Return to Question

This is a game for 2 players - Each player uses a different coloured marker or pencil, there are 15 pebbles in total.

Players take turns to colour 1, 2 or 3 pebbles (player chooses how many). When all pebbles have been coloured, the winner is the one who colours the odd number. You cannot recolour the pebbles.

For example - If you get seven and your opponent gets eight, you win. If you get six and your opponent gets nine, they win.

What strategy would you incorporate in order to be sure that you win? If there is no such strategy, what is the optimal strategy that increases the likelihood of winning?

Edit: Can the strategy be generalized for $c$ Players with the total number of pebbles as $N$?

This is a game for 2 players - Each player uses a different coloured marker or pencil, there are 15 pebbles in total.

Players take turns to colour 1, 2 or 3 pebbles (player chooses how many). When all pebbles have been coloured, the winner is the one who colours the odd number. You cannot recolour the pebbles.

For example - If you get seven and your opponent gets eight, you win. If you get six and your opponent gets nine, they win.

What strategy would you incorporate in order to be sure that you win? If there is no such strategy, what is the optimal strategy that increases the likelihood of winning?

Edit: Can the strategy be generalized for $c$ Players with the total number of pebbles as $N$?

Edit 2: Adding another player would cause many instances of draw, therefore $c=2$ for all purposes.

This is a game for 2 players - Each player uses a different coloured marker or pencil.

Players take turns to colour 1, 2 or 3 pebbles(player chooses how many). When all pebbles have been coloured, the winner is the one who colours the odd number. You cannot recolour the pebbles.

For example - If you get seven and your opponent gets eight, you win. If you get six and your opponent gets nine, they win.

What strategy would you incorporate in order to be sure that you win? If there is no such strategy, what is the optimal strategy that increases the likelihood of winning?

Edit: Can the strategy be generalized for $c$ Players with the total number of pebbles as $N$?

This is a game for 2 players - Each player uses a different coloured marker or pencil, there are 15 pebbles in total.

Players take turns to colour 1, 2 or 3 pebbles  (player chooses how many). When all pebbles have been coloured, the winner is the one who colours the odd number. You cannot recolour the pebbles.

For example - If you get seven and your opponent gets eight, you win. If you get six and your opponent gets nine, they win.

What strategy would you incorporate in order to be sure that you win? If there is no such strategy, what is the optimal strategy that increases the likelihood of winning?

Edit: Can the strategy be generalized for $c$ Players with the total number of pebbles as $N$?