The Amoeba Subtraction Game

Introduction to The Amoeba Subtraction Game

The Amoeba Subtraction is a game played on a line of colourful little dots, sort of like strings of beads. You take turns picking one or more dots off either end of this string. If you pick from the very tip, the rest stays put as one long group connecting to that point. But if you pick some middle ones, those removed dots cause the main row to break into two separate groups; little rows of their own floating away.

The goal is simply to be the player who clears all the dots with your last move. Playing the game makes players think ahead quite a bit because how you remove dots creates tricky situations for your next turns or leaves easy chances open, almost like solving a slowly unfolding puzzle where taking one wrong bead can split everything into manageable piles.

It works great for anyone wanting to learn strategy by playing, whether with beads on cardboard or colourful tokens. Every move changes the whole setup again. People get really good at spotting safe spots and ones that seem tricky, even if they’re just starting out because you might find yourself accidentally creating two small Kayles games instead of one big one! The game feels simple but has lots to think about, making quick moves easy while clever play brings surprises.