Paper I · 16 Logical Reasoning, Analytical Ability & Data Interpretation · 16.15 Logic puzzles and problem solving

16.15.5 Tournaments, games and strategy: knock-out, round robin and last-move wins

Tournament questions are counting — every knock-out match removes one player and every pair meets once in a league — while strategy games are won by always handing the opponent a losing position, found by working backwards from the end.

  • TGPSC MPSO / ASO · Paper I
  • Standard level
  • 7 min read
  • Full course

Key terms

  • knock-out tournament
  • byes
  • rounds
  • round robin
  • league
  • double round robin
  • handshakes
  • points table
  • take-away game
  • last move wins
  • misere
  • race to a target
  • key numbers
  • Nim
  • XOR
  • winning strategy

What this note covers

  1. Core factsFoundation
  2. ExplainedStandard
  3. DeeperAdvanced
  4. Common trapsFoundation
  5. Quick revisionFoundation

Read the full note in the app. It is part of the TGPSC MPSO / ASO full course in Medha AI. Free in the app: the first chapter of each topic.

Medha AI writes its own notes and checks them against the sources listed. Medha AI is an independent preparation service. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to APPSC, TGPSC (formerly TSPSC), MPSC, UPSC or any other commission or government body.