Isn't Middle Eastern history too serious for games? The word itself carries associations like "The Great Game," a euphemism for the British and Russian confrontation in Central Asia in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Even today, military conflicts are sometimes likened to chess, and succession struggles in states like Saudi Arabia are called a "Game of thrones." Comparing wars to a recreational activity or children's play easily hides more than it illuminates.
Read More