Poker, Scrabble, and bridge. These seven games, ancient and modern, fascinate millions of people worldwide. In Seven Games, Oliver Roeder charts their origins and historical importance, the delightful arcana of their rules, and the ways their design makes them pleasurable.Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last Go champion of imperial Japan, defending tradition against “modern rationalism”; and an IBM engineer who created a backgammon program so capable at self-learning that NASA used it on the space shuttle. He delves into the history and lore of each game: backgammon boards in ancient Egypt, the Indian origins of chess, how certain shells from a particular beach in Japan make the finest white Go stones.Beyond the cultural and personal stories, Roeder explores why games, seemingly trivial pastimes, speak so deeply to the human soul. He introduces an early philosopher of games, the aptly named Bernard Suits, and visits an Oxford cosmologist who has perfected a computer that can effectively play bridge, a game as complicated as human language itself.Throughout, Roeder tells the compelling story of how humans, pursuing scientific glory and competitive advantage, have invented AI programs better than any human player, and what that means for the games—and for us. Funny, fascinating, and profound, Seven Games is a story of obsession, psychology, history, and how play makes us human.

    So desperate I agree to dress up as a dancing cucumber for my ex-boyfriend’s sons’ birthday party. Talk about lower than low.Then, I see an opportunity that may solve all our problems. $20,000 for winning a local version of The Great British Bake-Off? I’m in. So what if I’ve never actually baked anything? To save our business, I’m willing to read every baking book under the sun.When I find out that one of my main competitors is Cooper Davis, the handsome but annoying coffee shop owner two doors down, I’m even more intent on taking home that cash.Suddenly, so much more is at stake than baking or winning, especially when we start making an unexpected connection.Too bad we are both determined to win.Get The Message is a laugh-out-loud, enemies-to-lovers, sweet romcom with a fierce baking competition, unexpected love connection, and chemistry with all the feels with closed-door romance!