Combinatorial game distributions of Steiner systems (Q2121748)

Generalizing the correspondence between winning positions in the hexad game and the block set of an \(S(5,6,12)\), the paper first establishes that for a given Steiner system, one can construct a game in which the winning positions correspond to its block set. The hexad game is then characterized as being the game that arises from the \(S(5,6,12)\) in the so-called shuffle ordering, and no distinct (but isomorphic) \(S(5,6,12)\) yields the same game. Further, using the construction of games from Steiner systems, a characterization of projective Steiner triple systems is established using game distributions.