The Computer Always Wins: A Playful Introduction to Algorithms Through Puzzles and Strategy Games

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.

Author: Elliot Lichtman
Publisher: MIT Press
Published: 04/29/2025
Pages: 200
Binding Type: Paperback
ISBN: 9780262551694
Audience: Young Adult

About the Author
Elliot Joseph 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.