Real quick question on a game problem

Question

alright the loop works but how can i make it so that the number of sticks are decreased every time i choose a number of sticks to be taken and then the program will continue until all the sticks are finished with. I hope u got what I was sayin
For Example:
**you start with 31 sticks and you can only choose up to 4 sticks per turn**
Server: Your move first. How many sticks do u take?
Input: 1
Server: That leaves 30 sticks. I pick up 4. 26 sticks remain. How many sticks do u take?
Input: 1
Server: That leaves 25 sticks. I pick up 4. 21 sticks remain. How many sticks do u take?
Input: 1
Server: That leaves 20 sticks. I pick up 2. 18 sticks remain. How many sticks do u take?
Input: 3:
Server: That leaves 15 sticks. I pick up 4. 11 sticks remain. How many sticks do u take?
Input: 1
Server: That leaves 10 sticks. I pick up 3. 7 sticks remain. How many sticks do u take?
Input: 1
Server: That leaves 5 sticks. I pick up . 2 sticks remain. How many sticks do u take?
Input: 2
Server: You picked up the last stick. You win!
Client: connection closed
Thanks
import java.net.*;
import java.util.Random;
import java.io.*;
import java.awt.*;
public class KnockKnockProtocol
    public String processInput(String theInput)
            String theOutput = null;
            String strHowManySticks     = "";
            String strSticksPerTurn = "";
            String strFirstPlayer = "";
            String confirmOkay = "";
            String meString = "";
            String compString = "";
            System.out.println("Let's Play NIM. Whoever Picks the last stick wins. Let's \n"
                             + "decide the rules. How many sticks do you want ot play with?");
             try
               BufferedReader stdin = new BufferedReader( new InputStreamReader( System.in ) );
               strHowManySticks = stdin.readLine();
               System.out.println("How many sick can we pick per turn");
               strSticksPerTurn = stdin.readLine();
                  //while((strFirstPlayer.equals("YOU")) || (strFirstPlayer.equals("ME")))
               System.out.println("Who should go first. (YOU or ME)");
               strFirstPlayer = stdin.readLine();
               System.out.println("The rules are " + strHowManySticks + " sticks, " + strSticksPerTurn +
                                  " max sticks per move. You first. Okay?");
               confirmOkay = stdin.readLine();
               if (confirmOkay.equals("Okay"))
                       if(strFirstPlayer.equals("ME"))
                               int mhs = Integer.parseInt(strHowManySticks);
                            while(mhs > 0) {
                                         System.out.println("Your move first. How many stick do you take");
                                         meString = stdin.readLine();
                                         int spt = Integer.parseInt(strSticksPerTurn);
                                         Random rnd = new Random();
                                         int a = rnd.nextInt(spt);
                                         mhs = Integer.parseInt(strHowManySticks);
                                         int myStr = Integer.parseInt(meString);
                                         mhs -= myStr; // mhs = mhs - myStr
                                         mhs -= a;
                                         System.out.println( "I pick up " +a+ ". " +mhs+ " sticks remain.");
             catch ( IOException iox )
               System.out.println("Problem reading "  );
        return theOutput;

Answer 1

Here's a bit of a re-write of your code. Compare the two, you might spot a difference that'll help get you what you want.
import java.util.Random;
import java.io.*;
class KnockKnockProtocol
  Random rnd = new Random();
  int iHowManySticks = 0,sticksRemaining = 0,iSticksPerTurn = 0,iFirstPlayer = 0;
  BufferedReader stdin = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(System.in));
  public KnockKnockProtocol()
    startup();
    startTheGame();    
  public void startup()
    try
      System.out.print("\nLet's Play NIM.\nWhoever Picks the last stick wins.\n"+
       "Let's decide the rules.\n\nHow many sticks do you want ot play with?: ");
      iHowManySticks = Integer.parseInt(stdin.readLine());
      System.out.print("\nWho should go first. 0 - Player or 1 - Computer): ");
      iFirstPlayer = Integer.parseInt(stdin.readLine());
      System.out.print("\nHow many sticks can we pick per turn: ");
      iSticksPerTurn = Integer.parseInt(stdin.readLine());
      if(!confirmOK()) startup();
    catch(Exception e){errorHandler();}
  public boolean confirmOK()
    try
      String first = iFirstPlayer == 0? "Player":"Computer";
      System.out.print("\nThe rules are:\n"+iHowManySticks+" sticks\n"+
       iSticksPerTurn+" max sticks per move\n"+first+" first. Okay?\n"+
       "0 - yes, 1 - no (re-enter data), 2 - quit: ");
      int answer = Integer.parseInt(stdin.readLine());
      if(answer == 0) return true;
      else if(answer > 1) goodBye();
    catch(Exception e){errorHandler();}
    return false; 
  public void startTheGame()
    sticksRemaining = iHowManySticks;     
    while(sticksRemaining > 0)
      if(iFirstPlayer%2 == 0) playerMove();
      else computerMove();
      iFirstPlayer++;
  public void playerMove()
    boolean numberOK = false;
    try
      while(!numberOK)
        System.out.print("\nYour move.\nHow many stick do you take: ");
        int playerTakes =  Integer.parseInt(stdin.readLine());
        if(playerTakes > 0 && playerTakes <= iSticksPerTurn)
          numberOK = true;
          sticksRemaining -= playerTakes;
          if(sticksRemaining == 0) displayWinner("Player");
          else System.out.println("That leaves "+sticksRemaining+" sticks.");
        else System.out.println("invalid number, try again");
    catch(Exception e){errorHandler();}
  public void computerMove()
    int computerTakes = (rnd.nextInt(iHowManySticks) % iSticksPerTurn)+1;
    if(computerTakes > sticksRemaining) computerTakes = sticksRemaining;
    sticksRemaining -= computerTakes;
    System.out.println("\nComputer takes "+computerTakes+" sticks.");
    if(sticksRemaining == 0) displayWinner("Computer");
    else System.out.println("\nThat leaves "+sticksRemaining+" sticks.");                            
  public void displayWinner(String winner)
    System.out.println(winner+" wins!!!\n");
    goodBye();
  public void errorHandler()
    System.out.println("I/O error - terminating.");
    goodBye();
  public void goodBye()
    System.out.println("\nThanks for playing NIM.\nGoodbye.");
    System.exit(0);
  public static void main(String args[]) {new KnockKnockProtocol();}       
}