During a gaming convention in 2012, a board game designer challenged mathematician Eric Harshbarger to create dice that would determine the starting player without the chance of a tie. Harshbarger, a senior lecturer at Auburn University, accepted the challenge as it presented an intriguing mathematical problem.
After years of collaboration with computer scientists and mathematicians worldwide, Harshbarger and his team developed a set of four 12-sided dice that effectively resolved the issue for two, three, and four players. However, creating a solution for five players proved to be more challenging.
The team explored various theories and eventually settled on a set of five 120-sided dice, proposed by a researcher from Australia. Subsequently, a Canadian software engineer named Paul Meyer joined the project and successfully devised a solution using five 60-sided dice.
Despite initial skepticism, Harshbarger confirmed the validity of Meyer’s solution, marking a significant breakthrough in the quest for fair dice. The resulting golf-ball-sized dice are now available for purchase, designed to ensure fairness in determining the starting player in board games.
Looking ahead, the research group continues to investigate the feasibility of using fewer sides for a five-player set and the potential expansion to accommodate six players. While challenges persist, Harshbarger remains open to new theories and unexpected solutions, emphasizing the allure of complex mathematical problems for dedicated mathematicians.
