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    hand games like rock paper scissors or odds and evens

  7. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Two people just agreeing on which of them wins probably

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      shut up anon

  8. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Coin flip. Rock paper scissors and dice throwing have skill elements.

  9. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Is flipping a coin really a game? There's nothing that either person can do to influence the results (without cheating).

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      A theoretical definition of a game is defined as a series of states, with a given state having some other state or states as legal successors, and some states being "win" states for a player. Choosing between possible successor states is what a player "making a move" is.
      Flipping a coin can just be modelled as a single win state, which is indeed the simplest possible game under this theoretical construction. Worth noting an empty sequence of states isn't a game as its lacking a win state.

      I tried to play go online against AI so many times, and I still don't get what the HELL is going on

      Play against humans if you want to learn, its easier when there's some intenti behind the moves. Its a fun game

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        what's the definition of a win?

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          It's just any state defined to be a win state for a player.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            what's the definition of a win?

            to be more precise a game has: a set of all possible states, a set of win states for each player, and a function mapping a state to possible successor states. Picking what states are win states is just a "it depends on the game" sort of thing.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            I'm just trying to think of how you would describe "a win state" the same thoroughness that you described the rest of the game. Maybe I'm over thinking it but here's what I mean:
            All I can think of is that it's a state that ends the game, but then how do I distinguish it from other game-ending states, like surrender or draw?
            I guess granting points or rewards to the winner outside the game's series of states?

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Surrender is a win state to the other player. Or for a multiplayer game its just another move that puts the game into a state where one player is no longer able to make moves.
            Draw is a good edge case, its an end state with no possible successor states. You could model it as a third neutral player (who never makes moves) winning if you wanted.
            Points or whatever is encapsulated in the state. If the rules of the game are "get ten points then you win" then any state in with a player has ten or more points is a win state for them, by definition.
            There's no abstract universal way to determine a winning state the way the rest of this formalism is constructed, its always going to be dependant on the game . It is the case all win states are end states with no possible successor states, I suppose. But again the successor state function is determined by the rules of the game.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Okay I think I get it now. By "points outside the game's states" I was thinking of like how a winning a game might contribute a point to an overall match (best of 3) or even tournament. But based on what you said, playing multiple rounds is just additional states of the same game?

  10. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Othello

  11. 2 years ago
    Sharath

    Rock, paper, scissors, just make sure your opponent has no fingers.

  12. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    >What is the simplest game?
    do-guti.
    https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jos-Uiterwijk/publication/226532154_Dao_A_Benchmark_Game/links/5c80f64c458515831f8b45fe/Dao-A-Benchmark-Game.pdf?origin=publication_detail

  13. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    What's a game I could learn that I could conceivably compete against all the old dudes who have been playing for decades in their public old dude circles with some proper learning

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