I've always seen it as a "take turns at being the guesser, and whoever does best wins" kind of game. If you take six goes and your opponent takes seven, then taste that sweet victory.

A digression, but the "viking chess" game Hnefatfl basically guarantees a win for white as written. So you need to mix it up - play two games, see who wins fastest; or constrain it like backgammon, roll dice and that's the moves you must make.