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Marvelously crafted.
Just the kind of book every young computer scientist would want to master before college.

Professor Isaac Chuang

MIT Computer Science

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Why this book?

In THE COMPUTER ALWAYS WINS, Elliot Lichtman will teach you some of computer science’s most powerful concepts in a refreshingly accessible way: exploring them through word games, board games, and strategy games you already know. Learn recursion by playing tic-tac-toe, efficient search through puzzle games like sudoku and Wordle, and machine learning by way of the playground classic rock-paper-scissors. Finish the book, and you’ll come away with not only a deeper understanding of these foundational programming techniques but also a new appreciation for the amazing feats that can be accomplished using simple, readable code.

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Ben Orlin Review Text
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Grant Sanderson Review Text
Reviews!
Richard Ruscyk Review Text
Arthur Benjamin Review

     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

The Secrets of Mental Math

The Secrets of Mental Math
Richard Rusczyk Review

     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.

Art of Problem Solving

Richard Rusczyk

Art of Problem Solving

Ben Orlin Review

   Half my age and twice as wise, Lichtman is the teacher I wish I had.  Scratch that: he’s the teacher I’m grateful to have now.

Ben Orlin

Math with Bad Drawings

Math with Bad Drawings
Grant Sanderson Review

   Through approachable yet compelling examples, Lichtman beautifully demonstrates how to turn relatable instincts for strategic gameplay into concrete principles for strategic programming.

Grant Sanderson

3Blue1Brown

3brown1blue
John MacCormick Review

   A real delight.  The joy of algorithms shines through, page after page.

John MacCormick

Nine Algorithms That Changed the Future

Nine Algorithms That Changed the World
Arthur Benjamin Review Text

   Marvelously crafted.  Just the kind of book every young computer scientist would want to master before college.

Professor Isaac Chuang

MIT Computer Science

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Elliot Lichtman started teaching online classes in computer science when he was a freshman in high school. Small classes quickly grew into a series of larger and longer offerings, and from those, this book was born.  Elliot is currently a sophomore at Yale University.

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