In 2012, a board game designer challenged mathematician Eric Harshbarger to create dice that would determine the starting player without the risk of a tie. Harshbarger, a senior lecturer at Auburn University, saw this as an intriguing problem that sparked his mathematical curiosity.
After years of collaboration with computer scientists and mathematicians worldwide, Harshbarger and his team developed a solution involving a set of four 12-sided dice for up to four players. However, creating a fair system for five players proved to be a more complex task.
Through extensive research and collaboration, the team eventually devised a practical solution using five 120-sided dice. This breakthrough attracted attention, leading Canadian software engineer Paul Meyer to join the effort. Meyer’s innovative approach using five 60-sided dice successfully solved the problem, marking a significant milestone in the project.
While the newly designed “Go First Dice” are commercially available, concerns have been raised regarding their practical application compared to theoretical mathematics. Harshbarger assures that the dice are designed to be unbiased, attributing any discrepancies to the manufacturing process rather than the mathematical principles behind them.
The research group, now including Meyer, continues to explore potential advancements, such as determining if fewer sides could suffice for a five-player set and the feasibility of extending the concept to accommodate six players. Despite the challenges ahead, Harshbarger remains open to unexpected breakthroughs, acknowledging the beauty and intrigue of pursuing seemingly unconventional mathematical questions.