Member-only story
Humans, machines and pawns
A new book raises questions about games, artificial intelligence, and what they mean to us
When I was much younger, I played in a few tournaments — one in Huntsville, Ala.; one in Nashville; and a couple in Fairfax, Virginia — for the board game Othello.
I was never very good; I won the rookie prize at my very first tournament, but they were all small tournaments. My U.S. Othello Association player rating was never that high. I lacked the diligence and concentration to see as far ahead in the game as really good players. I had learned some basic strategic principles, but I was never going to be a master. I am still fond of the game, although I don’t really have anyone to play it against. I sometimes try my hand against various apps on my phone or tablet. (Those apps are often named for the generic, non-trademarked version of the game, Reversi.) I still have, in a closet somewhere, several Othello boards of various shapes and sizes, including a massive tournament-size board that a friend brought back for me from Japan, where the game was quite popular.
