Podcast appearances and mentions of oliver roeder

In a campaign full of twists and turns, one thing has stayed surprisingly steady: the polls. On this final pre-election episode of Swamp Notes, the FT's senior data journalist Oliver Roeder and deputy Washington bureau chief Lauren Fedor explain why the polls have barely budged this cycle, and how Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are motivating their voters in the race's final days. Mentioned in this podcast:One week to go: what is the state of the US presidential race?What the polls can't tell us about America's electionTrump rally's Puerto Rico slur lands with a thud in Pennsylvania‘Behind the Money': US election betting is on a rollSign up for the FT's Swamp Notes newsletter hereSwamp Notes is produced by Ethan Plotkin, Sonja Hutson, Lauren Fedor and Marc Filippino. Topher Forhecz is the FT's executive producer. The FT's global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. Special thanks to Pierre Nicholson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On November 5, voters in the US will head to the polls to decide who should be the next president: Donald Trump or Kamala Harris. But over the past several months, people from around the world have been placing millions of dollars on who will win that race. As interest in betting on US politics reaches a new high, the FT's Oliver Roeder and Sam Learner explain how these markets work and what can (and can't) be learned from them. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:Prediction markets can tell the future. Why is the US so afraid of them?Take political betting markets literally, not seriouslyWhat the polls can't tell us about America's election- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Attend the FT Global Banking Summit, December 3 and 4 in London: Enter BTM20 for a 20% discount (applicable on all ticket types), register here.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PREVIEW: CHECKERS: Conversation with Oliver Roeder, author SEVEN GAMES, re the greatest checkers player known to the gamers, More tonight, 1493 Italy

FIGURING POKER ODDS IS MUCH LIKE FIGURING PRESIDENTAIL CONTEST ODDS:  1/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder. https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 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 pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion 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. 1450 FRANCE

FIGURING POKER ODDS IS MUCH LIKE FIGURING PRESIDENTAIL CONTEST ODDS:  2/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder. https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 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 pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion 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. 1315 FRANCE

FIGURING POKER ODDS IS MUCH LIKE FIGURING PRESIDENTAIL CONTEST ODDS:  3/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder. https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 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 pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion 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. 1596

FIGURING POKER ODDS IS MUCH LIKE FIGURING PRESIDENTAIL CONTEST ODDS:  4/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder. https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 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 pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion 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. 1700

A few years ago, four men went on a hunting trip to Wyoming. That trip would end up changing their lives — and possibly, the future of the public's access to millions of acres of land in America's western states. The FT's Oliver Roeder expands on the saga that's played out since 2021 inside courtrooms and within thousands of pages of legal documents. Clips from KGWN, Ludlow Music and The Richmond Organisation- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:Battle for the American WestSeven states, 3,000 miles: a trip across the US energy divideWyoming's Carbon Valley aims to turn ‘coal into gold'- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - On X, follow Oliver Roeder (@ollie) and Michela Tindera (@mtindera07), or follow Michela on LinkedIn for updates about the show and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Photo: 1315 FRANCE No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow RULES BASED GAMING: 1/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder. https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 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 pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion 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.

Photo: 1450 FRANCE No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow RULES BASED GAMING: 2/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder. https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 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 pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion 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.

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow RULES BASED GAMING: 3/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder. https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 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 pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion 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.

Photo: 1821 No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow RULES BASED GAMING: 4/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder. https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 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 pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion 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.

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 3/4: Before ChatGPT:  3/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder. https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 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 pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion 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.

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 4/4: Before ChatGPT:  4/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder. https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 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 pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion 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.

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 2/4: Before ChatGPT:  2/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder. https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 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 pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion 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.

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 1/4: Before ChatGPT:  1/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder. https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 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 pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion 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.

This week, we're bringing you something from our fellow podcast, FT Weekend. The show travels to Miami, Florida, to drink some beers, place some bets, and discover how AI is changing the sport of horse racing. FT data journalist Oliver Roeder joins FTW host Lilah Raptopoulos to talk about how the ancient sport is being upended by anonymous computer-assisted bets. These secretive gamblers are injecting billions of dollars into the pools, and aggressively tipping the odds, and it's putting the whole sport at risk.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:I used AI to bet on horse-racing. Here's what happenedStake.com: the Aussie gambling minnow that made it big on crypto How English football became hooked on gambling- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - On Twitter, follow Oliver Roeder (@ollie) and Lilah Raptopoulos (@lilahrap)Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we go to a racetrack in Miami, Florida to drink some beers, place some bets, and discover how AI is changing the sport of horse racing. FT data journalist Oliver Roeder joins Lilah to talk about how the ancient sport is being upended by anonymous computer-assisted bets. These secretive gamblers are injecting billions of dollars into the pools, and aggressively tipping the odds, and it's putting the whole sport at risk.--------------Want to say hi? We love hearing from you. Email us at ftweekendpodcast@ft.com. We're on Twitter @ftweekendpod, and Lilah is on Instagram and Twitter @lilahrap. --------------Links:– Oliver's piece on horse betting: https://on.ft.com/3UDrX1t – Oliver's on Twitter at @ollie —-------------Our US edition of the FTWeekend Festival is back! Join Jamie Lee Curtis, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Alice Waters, your favourite FT writers, and more on May 20 in Washington, DC, and online. Register now and save $20 using promo code weekendpodcast at ft.com/festival-usSpecial offers for Weekend listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial are here: http://ft.com/weekendpodcast.--------------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the seventh pro player diary (incorrectly described as the eighth in a #hostfail), Sean Boarman explains to PTF his decision to take a couple of weeks off, goes over his figures and impressions from last weekend's Kentucky Derby and Oaks preps (with thoughts on Forte, Mage, Angel of Empire, and Sacred Wish), and speaks at length about the fascinating Financial Times article about computer bettors that Oliver Roeder published last week.

On the seventh pro player diary (incorrectly described as the eighth in a #hostfail), Sean Boarman explains to PTF his decision to take a couple of weeks off, goes over his figures and impressions from last weekend's Kentucky Derby and Oaks preps (with thoughts on Forte, Mage, Angel of Empire, and Sacred Wish), and speaks at length about the fascinating Financial Times article about computer bettors that Oliver Roeder published last week.

There's a point in our lives when we're told it's time to grow up and stop playing games. To move away from the trivial pursuits of childhood and get serious about how we spend our time. But what if that advice is wrong? What if games are actually one of the best ways to spend our time and one of our best opportunities to learn about our world and even ourselves? Why are games so embedded in the human experience and how should we think about them as part of our own lives? That's the topic of our discussion today with author Oliver Roeder. Oliver is a senior data journalist at the Financial Times who has also written for the Wall Street Journal, FiveThirtyEight, and the Economist. He is also the author of “Seven Games” – a book about the history and culture of seven of the most popular games in the world today: checkers, chess, go, backgammon, poker, scrabble, and bridge. Show notes, a transcript, and links from this episode are at: http://reconsidering.org/episodes/31

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. Ostend 1907 Chess Tournament @Batchelorshow 4/4:  Seven Games: A Human History by  Oliver Roeder  (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 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. 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

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. Le Poker 1896 @Batchelorshow 3/4:  Seven Games: A Human History by  Oliver Roeder  (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 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. 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

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. Japan 1781, GO @Batchelorshow 2/4:  Seven Games: A Human History by  Oliver Roeder  (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 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. 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

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. 999 Song Dynasty GO @Batchelorshow 1/4:  Seven Games: A Human History by  Oliver Roeder  (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 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. 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

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 1/4:  Seven Games: A Human History Hardcover – January 25, 2022  by  Oliver Roeder  (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 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

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 2/4:  Seven Games: A Human History Hardcover – January 25, 2022  by  Oliver Roeder  (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 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

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 3/4:  Seven Games: A Human History Hardcover – January 25, 2022  by  Oliver Roeder  (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 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

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 4/4:  Seven Games: A Human History Hardcover – January 25, 2022  by  Oliver Roeder  (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 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

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 4/4: The mysteries of how hard it is to cheat:  4/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder.  Hardcover – January 25, 2022 https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 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 pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion 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.

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 1/4: The mysteries of how hard it is to cheat:  1/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder.  Hardcover – January 25, 2022 https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 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 pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion 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.

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 2/4: The mysteries of how hard it is to cheat:  124: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder.  Hardcover – January 25, 2022 https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 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 pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion 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.

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 3/4: The mysteries of how hard it is to cheat:  3/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder.  Hardcover – January 25, 2022 https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 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 pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion 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.

In his book, Seven Games, Oliver Roeder says that games are a “slice of life.” This hour we look at three games: chess, Scrabble, and Monopoly. We investigate why these games have endured in popularity through history, and we discuss what each one of them can teach us about life. GUESTS: Jenny Adams: Author of Power Play: The Literature and Politics of Chess in the Late Middle Ages Mary Pilon: A journalist and screenwriter and the author of The Monopolists: Obsession, Fury, and the Scandal Behind the World's Favorite Board Game Oliver Roeder: A journalist and the author of Seven Games: A Human History Lindsay Shin: A competitive Scrabble player; she organizes an annual tournament in New Orleans The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired March 15, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. Lawn Checkers 1900 @Batchelorshow 1/4: The simple magic of checkers: 1/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder.  Hardcover – January 25, 2022 https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 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 pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion 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.

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 2/4: The simple magic of checkers: 2/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder.  Hardcover – January 25, 2022 https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 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 pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion 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.

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 3/4: The simple magic of checkers: 3/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder.  Hardcover – January 25, 2022 https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 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 pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion 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.

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 4/4: The simple magic of checkers: 1/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder.  Hardcover – January 25, 2022 https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 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 pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion 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.

FT Weekend has its own podcast feed! For more content, including our special Food & Drink mini-series, search 'FT Weekend' where you listen to podcasts and subscribe there.This weekend, we go to Ukraine. FT columnist Gillian Tett introduces us to the tech entrepreneurs and engineers who have built strong links with Silicon Valley and western tech companies over the past few decades. These connections are helping them fight what she calls an ‘open source war' against Russia. Then, data journalist Oliver Roeder invites us into the elite world of professional chess. Now that computers are magnitudes better than humans, the game has dramatically changed.--------------Want to stay in touch? We love hearing from you. Email us at ftweekendpodcast@ft.com. We're on Twitter @ftweekendpod, and Lilah is on Instagram and Twitter @lilahrap.--------------Links and mentions from the episode: – Gillian's piece, ‘Inside Ukraine's open-source war': https://on.ft.com/3QE08n5 – Oliver Roeder's article, ‘Enter the inner sanctum of elite chess:' https://on.ft.com/3Cd47CG – Oliver's book is called Seven Games: A Human History– Gillian is on Twitter @gilliantett. Oliver is on Twitter @ollie.—-------------Special offers for FT Weekend listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial can be found here: http://ft.com/weekendpodcastWant to join us at the FT Weekend festival in London on September 3rd? Buy a ticket at ft.com/ftwf. And here's a special £20 off promo code, specifically for FT Weekend listeners: FTWFxPodcast22--------------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

This weekend, we go to Ukraine. FT columnist Gillian Tett introduces us to the tech entrepreneurs and engineers who have built strong links with Silicon Valley and western tech companies over the past few decades. These connections are helping them fight what she calls an ‘open source war' against Russia. Then, data journalist Oliver Roeder invites us into the elite world of professional chess. Now that computers are magnitudes better than humans, the game has dramatically changed.--------------Want to stay in touch? We love hearing from you. Email us at ftweekendpodcast@ft.com. We're on Twitter @ftweekendpod, and Lilah is on Instagram and Twitter @lilahrap.--------------Links and mentions from the episode: – Gillian's piece, ‘Inside Ukraine's open-source war': https://on.ft.com/3QE08n5 – Oliver Roeder's article, ‘Enter the inner sanctum of elite chess:' https://on.ft.com/3Cd47CG – Oliver's book is called Seven Games: A Human History– Gillian is on Twitter @gilliantett. Oliver is on Twitter @ollie.—-------------Special offers for FT Weekend listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial can be found here: http://ft.com/weekendpodcastWant to join us at the FT Weekend festival in London on September 3rd? Buy a ticket at ft.com/ftwf. And here's a special £20 off promo code, specifically for FT Weekend listeners: FTWFxPodcast22--------------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oliver Roeder is a journalist in New York City. Recently, he has been a senior writer at FiveThirtyEight and a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University. Roeder holds a PhD in economics with a focus on game theory, and his work has appeared in The New York Times, The Economist, Slate, Nautilus, Aeon and elsewhere. Beyond the cultural and personal stories, Roeder explores why games, seemingly trivial pastimes, speak so deeply to the human soul. Funny, fascinating, and profound, Seven Games is a story of obsession, psychology, history, and how play makes us human. This interview includes the development of AIs in games, and classic games such as Go, Checkers (aka Draughts), Bridge, Poker, Chess, Backgammon, and Scrabble.

Photo:  Cossack game, 1817 2/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder.  Hardcover – January 25, 2022 https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 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 pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the 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

Photo:  Chessmen 1/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder.  Hardcover – January 25, 2022 https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 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 pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the 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.

Photo:  Game of go 3/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder.  Hardcover – January 25, 2022 https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 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 pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the 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.

Photo:  US Playing Card Co bridge cards from 1906, featuring jumbo indexes 4/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder.  Hardcover – January 25, 2022 https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 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 pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the 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.

Checkers. Backgammon. Chess. Go. Poker. Scrabble. Bridge. These seven games, ancient and modern, fascinate millions of people worldwide. In his book Seven Games, game theorist 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, and 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 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. Moderated by Matt Bongiovi. Visit http://g.co/TalksAtGoogle/SevenGames to watch the video.

Cody Smith is a 31 year old Alabama- Twitch streamer, and chess instructor.  Cody started serious chess at age 24 and has seen a slow and steady climb over the years to a Lichess blitz rating of about 2050 and about 2150 Rapid. Cody is self-taught, using free online resources and has barely ever cracked a chess book!    He  recently has tried out OTB tournaments, and offers lots of useful reflections and advice for anyone interested in making a similar transition. Cody also offers lots of tips about how to get the most out of game review, and shares his approach to studying openings, tactics, and many other phases of the game. Please read on for many more details, timestamps, and any relevant links.  0:00- Are you interested in appearing on Perpetual Chess as an adult Improver? Please fill out this form so that I can keep it for future reference: Potential Adult Improver Guest  02:00- Cody's chess beginnings  Mentioned: GM Simon Williams YouTube, IM John Bartholomew's Climbing the Rating Ladder, NM ChessNetwork's Beginner to Chess Master, GM Ben Finegold, IM Levy Rozman, GM Daniel Naroditsky's Speed Run  09:00- Why didn't Cody play much speed chess in his early chess days?  12:00- Cody discusses his approach to engine game review.  21:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Aimchess.com. Aimchess collects and analyzes your games and gives you actionable tips based on the data it gathers. Check the site out, and if you choose to subscribe, please use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%.  24:30- Has Cody hit any major rating plateaus?   26:00- How many hours a day does Cody spend on his chess? 28:00- Cody has recently begun playing an OTB live league in Alabama.  What can he share about that experience? Was he nervous? 40:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out their latest offerings here.  New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels - Chessable.com 41:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What is Cody's approach to learning from videos?” 45:00- What is Cody's approach to learning about openings?  Mentioned: My blog can be read on Chess.com or LiChess  50:00- Chesskid offers a safe environment for kids to learn chess, and provides opportunities to play against other kids and bots, watch instructive videos and lessons, do puzzles, and join clubs where coaches can run tournaments.  You can receive a discount when you sign up or upgrade your child or students to a gold membership by using this link: https://www.chesskid.com/membership/promo/perpetual CHESSKID CONTEST INSTRUCTIONS- Go play the Chesskid Anand bot here Play the Anand bot here, he's the avatar on the bottom right  If you win, draw, or last at least 40 moves, email your the game with account name to support@chesskid.com (with subject line Perpetual Chess) The first 3 winners receive a free 1 yr gold membership both for themselves and 1 kid  54:30- Patreon mailbag question: “What does Cody think about the issue of Twitch streamers and their followers potentially forming ‘parasocial relationships.' ” Mentioned: GM Ben Finegold  1:01:00- What is Cody's advice for getting into Twitch streaming?  1:05:00- Cody has also gotten into scrabble, shogi, and go, how does learning these games compare to chess?  Mentioned: Episode 263 with Oliver Roeder, GM Mathew Sadler, GM Peter Heine Nielsen 1:11:00- Thanks so much to Cody for sharing his tips and his story.  Follow CLSmith15 on his Twitch channel here.  Follow him on Twitter here.  If you would like to help to support Perpetual Chess, you can do so here.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

That's "Seven Games" by Oliver Roeder.

Games offer us a chance to solve problems, and the satisfaction that comes with it says Oliver Roeder. He's a game enthusiast and a former senior writer for FiveThirtyEight with a Harvard PhD in game theory.

Imani Perry's new book, “South to America,” joins a tradition of books that travel the South to find keys to the United States: its foundations, its changes and its tensions. Perry, who was born in Alabama, approaches the task from a variety of angles, and discusses some of them on this week's podcast.“It includes personal stories,” Perry says. “It is a book about encounters. It is a book about the encounter with history but also with human beings. And as part of it, self-discovery, to try to understand why a Southern identity is so centrally important to me, and why it's so centrally important to the formation of this country.”Oliver Roeder visits the podcast to discuss his new book, “Seven Games,” a history of checkers, backgammon, chess, Go, poker, Scrabble and bridge that also asks why we play.“The simplest answer is, they're fun,” Roeder says. “We enjoy playing them as a pastime. Another answer is, they're practice. Games are very simplified, distilled models of the real world in which we live. So for example, a game like poker allows us to practice dealing with uncertainty and hidden information. We don't know our opponents' cards. And of course, we see situations like that in real life all the time.”Also on this week's episode, Alexandra Alter has news from the publishing world, and Dwight Garner and Alexandra Jacobs talk about books they've recently reviewed. Pamela Paul is the host.Here are the books discussed by The Times's critics this week:“The Betrayal of Anne Frank” by Rosemary Sullivan“Devil House” by John DarnielleWe would love to hear your thoughts about this episode, and about the Book Review's podcast in general. You can send them to books@nytimes.com.

Oliver Roeder is an author, and a former senior writer for FiveThirtyEight.com who has often covered chess and other games. He holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Texas at Austin, with an emphasis on game theory, and  studied Artifical Intelligence at Harvard University as a Niemann fellow. Today he appears with a new book, Seven Games, a Human History. It covers the history and current competitive contexts of the games Checkers, Chess, Backgammon, Go. Poker, Scrabble, and Bridge. Oliver's book gave us an opportunity to talk about why people love games, why people love chess, and his own relationship with the game. Given Oliver's expertise in A.I., we also discussed how it is changing all of these games. It was lots of fun to get a “big picture” view of chess' enduring popularity from Oliver, and I highly recommend his book. Links, more details, and timestamps below!  0:00- Why do people love games, and especially chess?  5:00- We discuss Oliver's background with the other games in the book:  Go, Bridge, Checkers, Backgammon, Scrabble, and Poker 12:00- The ease of use and availability of chess learning tools have exploded.  Has this been the case for the other games Oliver wrote about as well?  18:00- Does the joy of a game diminish when you get good at it? Mentioned: Word Freak by Steven Fatsis  21:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out their latest offerings here:  New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels - Chessable.com 23:00- What are the reasons that make Oliver think chess is booming? How has it sustained itself over the centuries?  30:00- What is Oliver's own experience with chess? What does he try to convey to a non-chess audience on FivethirtyEight.com ? Mentioned: Modern Chess Openings  36:00- Did Oliver have a preferred broadcast for the FIDE World Championship?  41:00- Aimchess has a brand new feature called Aimchess recap! It summarizes your year in chess a la Spotify wrapped. Check it out here:  https://www.aimchess.com/recap 43:00- How is AI affecting other games, like Go?  Mentioned: Lee Sedol, Episode 196 with GM Jan Timman  51:00- Does Oliver think chess should be changed to something like Chess960 or “No Castling Chess”?  55:00- Is Oliver actively studying or working on his chess?  57:00- Will Seven Games be available on Audiobook? Mentioned: Yes, it will, here!  59:00- Are Oliver's FivethirtyEight.com chess columns popular? Will he cover chess there in the future?  1:02:00- Patreon mailbag question: How does the question of whether or not there is “perfect information” available in a given game affect the appeal and enjoyment of the games?  1:07:00- Thanks to Oliver for joining the show!  You can follow him on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/ollie?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor And you can order Seven Games from Amazon or your local book seller.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the Athletic's Lindsay Jones to discuss the NFL playoffs. Then, Ben Proudfoot joins for a conversation about Lusia Harris, the subject of his documentary short “The Queen of Basketball.” Finally, they speak with Oliver Roeder about his book Seven Games. NFL (2:21): How did the Chiefs-Bills magic happen? Are Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers done?   Lusia Harris (30:12): The life and legacy of a basketball pioneer. Seven Games (50:24): How machines have changed our favorite games.  Afterball (1:09:30): Josh and Stefan on Hang Up listeners' goofy ideas to fix sports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the Athletic's Lindsay Jones to discuss the NFL playoffs. Then, Ben Proudfoot joins for a conversation about Lusia Harris, the subject of his documentary short “The Queen of Basketball.” Finally, they speak with Oliver Roeder about his book Seven Games. NFL (2:21): How did the Chiefs-Bills magic happen? Are Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers done?   Lusia Harris (30:12): The life and legacy of a basketball pioneer. Seven Games (50:24): How machines have changed our favorite games.  Afterball (1:09:30): Josh and Stefan on Hang Up listeners' goofy ideas to fix sports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A crisp Thursday offering from the pen of Oliver Roeder, today's crossword had lots of sparkling clues. The pièce-de-résistance was 36A, Life preserver? ... or a hint to six squares in this puzzle, CEREALBOX (and we'll just pause here to let that sink in

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the Athletic’s Ethan Sherwood Strauss to discuss Draymond Green’s beef with Kevin Durant. Oliver Roeder of FiveThirtyEight also joins to talk about the World Chess Championship and the Atlantic’s Derek Thompson talks about income inequality in youth sports. Draymond vs. KD (2:40): Will interpersonal strife tear the Golden State Warriors apart, or is this just a small bump on the road to another championship? Chess (22:46): Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana have played eight games, all eight of which have ended in draws. Are we having fun yet?? Youth sports (41:40): Kids from wealthy families are playing sports at increasing rates, while participation is dropping for kids from lower-income families. What’s the solution? Afterballs (1:03:50): Stefan talks to Brin-Jonathan Butler about his book The Grandmaster and Josh on a strange college basketball upset. This episode is brought to you by the following advertisers: SimpliSafe, protect your home today with twenty-four seven monitoring for just fifteen dollars a month, visit simplisafe.com/hangup. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the Athletic’s Ethan Sherwood Strauss to discuss Draymond Green’s beef with Kevin Durant. Oliver Roeder of FiveThirtyEight also joins to talk about the World Chess Championship and the Atlantic’s Derek Thompson talks about income inequality in youth sports. Draymond vs. KD (2:40): Will interpersonal strife tear the Golden State Warriors apart, or is this just a small bump on the road to another championship? Chess (22:46): Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana have played eight games, all eight of which have ended in draws. Are we having fun yet?? Youth sports (41:40): Kids from wealthy families are playing sports at increasing rates, while participation is dropping for kids from lower-income families. What’s the solution? Afterballs (1:03:50): Stefan talks to Brin-Jonathan Butler about his book The Grandmaster and Josh on a strange college basketball upset. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the 11th episode we open with What's Happenin' What's Up, where we discuss Yanny vs. Laurel as a phenomenon. We get into our recs, check out the links below: Taylor The World's Most Extraordinary Homes (find on Netflix) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7804132/ Jacob Quip tooth brushes Taylor "I Faced Off Against the World's Best Chess Player, You Will Totally Believe What Happened Next" by Oliver Roeder https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/i-faced-off-against-the-worlds-best-chess-player-you-will-totally-believe-what-happened-next/ Jacob Krimewatch "s/t" https://krimewatch.bandcamp.com/album/krimewatch They also get into your recommendations, submit yours by emailing us at goodtastepod@gmail.com Follow us here: instagram.com/goodtastepod twitter.com/@jacobthewilson twitter.com/@taylorjaywilson Email us: goodtastepod@gmail.com Leave a review and something you want us to check out and we’ll do so! Click here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/good-taste/id1331981072?mt=2 Our advertisers: Our intro song is by Koi https://open.spotify.com/artist/6MhwQdck5uQDaUUf0wI1kj?si=vzuRLjPCSBSPoCi6wpPOOA Rival Sports Club https://www.spreaker.com/show/rival-sports-club

In the 11th episode we open with What's Happenin' What's Up, where we discuss Yanny vs. Laurel as a phenomenon. We get into our recs, check out the links below:TaylorThe World's Most Extraordinary Homes (find on Netflix)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7804132/JacobQuip tooth brushesTaylor"I Faced Off Against the World's Best Chess Player, You Will Totally Believe What Happened Next" by Oliver Roeder https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/i-faced-off-against-the-worlds-best-chess-player-you-will-totally-believe-what-happened-next/JacobKrimewatch "s/t"https://krimewatch.bandcamp.com/album/krimewatchThey also get into your recommendations, submit yours by emailing us at goodtastepod@gmail.com Follow us here:instagram.com/goodtastepodtwitter.com/@jacobthewilson twitter.com/@taylorjaywilsonEmail us: goodtastepod@gmail.comLeave a review and something you want us to check out and we’ll do so! Click here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/good-taste/id1331981072?mt=2Our advertisers:Our intro song is by Koihttps://open.spotify.com/artist/6MhwQdck5uQDaUUf0wI1kj?si=vzuRLjPCSBSPoCi6wpPOOARival Sports Club https://www.spreaker.com/show/rival-sports-club

AOTB Top 5 March 15, 2018 Tickets to ATL "Intro To CryptoART & CryptoMUSIC" available here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/introduction-to-cryptoart-cryptomusic-tickets-44182783896 and check out the Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/events/762311900639902/ 1. March 7, 2018. The Blockchain Is Just Another Way To Make Art All About Money by Oliver Roeder on fivethirtyeight. Mentions Bea Ramos and Jason Bailey where the author suggests that crypto art's allure inclues moneyand power. Quotes: "But as I dove deeper into the promise of crypto-art, it seems to me more likely to democratize and decentralize not art itself, but art commerce." "Crypto-art seems to embrace Warhol’s philosophy. Sure, Rare Pepes and CrytoKitties can’t fetch anywhere near the astronomical prices that traditional art can sometimes command. But in crypto-art, commerce is wrapped like a kudzu vine around the industry’s newly formed artistic infrastructure." https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/blockchain-is-just-another-way-make-art-all-about-money/ 2. March 12, 2018. The State of Crypto Creativity in 2018 by Creative Crypto online magazine Quote: "The are big implications of this new hierarchy of information - security, stability, speed, transparency - but the most impactful repercussion of the blockchain ecosystem is its ability to monetize our creative content. All of it. Imagine getting a micropayment for every Instagram shot, every witty Tweet, every Medium article, every Pinterest sketch, and every blasted Facebook post you send into the depths of Silicon Valley servers. Think of every aspect of your practice earning you equity in a valued blockchain. This new normal of open-source information could kickstart an entirely new economic foundation for creative work." Mentioned some familiar names, Steemit, Creativechain and Po.et, but learned about Publica for Writers and Lbry for video hosting. https://lbry.io/ https://publica.com/ https://steem.io/ https://www.po.et/ https://www.creativechain.org/project/ - launching platform in 4 days! 3. Reminder! Creative Tech Week - New York May 3-12, 2018. This is a crowd-funded event with installation locations across NYC. Artists are given an opportunity to install and promote their work. http://creativetechweek.nyc/ 4. The Cloud Gallery (which only accepts bitcoin cash. why?) for artist Tony Schaefer. He has a 3D virtual exhibit space. thecloudgallery.org/ 5. April 21 at GW! Introduction to Cryptoart and Cryptomusic - part II. Look for announcements by early next week! AOTB About Hosts Posts 1. AOTB on the road! We'll be in Atlanta on April 8! Intro to Cryptoart and Cryptomusic. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/introduction-to-cryptoart-cryptomusic-tickets-44182783896 2. Obxium Awesome Crypto Art List! We're on it! https://github.com/obxium 3. March 10, 2018 on Medium. Introduction to Cryptoart and Cryptomusic by J. Scrilla. [Jeff] https://medium.com/@ScrillaVentura/introduction-to-cryptoart-cryptomusic-3752923792c7 4. March 8, 2018. How Blockchain will Change Photography by Jason Bailey on Artnome. CMG got a mention at the end of the article commenting on the need to create new contractual relationships. https://www.artnome.com/news/2018/3/4/how-blockchain-will-change-photography Twitters @artnome @obxium @thomasblondet @queentatiana @AOTB_Podcast @musicoin @tokenly @choonHQ @counterpartyxcp

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Mike Pesca discuss Duke’s Grayson Allen and other NCAA basketball matters. Scott Raab also joins to talk about his new book You’re Welcome, Cleveland, and Oliver Roeder of FiveThirtyEight explains how a computer program beat four pro poker players. Grayson Allen and NCAA hoops (2:55): exploring America’s longstanding hatred of white Duke basketball players; Northwestern’s likely maiden visit to March Madness, and the first-ever Ivy League basketball tournament. Scott Raab’s You’re Welcome, Cleveland (21:37): The writer and Cleveland sports fan explains what he got wrong in The Whore of Akron and whether LeBron James would like his new book. How a computer took down the poker pros (33:40): Oliver Roeder explains how poker went the way of chess, checkers, Go, and Scrabble, and what the next challenges are for artificial intelligence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Mike Pesca discuss Duke’s Grayson Allen and other NCAA basketball matters. Scott Raab also joins to talk about his new book You’re Welcome, Cleveland, and Oliver Roeder of FiveThirtyEight explains how a computer program beat four pro poker players. Grayson Allen and NCAA hoops (2:55): exploring America’s longstanding hatred of white Duke basketball players; Northwestern’s likely maiden visit to March Madness, and the first-ever Ivy League basketball tournament. Scott Raab’s You’re Welcome, Cleveland (21:37): The writer and Cleveland sports fan explains what he got wrong in The Whore of Akron and whether LeBron James would like his new book. How a computer took down the poker pros (33:40): Oliver Roeder explains how poker went the way of chess, checkers, Go, and Scrabble, and what the next challenges are for artificial intelligence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The HTD crew discusses the Steelers' insistence on going for two points, college football upsets and chats to Oliver Roeder about the World Chess Championship.

The HTD crew discusses the Steelers' insistence on going for two points, college football upsets and chats to Oliver Roeder about the World Chess Championship.

"A Million Little Boxes" looks at the 39th Annual American Crossword Puzzle Tournament and the battle between two of the greatest puzzle solvers of all time. I talk about the story with writer Oliver Roeder from FiveThirtyEight.com Oliver Roeder is a senior writer at FiveThirtyEight.  He's written about interesting corners of culture and competition, including The Westminster Dog Show, Rubik's Cube competitions, and the best Scrabble player on Earth.

This week's episode looks at “The Long Fall of Phoebe Jonchuck,” by Lane DeGregory for the Tampa Bay Times in January 2016. The story looks at the life and tragic death of Phoebe Jonchuck, a five-year-old girl, murdered by her father, who dropped her from the side of a bridge. I talk with Lane about the challenges of exploring this difficult story. Lane Degregory is a feature writer for the Tampa Bay Times. She has won dozens of national awards, including the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for feature writing for her story "The Girl in the Window."     Some other great examples of Lane's storytelling: A Message from Roger At 99, a St. Petersburg man finds meaning in the working life Driving headlong into a sunny paradise Couple falls for the biggest game at the fair   For next week: A Million Little Boxes by Oliver Roeder

A visit to the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show with Oliver Roeder, who wrote about the rise and fall of the terrier dynasty.

Just Christian and Joe focusing on a few topics from listener feedback. Our discussion includes: BPA-free containers, Joe’s health, John Pfaff in the news on prison reform and mass incarceration, Pluto and seagulls, listener Anthony’s good news, the Church of Marijuana, religious exemptions, racist appointments, what “tuition” means, how to choose a law school, how to prepare for law school (we disagree), what law schools should be, and feedback we decide to delay. This show’s links: Oral Argument 51: The Faucet (guest John Pfaff) German Lopez, Mass Incarceration in America, Explained in 28 Maps and Charts (vox.com) Oliver Roeder, Releasing Drug Offenders Won’t End Mass Incarceration (538.com) Oral Argument 6: Productive Thoughtlessness Emily Lakdawalla, First Look at New Horizons' Pluto and Charon images: “Baffling in a Very Interesting and Wonderful Way" The picture of the comet About Leviathan Monica Davey, A Church of Cannabis Tests Limits of Religious Law in Indiana Oral Argument 66: You’re Never Going to Get It All Done (guest Kareem Crayton) Oral Argument 12: Heart of Darkness (about the US News rankings) Alexia Brunet Marks and Scott Moss, What Makes a Law Student Succeed or Fail? A Longitudinal Study Correlating Law Student Applicant Data and Law School Outcomes Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy on Free Will and on Retributive Justice

Who is in the world's wealthiest elite, and where do they live? Which are the world's best and worst board-games? Oliver Roeder, a senior writer for FiveThirtyEight, says a statistical analysis can tell us. This programme was first broadcast on the BBC World Service.