What was your language? I read two of his books when I was a kid in Russian. Also built the matchbox machine but I think it was playing hexapawn which was too simplistic compared to tic tac toe and a bit disappointing. I couldn't find enough beads and had to use cut matches and pieces of paper as well. And it was quite a story to convince adults to buy me so many matchboxes, I think it was 21. I think this machine and Conway's Life also explained in that book have transformed me.