Around the World in Eighty Games: From Tarot to Tic-Tac-Toe, Catan to Chutes and Ladders, a Mathematician Unlocks the Secrets of the World's Greatest Games

by Marcus du Sautoy

The game relies on a principle called nontransitivity to create a deck that is well balanced. As in Rock Paper Scissors, it is important that each card be strong against some cards even as they remain vulnerable against others.