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Problem of the Week
Problem E
The Six Dollar Game

A two-player game has players alternating turns removing coins from three piles. At the beginning of the game, the first pile contains \(1\) coin, the second pile contains \(2\) coins, and the third pile contains \(3\) coins. Players take turns removing one or more coins from any one pile. On their turn, a player can remove from one coin to all of the coins in a particular pile. The player who removes the last coin wins the game.

Jessie and Jason play this game. Jessie goes first. Jason claims that no matter what Jessie does on his turn, that Jason can win by following his winning strategy.

Describe Jason’s winning strategy.