Marcus du Sautoy is a mathematician who loves games, travel, and, unsurprisingly, math. His new book is titled "Around the World in 80 Games: A Mathematician Unlocks the Secrets of the Greatest Games." In his new book, he tours the world's games, exploring how they are built around (and can be won using) mathematics.

He starts his journey with Backgammon, which he posits may be the perfect game. Here's more, in The Guardian.

Where does that leave us in our quest for the perfect game? If I was going to have to pick one, I would choose backgammon. It is full of drama, twists and turns. The lead can shift dramatically with a roll of the dice. As with the mathematics of chaos, small changes can send things in completely new directions. A beginner has the ability to beat an expert, but even when the dice seem against you, strategic play can still give you the upper hand. The rules couldn't be simpler, and yet, in each of the thousands of matches I've played, the story is different every time. And as well as being one of the most perfect games, it is also one of humanity's most ancient – able to trace its origins back to the game Finkel decoded at the British Museum.

We talk to du Sautoy about how math and games are interwoven worldwide.

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