Mark Mason

We should all embrace the power of games

Board games especially – dating back to at least 3000 BC – have never been idle entertainment but help boost the memory and teach valuable strategic skills

‘The Chess Game’ by Sofonisba Anguissola, c.1555. [Getty Images]

  • Around the World in 80 Games: A Mathematician Unlocks the Secrets of the Greatest Games

    Marcus du Sautoy

    4th Estate, pp. 384, £22

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