Traffic Lights

We played a game called 'Traffic Lights' for our problem solving session. The rules were:

Rules for the BASIC GAME

1. Traffic Lights is for two players.
    
2. It uses a 3x3 squared board. At the start of the game the board is empty.
    
3. Counters: the game needs about 6 red counters, 6 orange, and 6 green.
    
4. The players take turns to play.
    
5. When it is your turn to play you must either: * place a red counter in an empty square, or
   * replace a red counter already on the board with an orange one, or
   * replace an orange counter already on the board with a green one.
6. You win by completing a line (row, column, or diagonal) of three counters all the same colour. (Clarification: it doesn't matter who placed the first counter(s) in the line - it's the third counter of the line which determines the winner.)

 

 

We found out we usually won using red and green cubes - can you work out why?