I suspect there is a lot of unexplored potential for inventing interesting games in which both ends of the columns are active (as is the case in this game). Hydra is a game with some similarities to Pile-On/Beeswax that I invented in 1999, or possibly earlier. See the rules here. Thanks to Michael Keller for suggesting the name.
With perfect play, this game can be won nearly 98% of the time (but it will likely be less in practice).
The more difficult 5-column "Hydra's Revenge" variation drops the win rate to less than 1-in-4.
| Columns | Jokers | Wins | Losses | Inconclusive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 2 | 9,778 | 209 | 13 |
| 5 | 3 | 2,388 | 7,509 | 103 |
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Last modified February 2, 2022
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