In 2012, at a gaming convention, a board game designer challenged mathematician Eric Harshbarger to create dice that could determine the starting player without the chance of a tie. Harshbarger, a senior lecturer at Auburn University, saw this as an intriguing problem that mathematicians often embrace – finding a solution to a seemingly impossible question.
After years of collaboration with computer scientists and mathematicians worldwide, Harshbarger and his team developed a set of dice that could fairly decide the starting player for games involving two, three, four, or five players. While the concept was easy in theory, creating functional dice proved to be a significant challenge.
The breakthrough came when a researcher from Australia proposed a practical solution involving five 120-sided dice. Subsequently, a Canadian software engineer, Paul Meyer, discovered a method using five 60-sided dice. This innovative approach, combining mathematical patterns and computational search, resulted in a successful outcome.
The newly designed Go First Dice, available for purchase, aim to eliminate ties during game setup. Despite concerns about manufacturing imperfections, Harshbarger assures that the dice are designed to ensure fairness based on solid mathematical principles.
Continuing their research, the team explores the feasibility of using fewer sides for five-player dice sets and the potential expansion to accommodate six players. While current tools may not be sufficient for these inquiries, Harshbarger remains open to unexpected solutions, acknowledging the beauty and complexity of the mathematical challenge that has captivated their attention for years.