The Computer Always Wins: A Playful Introduction to Algorithms through Puzzles and Strategy Games
by Elliot Joseph Lichtman
from MIT Press (foreign rights available); rights sold: Chinese Simplified
agent Ali Lake
An engaging and approachable resource for beginning-to-intermediate coders eager to learn advanced ideas in computer programming.
Too often, the magic of computer science is locked behind an intimidating wall of syntax and mathematics. Students of all ages are drawn to the idea of using computers to ask questions and solve problems, but the standard computer science curriculum demands that they first slog through a seemingly endless run of dull, technical muck. They want to tinker; they are told to trudge. In The Computer Always Wins, Elliot Lichtman strips away these conventional barriers, using familiar puzzles and strategy games to explore some of computer science’s most inspiring ideas.
The Computer Always Wins is designed for readers who know the bare-bones basics of computer programming and are ready to truly love it. The book introduces some of the field’s most powerful concepts but does so accessibly by framing them in the context of word games, board games, and strategy games that readers already know. Tic‑Tac‑Toe helps a student understand recursion. Wordle teaches how to efficiently parse an enormous list. Rock‑paper‑scissors becomes an intuitive gateway to machine learning. By the end of the book, readers come away with not only a better understanding of these foundational strategies, but also a joyful appreciation for the amazing and exciting feats that can be accomplished using simple, readable code.
Elliot Lichtman started teaching online classes in computer science in March 2020. At the time, he was a freshman in high school. His small classes in algorithm design quickly grew into a series of larger and longer offerings. From those offerings, this book was born. Lichtman is now studying at Yale University.
Advance Praise for THE COMPUTER ALWAYS WINS:
What fun! Written with clarity and humor, this book can be appreciated by readers at every level, from teenagers at the start of their coding journey to even college professors like me.
– Arthur Benjamin, author of The Magic of Math and Secrets of Mental Math
Half my age and twice as wise, Lichtman is the teacher I wish I’d had. Scratch that: he’s the teacher I’m grateful to have now.
– Ben Orlin, author of Math with Bad Drawings
Marvelously crafted. Just the kind of book every MIT-bound young computer scientist would want to master before college.
– Dr. Isaac Chuang, Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Great introductions to complex topics not only teach new tools, but open up entirely new ways of thinking. The Computer Always Wins is that great introduction for the eager, curious reader who wants to learn to think algorithmically. A real treat. I would have loved it when I was a student.
– Richard Rusczyk, founder and CEO, Art of Problem Solving
Through approachable yet compelling examples, Lichtman beautifully demonstrates how to turn relatable instincts for strategic gameplay into concrete principles for strategic programming.
– Grant Sanderson, founder at 3Blue1Brown
A real delight. The joy of algorithms shines through, page after page.
– Dr. John MacCormick, Professor of Computer Science, Dickinson College; author of Nine Algorithms that Changed the Future