I was just thinking about one of my favorite childhood memories — watching my uncles and older cousins play backgammon — and a minute later, as I was scrolling on Instagram, this video of Farah Pahlavi playing backgammon came up. I miss my family.

Can backgammon save us from ourselves? In this week’s episode of Freakonomics Radio, Stephen Dubner meets a community of people who believe backgammon is about much more than winning. From Masayuki "Mochy" Mochizuki, arguably the world's best backgammon player, to entrepreneurs, quants, and the people building a new generation of backgammon clubs, Stephen discovers how this game not only creates community but has also helped shape everything from N.F.L. decision-making to advancements in A.I. It brings strangers together. It teaches probability, strategy, and emotional control. There’s a reason this game has 5,000 years of staying power. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas…