The guy whose math provided the nucleus of RenTech and the guy who invented the game of life wrote this:

https://www.amazon.com/Winning-Ways-Your-Mathematical-Plays/...

Vol. 4 begins with the study of the solitaire game that is on every Cracker Barrel table.

I really loved discovering the Winning Ways books as an undergrad: https://www.amazon.com/Winning-Ways-Your-Mathematical-Plays/...

I had the opportunity to meet him while he was at Berkeley Quantitative, and it was an honor.