Azad's holo chess: reference to Iain M Banks?

[berninicaco3]

Just started playing this expansion, glad I finally got my game running smoothly.

Ran into Azad's holo chess.

Banks wrote a scifi novel called 'player of games' in which Azad is a futuristic board game that features centrally to the novel. 
Coincidence?


Regardless, it is one of his best novels too if anyone gets a chance.  I reread it last week which is why it came immediately to mind!