Something Good #120: Abstract Play

From Russia With Love , 1963. Chess is what is called, in the gaming world, an “abstract game,” a term usually used to refer to two-player games with thin or no theming, little or no luck (dice rolls, card deals, wheel spins), and no hidden information. 1 And yet, despite its lack of functional narrative or emotional elements, it’s an irredeemably human game, driven by huge and volatile…