Mathematics of Board Games
Mathematics of Board Games People have been playing games since as early as 2000 B.C. Since then, avid players have devised strategies to maximize their chances of winning. In this course we will dissect a variety of modern board games and analyze various strategies for each game using mathematics, computers, and intuition. We will further discuss whether an optimal strategy exists for each game and propose modifications to existing rules and scoring schemes. The course will culminate with a project to construct a board game. All are welcome regardless of mathematical background. 3 hrs. sem
This is probably the best class i've ever taken. Alex Lyford is by far the best teacher i've ever had. He is so accommodating and nice. The class itself is actually extremely interesting. It's about the math behind board games, so we would play board games most classes and then discuss the different mathematical strategies. The papers were fairly easy and fun to write. Overall definitely a 10/10 class.
This is probably the best class i've ever taken. Alex Lyford is by far the best teacher i've ever had. He is so accommodating and nice. The class itself is actually extremely interesting. It's about the math behind board games, so we would play board games most classes and then discuss the different mathematical strategies. The paper …Read more
Alex Lyford is by far one of the best professors I have ever had. He is kind and thoughtful and extremely accomodating of students' needs. He was clear and effective in his style of teaching, and made sure everyone understood exactly what was going on. The class was super interesting and also super easy. There was minimal homework. If you have a chance to take a class with Professor Lyford I highly reccommend doing so.
Alex Lyford is by far one of the best professors I have ever had. He is kind and thoughtful and extremely accomodating of students' needs. He was clear and effective in his style of teaching, and made sure everyone understood exactly what was going on. The class was super interesting and also super easy. There was minimal homework. I …Read more
This is by far the best course I have taken at Middlebury. The class is super engaging and fun. You play a new board game every week and they are niche but exciting. There is basically no work outside of class and the grading is very easy.
I absolutely loved the Mathematics of Boardgames class! It’s super engaging and genuinely fun. Every lecture feels interactive and thought-provoking. The professor is fantastic, making complex concepts easy to understand while keeping the energy high and the class entertaining. If you enjoy games and want to see the math behind them in a lively, hands-on way, this is the class to take!
I absolutely loved the Mathematics of Boardgames class! It’s super engaging and genuinely fun. Every lecture feels interactive and thought-provoking. The professor is fantastic, making complex concepts easy to understand while keeping the energy high and the class entertaining. If you enjoy games and want to see the math behind them …Read more