Book description
Checkers, backgammon, chess, and Go. 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.
Heavenly Connection
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Hog Butcher
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Demo Tequila
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Emerald Vine
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Minty Devil
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Burst Nibbler
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High-Fructose
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Beo
The quality of the audio is top-notch, making the experience truly immersive. This app is a must-have for any book lover on the go β it's my daily companion. I'm hooked on this app's ability to make reading fit into every nook and cranny of my day. Efficiency meets audiobooks β this app's functionality is a true triumph. I've listened to hundreds of audiobooks and this narrator is now in my top 5. Their timing and inflection were masterful. Never a dull moment in the entire performance.
Dez
This app has ignited my passion for reading once again β but in a modern, convenient way. Who needs traditional books when you have this app? It's a game-changer. An unobjectionable but unexceptional audiobook experience. The narrator's performance was serviceable and the audio quality was fine, but nothing about the production particularly stood out or elevated the material. It was decent background listening.
Uncle Psycho
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QuantumQuipper
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Racy Babe
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Marshmallow Treat
ListenBook's commitment to delivering an exceptional audiobook experience is evident in its thoughtful features and design. This served its purpose as background listening while I worked. I probably missed some details but the narrator's voice was pleasant enough.
Mammoth 2
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Liquid Science
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General Finish
I'm exploring new genres and authors I wouldn't have considered otherwise. The vast selection of titles on this app is a book lover's dream come true. ListenBook's statistics feature is eye-opening. I had no idea how much time I spent immersed in audiobooks until I started using it. I'm blown away by the powerful audio downloading options. So versatile! Iβve been using ListenBook for months, and itβs been a fantastic experience. The app is lightweight, doesnβt drain my battery, and works perfectly in the background. The equalizer and voice boost features are amazing. Highly recommend!
Dance Cannon
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PixelPathfinder
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1st Degree
Thank you for making my reading goals more achievable and enjoyable. The ability to switch between different books effortlessly is a major plus. The statistics feature on ListenBook helps me track my audiobook consumption β a fantastic way to measure my progress. π§ Fueling my audiobook addiction with this fantastic app β pure listening pleasure! ππ₯ Noise reduction and voice tone changing are brilliant features.
Trixie Doodle
I'm hooked on this app's ability to make reading fit into every nook and cranny of my day. π§ Navigating through narratives has never been simpler β this app's functionality enhances my audiobook journey. ππ« Noise reduction and voice tone adjustment are excellent additions.
Playing a wide variety of audio formats
Works on all devices with iOS 13 and newer
Huge amount of features for a small price
Frequent updates to add new features and improve existing ones
Advanced playback controls
Live sound processing
Changing the timbre of the reader's voice and noise reduction
Translated into more than 20 languages
If you love listening to fiction audiobooks, ListenBook has features to make the process easier.
Edit book data: title, author, cover
Use equalizer to make the sound comfortable for you
Adjust the playback speed
Enjoy dark and light app themes
Supported formats: MP3, M4B, AWB, FLAC, OGG audio files and many more (must be DRM free)
Auto-Bookmarks make it easy to find your place
AirPlay support allows redirection of audio output.
VoiceOver support
Dark mode for night owls
Convenient bookmarking system helps you mark the most important places.
Unlimited bookmarks for each audiobook
Put your own cover on the wager
Share your audiobook with friends
Lock-screen control
Customise app with extensive options
Sleep timer with shake to reset, set custom notification sounds, and a few unique options
Auto rewind depending on paused time, customize rewind times to your liking
Removing background noise from recordings made in classrooms and meetings
Changing the timbre of the reader's voice for a better listening experience