Books have been filled with thoughts on mastership, genius and excellence in games. The players of African descent make up a history of intellectual African accomplishments largely unnoticed in the literature on African history and psychology. A Question of Excellence fills this void and brings together literature on checkers, draughts, chess and mancala games. Some historical figures, such as Said bin Jubayr, inspired research on other questions, in particular the historical connection between Africa and Middle East.

2007 Johan Weststeijn & Alex de Voogt. Dreams in Tabari: Husayn, Jubayr, and those in God's favor in the Umayyad period, Le Muséon: Revue d'études orientales 120(1): 225-29.

2003 Hawalis in Oman: a first account of expertise and dispersal of four-row mancala in the Middle East. Journal of Board Game Studies 6:95-98. Leiden.

2002 Johan Weststeijn & Alex de Voogt. Sa'id bin Gubayr: piety, chess and rebellion. Arabica, Journal of Arabic and Islamic Studies 49(3):383-386. Koninklijke Brill: Leiden.