TOTAL = 100
MAX = 5
pile = TOTAL
current_player = 1

def get_action(player):
    prompt = "Player "+str(player)+", how many stones do you take? (Enter a number from 1 - "+str(MAX)+".) "
    action = input(prompt)
    return action

# was originally going to use this function to change the player,
# but did not work with scope of variables I wanted

# def next_player():
#    if current_player == 1:
#        current_player = 2
#    else:
#        current_player = 1

while pile > 0:
   action = get_action(current_player)
   while action > MAX or action <= 0 or pile - action < 0:
       print "That was not an appropriate response."
       action = get_action(current_player)
   pile = pile - action
   print "The number of stones remaining is "+str(pile)+"."
#  next_player()
   if current_player == 1 and pile > 0:
      current_player = 2
   elif current_player == 2 and pile > 0:
      current_player = 1
   else:
       print "Congratulations, player "+str(current_player)+", you are the winner!"