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.
DreamDasher
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Plum Moon
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Blue Despair
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Troubled Chick
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Troublemasher
ListenBook has become my gateway to new worlds, allowing me to explore stories, ideas, and knowledge. Tone adjustment adds a new layer of personalization to my audiobook experience. It's like having the narrator tailor the voice to my preferences.
Teeder
This app has made literature accessible and engaging for all ages. Love how I can adjust playback speed and audio volume. ListenBook caters to all my needs.
Breadmaker
The app's intuitive design makes it easy to find and listen to my favorite authors. Language courses on audiobooks helped me pick up a new language effortlessly. The statistics tracking feature is eye-opening. I never realized how much time I spend on audiobooks until now! Looping playback is a game-changer for my study sessions. I can focus on challenging content.
Killer Merlot
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FrankenGrin
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Stacker of Wheat
Adjustable playback speed and volume controls are fantastic features. I'm so glad I chose the audiobook version! The narrator added layers of meaning I might have missed reading silently. Their interpretation of the material felt thoughtful and authentic. The recording was technically perfect - no reverb, no peaking, just clean, pleasant audio.
Metal Star
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Silent
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Club Nola
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Abyss Tamer
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Twinkle Cocoa
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Sand Whiskers
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Club Nola
Binaural audio processing on ListenBook is a thoughtful addition that keeps my ears comfortable during extended listening sessions. I'm addicted to this app's seamless integration with my daily routines and activities. π Turning road trips into unforgettable adventures β audiobooks keep me entertained on the journey! ππ An average audiobook experience. Nothing was wrong with itβthe narration was fine, and the story was okayβbut nothing particularly stood out. It served its purpose as entertainment during my commute.
SWAT Honey
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Sir Shark
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PepperBurst
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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