Sprouts is a conference oriented towards undergraduate research in the analysis of games. The primary focus is Combinatorial Games, but Sprouts has a broad interest in all related fields. Although we focus on presentations by undergraduates, attendance is open to everyone! Sprouts is also a combinatorial game that is especially popular in the Netherlands. (The logo is a Sprouts position created from 15 points.)
Combinatorial Game Theory is the mathematical study of turn-base games ("rulesets") where:
Many nice properties emerge from this, especially when we add games together. This conference is all about playing games, analyzing games, and even creating new games.
For a good introduction to Combinatorial Game Theory, we recommend these books:
This conference includes talks oriented towards undergrads, friendly discussions, and both a human and computer game tournament. Prior knowledge of Combinatorial Game Theory is not necessary. (The first talk will cover much of the basics.) Although we expect the topics to be mostly applicable for Math and Computing students, anyone and everyone who enjoys abstract games is welcome!
There is no registration fee for Sprouts.
There is no cost to register for this conference. Email Kyle () to officially register. (It's still free!) Please include "Sprouts 2025 Registration" in the subject line of your email and let me know what your name and institution/organization are.
We are now accepting talk proposals. Preference will be given to talks by high-school students, undergraduates, and recent graduates (especially for work done while an undergraduate). All talks should be accessible to an undergraduate-level audience. Talk slots are usually 15 minutes long, and speakers should plan to talk for up to about 10 minutes, then answer questions for the remainder of the time. (We are likely to cut you off after 11 minutes.)
To propose a talk, email your talk title and abstract to Kyle (). Please include whether you're an undergrad/grad student/professor/something else.
All times are listed in Eastern Time (ET). All events will take place on Zoom. The Zoom link will be made available to those who register.
Planned Events: (Talks get scheduled as they are accepted)
This year we'll be playing Toppling Dominoes! There are many ways to participate:
Sprouts 2025 will be held virtually. There will be an in-person gathering on the Florida Southern Campus (WCS 135) with parking available off of Callahan Ct. (Don't park in the faculty spots.) The building will be locked, so please coordinate with Kyle well ahead of time in your registration email. (You'll want to make a lunch plan.)
Thanks to Florida Southern College Computer Science and University of New England Mathematics departments for supporting Sprouts 2025.
Other Combinatorial Games Conferences
