English

Black Hole Zeckendorf Games

Number Theory 2025-08-28 v3

Abstract

Zeckendorf proved that every positive integer can be written as a decomposition of non-adjacent Fibonacci numbers. Baird-Smith, Epstein, Flint, and Miller converted the process of decomposing an integer nn into a 2-player game, using the moves of Fi+Fi1=Fi+1F_i + F_{i-1} = F_{i+1} and 2Fi=Fi+1+Fi22F_i = F_{i+1} + F_{i-2}, where FiF_i is the ithith Fibonacci number. They showed non-constructively that for n2n \neq 2, Player 2 has a winning strategy: a constructive solution remains unknown. We expand on this by investigating ``black hole'' variants of this game. The FmF_m Black Hole Zeckendorf game is played with any nn but solely in columns FiF_i for i<mi < m. Gameplay is similar to the original Zeckendorf game, except any piece that would be placed on FiF_i for imi \geq m is locked out in a ``black hole'' and removed from play. With these constraints, we analyze the games with black holes on F3F_3 and F4F_4 and construct a solution for specific configurations, using a non-constructive proof to lead to a constructive one. We also examine a pre-game in which players take turns placing down nn pieces in the outermost columns before the decomposition phase, and find constructive solutions for any nn.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2409.10981,
  title  = {Black Hole Zeckendorf Games},
  author = {Caroline Cashman and Steven J. Miller and Jenna Shuffleton and Daeyoung Son},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2409.10981},
  year   = {2025}
}

Comments

43 pages, 51 figures

R2 v1 2026-06-28T18:47:31.438Z