Final answer:
The winning strategy in Chomp is for the first player to create and maintain a symmetrical configuration, ultimately forcing the second player to eat the poisoned square. There's always a winning move for the first player due to the nature of the game's symmetry.
Correct option is D
Step-by-step explanation:
The game of Chomp is a two-player strategy game that falls under the category of combinatorial game theory. The typical setup involves a rectangular “chocolate bar” consisting of smaller squares, with the bottom-left square being “poisoned.” Each turn, a player eats (removes) a square and all squares above and to the right of it. The player forced to eat the poisoned square loses the game. Therefore, the winning strategy is to force your opponent to eat the poisoned square.
One proven winning move for the starting player is to eat the square just above the poisoned one. Subsequent to this move, the winning strategy involves maintaining a symmetric configuration. This compels the second player to break the symmetry at some point, thereby eventually forcing themselves to eat the poisoned square. This strategy leans on the mathematical concept that there's always a winning move for the first player in Chomp, no matter the size of the board. The understanding of such strategies requires a grasp of mathematical logic and strategy.