The annual Chicago Toy and Game Fair (CHITAG), scheduled to take place at the Navy Pier in downtown Chicago on Nov. 21 and 22 (which is an event I highly recommend if you can make it), will once again be preceded by the Toy and Game Inventors Expo (TAGIE). TAGIE, which will take place on Nov. 19 and 20 at the Navy Pier, is designed to help toy and game inventors and entrepreneurs by providing networking and educational opportunities, along with a chance to meet face-to-face with some of the industry's top professionals. This year's speakers include Mike Hirtle and Michael Gray from Hasbro,…
Board Games
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About.com: Board Games
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Chicago Toy and Game Fair - Nov. 21, 22
4 Nov 2009 | 9:33 pm -
Chateau Roquefort - Children's Game Review
3 Nov 2009 | 9:33 pmCastle Roquefort is a paradise for mice -- a Castle of Cheese. In this children's board game, players send their four delightfully sculpted mice across the roofs and into the rooms to pick up cheese -- but you have to watch out for trap doors that can send your mice to their doom. In his review of Chateau Roquefort, Mark Jackson says the game can be enjoyed by both children and adults, and that it is a great introduction for the younger set to action point games. More Children's Game Reviews: Hula Hippos Kayanak Children's Game Reviews - Index Chateau Roquefort - Children's Game Review… -
Guesstimation Game Sponsoring Cranberries Reunion Tour
2 Nov 2009 | 9:33 pmDiscovery Bay Games recently announced that the game Guesstimation will be the presenting sponsor of The Cranberries reunion tour. The 19-city tour kicks off on Nov. 12 in Baltimore. The multi-platinum band has not toured in nearly seven years. Guesstimation, for 2 or more players ages 8 and up, is a trivia game in which players do not need to know the exact answers to win the game. During each round, a question is read and everyone writes down their answer. When the answer is revealed, the closest guess wins the round. "We are excited to have Guesstimation as the presenting sponsor of our… -
Hello Kitty TCG Due in March 2010
2 Nov 2009 | 10:33 amUpper Deck recently announced plans to release a trading card game based on the Hello Kitty universe in March 2010. Described in a press release as a "Hello Kitty collectible miniatures and stickers trading card game," Upper Deck says the game will be targeted to young girls and tweens. "We are so excited to be adding such a global icon to our product portfolio," Margeaux Sullivan, Upper Deck's Hello Kitty brand manager, said in the release. "Hello Kitty has been charming girls of all ages around the world for more than three decades and we look forward to helping her celebrate her 35th… -
Trivial Pursuit Experiment - New Web Site
29 Oct 2009 | 1:10 amA new web site is challenging men and women so see who is better at the classic trivia game Trivial Pursuit. Known as the Trivial Pursuit Experiment, the web site allows players to log in and answer as many questions as they want to. (As of this morning, the men's team led 682,000 to 515,000.) But be careful, because Trivial Pursuit can be addictive. Comedian Ricky Gervais recently said, "Forget [my] Hollywood career. Trivial Pursuit comes first. I hate it when my friend gets asked who Mickey Mouse's girlfriend is and then I get asked what Kierkegaard's first essay was." Trivial Pursuit Team…
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Google News: Board Games
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ON CHESS Game consistent in bolstering mind - Columbus Dispatch
7 Nov 2009 | 2:58 amColumbus DispatchON CHESS Game consistent in bolstering mindColumbus DispatchChess and other board games share some basic skills with physical athletic pursuits. They also develop abilities and psychological qualities -
Fort victims had different reasons for enlisting - The Associated Press
7 Nov 2009 | 1:01 amTelegraph.co.ukFort victims had different reasons for enlistingThe Associated PressThe family's typical Thanksgiving dinners ended with board games and long conversations over the table, said Vanacker, whose voice often cracked with Families mourn the fallenPhiladelphia InquirerHow to talk to your kids about the shootings at Fort HoodExaminer.comall 15,368 news articles » -
EA Makes Family Game Night Easier Than Ever - TeamXbox
6 Nov 2009 | 9:57 amEA Makes Family Game Night Easier Than EverTeamXboxPlay trivia your way as the classic board game comes alive on Xbox LIVE Games on Demand on 12/8! Featuring a stunning visual presentation, new question and more » -
Winehouse loves board games - Hindustan Times
6 Nov 2009 | 9:32 amHindustan TimesWinehouse loves board gamesHindustan TimesWe all get a bit loud and play games and there's lots of screaming and shouting." Winehouse has not completed her follow-up album but has been in the news Winehouse loves board gamesIndia Business Blog (blog)THE MIND BOGGLES FOR AMYDaily Starall 13 news articles » -
Strategy Game 'Risk' - Movie Moving Forward - Movie-Moron
6 Nov 2009 | 8:36 amStrategy Game 'Risk' - Movie Moving ForwardMovie-MoronThe success of Transformers (also a Hasbro product) has been the driving force bringing Risk and other toy/board games to the big screen. and more »
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Yahoo! News: Board Games
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Metro may get lottery games, turbines (Detroit Free Press)
7 Nov 2009 | 2:36 amDetroit Metro Airport may soon gain two new features: lottery games and small wind turbines. On Nov. 17, the Wayne County Airport Authority board is likely to approve a licensing agreement with the Michigan Bureau of State Lottery that would enable travelers at Metro to play a number of state lottery games, such as instant tickets, Mega Millions and Club Keno. -
9 Classic Analogue Games Defiled By Digital (Gizmodo Australia)
6 Nov 2009 | 9:58 pmSo, I’m doing the Mindflex game review , and I start thinking about the evolution of classic board games. Personally, I like the fact that many of them got a 21st-century makeover. These 10 games may have purists thinking otherwise. (more…) -
The 50 best board games (Independent)
6 Nov 2009 | 4:28 pmOffensive or abusive comments will be removed and your IP logged and may be used to prevent further submission. In submitting a comment to the site, you agree to be bound by the Independent Minds Terms of Service . -
10 Classic Analog Games Defiled By Digital [Tgif] (Gizmodo)
6 Nov 2009 | 2:04 pmSo, I'm doing the Mindflex game review, and I start thinking about the evolution of classic board games. Personally, I like the fact that many of them got a 21st century makeover. These 10 games may... -
Rep. Lynch knows his video games (Federal Times)
6 Nov 2009 | 1:02 pmIn the video game world, your Web site is ‘Pong.’” – Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass., told Greg Long, executive director of the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, at a Nov. 3 hearing in reference to the state of the TSP’s Web site, comparing it to one of the first arcade games. The board is working to make [...]
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Boardgame News
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W. Eric Martin: First Thoughts on Tobago, Mosaix, Loyang, Beer & Pretzels, and Gonzaga
7 Nov 2009 | 3:00 amI’ve played a few games that debuted at Spiel in late October 2009 at least twice, so I thought I’d offer early impressions, with more detailed reviews to follow once I’ve played them a sufficient number of times. Here goes: • Tobago – Bruce Allen has created a fun deduction-style game that contains no deduction. On an island with different types of terrain and landmarks, players play cards that reduce the possible locations of a treasure until only one spot remains. (Cards have pictograms noting things like “adjacent to a palm tree,” “not within two… -
North Star Games Donating 2,000 Games to Libraries
6 Nov 2009 | 5:00 pmNorth Star Games, publisher of Wits & Wagers and Say Anything!, is donating one thousand copies of each game to libraries that signed up to participate in National Gaming Day (NGD) on Saturday, November 14, 2009. The American Library Association organizes NGD annually to promote the presence and use of board game in public libraries. In 2008, NGD drew more than 14,000 participants, and the ALA expects to have twice as many players on hand this year. -
Kris Hall: John Poniske and King Philip’s War
6 Nov 2009 | 8:00 amJohn Poniske first came to my attention because of Lincoln’s War, an as-yet-to-published game on the American Civil War. But Multi-man Publishing has put another of Mr. Poniske’s games on its preorder list, and John recently agreed to talk to me about King Philip’s War. Kris: I have an interest in King Philip’s War because I grew up in Rhode Island, and I am one of the many descendents of Roger Williams, the founder of Providence and of the colony of Rhode Island--and who was still an important figure at the time of the war. What made you take an interest in such… -
Game Review: Railways of the World
5 Nov 2009 | 11:00 pmBy David Pazmiño November 5, 2009 Designers: Glenn Drover and Martin Wallace Publisher: FRED Distribution Players: 2-6 Ages: 12+ Playing Time: 120 minutes Rules Language: English Price: $75 Links: Version played: Comped review copy Times played: Eight, three times with 2 players, three times with 3, once with 4, and once with 5 If games had pedigrees like race horses, then the new Railways of the World base game and series from FRED Distribution would certainly fit the bill as the best bred train game. With such parents as Age of Steam and Railroad Tycoon, this new train game series has the… -
ILSA Magazine #7 - Essen Special
5 Nov 2009 | 6:40 amI’m proud to announce the #7 of ILSA Magazine: Essen Special. ILSA: Informazione Ludica a Scatola Aperta (that means something like information about games with open box). The web site is totally renewed. In this number first impressions/reviews of Vasco da Gama, Dungeon Lords, Carson City, Atlantis, Last train to Wensleydale, Insula, Erosion, Bunny Bunny Moose Moose, Shipyard, Gonzaga, Strada Romana, Day & Night, Luna Llena, Endeavor, Sumeria, Caligula, A la Carte, Pony Express, Tobago, Factory Manager, Hansa Teutonica, Horse Fever, Opera, Thunderstone, At the gates of Loyang,…
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Topix: Board Game News
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Belfast Gets Own Monopoly Game: Get Out Of Jail Free Cards All Round
6 Nov 2009 | 3:16 pmANORAK was there to see Mark Marrriot, designer of the Monopoly Belfast edition, launch of the popular board game, in Belfast. -
Angry words as timetable for climate deal starts to slip
6 Nov 2009 | 4:25 amGreen groups and activists for the developing world on Thursday accused rich nations of tiptoeing away from vows to seal a binding, far-reaching UN treaty on climate change in Copenhagen next month. -
Sony Acquires film rights to Risk
5 Nov 2009 | 2:37 pmOnce again a popular product will be attached to a film purely for the purpose of brand recognition. -
Christmas hits for toy boys and game girls
5 Nov 2009 | 10:18 amSMALL STEAMER: A Hornby Live Steam Mallard train was a toy that once featured on every little boy's Christmas wish list Remember the time you woke on Christmas morning to find Santa had brought you that shiny new Hornby train set you had been dreaming about all year? Or the Duncan yo-yo nestled at the bottom of your stocking? Or the Barbie doll you ... -
Game has got the monopoly on city
5 Nov 2009 | 2:01 amICONIC landmarks from across Cardiff have been immortalised in a new Monopoly board game.
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Board Games with Scott
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BGWS 064 – Castle Panic
25 Oct 2009 | 10:50 amIn Castle Panic, players work together to defend a castle in the cooperative tower defense game. (12:19) Castle Panic is a light cooperative game with a video game feel. Players work together against an onslaught of intruders to keep the castle towers from falling. While players have to work together, only one can win as the Master Slayer! You can download Board Games with Scott 064 – Castle Panic from the Internet Archive. (other formats available). Or, you can watch it here through YouTube: You can order Castle Panic through Funagain Games! If you decide to get a copy, please let the… -
BGWS 063 – Long Shot
19 Oct 2009 | 2:25 pmLong Shot is a horse racing game where players can own pretty ponies and make money off of betting on them (10:00) Long Shot is a horse-racing game. Players start with some money but no horses and choose between spending money on buying horses and betting with money on which horses will win. It’s a nice balance between the two, with a little strategy and more than a little luck. You can download Board Games with Scott 063 – Long Shot from the Internet Archive. (other formats available). Or, you can watch it here through Vimeo: BGWS 063: Board Games with Scott 063 – Long Shot… -
BGWS 062 – Word on the Street
26 Aug 2009 | 1:11 pmWord on the Street is a social team-based word game where players attempt to capture letters by coming up with words. (7:45) Out of the Box is the company that originally created Apples to Apples. They have a new party game that’s got two teams coming up with words in categories to capture letters that are in those words. This game would be good for school, library or family play. You can download Board Games with Scott 062 – Word on the Street from the Internet Archive. (other formats available). Or, you can watch it here through Vimeo: BGWS 062: Board Games with Scott 062… -
BGWS 061 – Tulipmania 1637
2 Aug 2009 | 4:25 amTulipmania 1637 is an economic stock market game that simulates a bubble market. (22:07) Scott made a game! Originally due out at Essen 2008, Tulipmania 1637 has finally made it through the production process. It’s out in the UK, where it’s being published, and will be coming to the US in September 2009. Because Scott made this game, this episode of BGWS is not an objective review. You will learn about the game, and should be able to decide if it’s something for you. You can download Board Games with Scott 061 – Tulipmania 1637 from the Internet Archive. (other formats… -
BGWS 060 – Battlestar Galactica: The Reality Show
14 Jul 2009 | 5:53 pmBattlestar Galactica is a longer game pitting Humans versus Cylons in a cooperative strategy roleplaying experience. (30:49) Enjoy the Sci-Fi series Battlestar Galactica? Or enjoy roleplaying experiences trying to unearth traitors (or being a traitor)? Then take a look at Battlestar Galactica: The Reality Show. For this special episode, I filmed an actual game of BSG in reality-show style with a confessional so you can learn what the players are thinking. I became aware of the idea through Logan Bretschneider. One of his friends did “Risk Night” as a school project,…
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Boardgames to Go
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BGTG 99 - Ten Years of Essens
5 Nov 2009 | 8:16 pmChris left a comment after the previous podcast (anticipating this year's Essen), asking what games were my favorites from past Essens. That was the idea behind this show--my favorites, BGG's favorites, and what seemed liked the favorites at the time (Fairplay ratings). I looked up the past decade of Fairplay rankings, compared it against current BGG rankings, and also figured out my favorites from that same Essen. In addition to BGG, the original German boardgame database Luding was very useful, since it allows searches for a particular Essen year.My favorites from all these years are mostly… -
BGTG 97 - All About Brass (with Stephanie Kelleher)
24 Oct 2009 | 12:19 pmIf you pay attention to the episode numbers, you'll see this one actually belongs before the previous show about Essen. I only needed to hurry that one out in time for the big game fair in Germany this week. I'd recorded this episode focusing on Martin Wallace's Brass with guest Stephanie Kelleher (songlian on BGG). Stephanie is at Essen right now helping with the BGG/Geekdo booth!We both really enjoy this game. Stephanie has played more face-to-face games, while I've got a lot more online plays. I tend to prefer lighter/shorter games, but Wallace's games always have a strong appeal for their… -
BGTG 98 - Essen Anticipation 2009
19 Oct 2009 | 12:54 pmAs before, I've managed to squeeze in a show just before the Essen game fair Spiel that shares my anticipation for the event and a number of games. Nope, I'm not going there, just living vicariously through the preview information about the games about to debut at this enormous event in our hobby. All of this may will change after we start hearing (and seeing!) more about this games from firsthand gamer experience, first at Essen itself, and especially after a month or so at BGG.con. (Unfortunately, I won't be there, either.)If you want to follow along to the titles I run down that I find… -
Last & next month's games
9 Oct 2009 | 8:02 pmI'm in the middle of more business travel than I've ever had to do before. I know a lot of people have to travel more than I, so I'm not complaining. I'm just experiencing the impact it has on your life, especially your time with family & friends. The family part is my deal, but the friends parts relates to games, which is why I'm writing about it on the blog.Last month I did play some games. You can see them over to the right in the sidebar. The biggie I played was Le Havre, semi-sequel to Agricola, and just recently the winner of the International Gamers Award.. Now, I missed almost all… -
Go "vote" on the À La Carte card game award
14 Sep 2009 | 12:14 pmI've always enjoyed reading through the results of the best card game award given in Germany, the À La Carte. Kind of like the Spiel des Jahres or International Gamers Awards, this award is given by an editorial board. However, this year they've opened up an online poll--not to decide or change the outcome of the award, just as a fun check between what the game-buying public thinks is the best game, compared to that editorial board thinks.http://fairplay-online.blogspot.com/2009/09/la-carte-2009.html
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The Game Ranch
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Witch of Salem review
22 Oct 2009 | 9:43 amWitch of Salem is a cooperative game for 2 - 4 players that is based on stories by Wolfgang Hohlbein set in the world of H.P. Lovecraft's mythos. The designer is Michael Rieneck and it is published in an English edition by Mayfair Games. Players are helping Robert Craven, the powerful Witch of Salem, close the portals located around the city of Arkham and to banish the Great Old One imprisoned in the underwater city of R'lyeh. Opposing them are the evil magician Necron and hordes of evil creatures. The Goal The players win the game if they manage to close all the portals and banish the Great… -
Roll Through the Ages and more Tales
20 Aug 2009 | 2:14 pmWell, we didn't get to go to game night this past week. Ed had to take our eldest to soccer practice and I got to go...grocery shopping. Yay. This full-time job gig is taking some getting used to. Oh Free Time, how I miss thee! Last week, though, I got to play Tales of Arabian Nights again. Once again, I really enjoyed it. This time, I fared miserably. In fact, my first character died after finding a door hidden in the sands. Upon descending, she found a woman imprisoned below and tried to save her. An e'freet (sp?) jumped out of hiding and tore me from limb to limb. Not exactly a pleasant… -
July Gaming
7 Aug 2009 | 4:02 pmOnce again, my gaming blog has been neglected but this time I have a real excuse, and one that doesn't involve World of Warcraft. I've been working part-time at my local library for the past six months and have now accepted a full-time position. I've gone from doing stem cell research as a medical lab technician to being a full-time stay-at-home mom and am now headed in a totally new career direction as a....librarian. Well, only pretending to be one for now as I don't have a Master of Library Science degree yet. That's probably in my future though. The job's a great fit for me so far as I've… -
Game Awards
29 Jun 2009 | 8:00 amWhat's the world coming to when you can neither complain about the Spiel des Jahres winner nor poke fun at the Origins winners??? While I had a slight leaning towards Pandemic, I'm still thrilled that Dominion took the SdJ. It's innovative and fresh and very addicting. It's got a bit of a CCG vibe going for it, which helps. Those Origins people finally got it right. Pandemic was chosen for best board game with Dominion taking the honors for best card game. The choice for family/party game was Say Anything and the best historical game was Conflict of Heroes: Awakening the Bear. I haven't… -
It's a Small World after all
16 Jun 2009 | 11:40 pmHa! Can't get that song out of your head now, can you?? As I mentioned in my previous post, Ed and I were lucky to be invited to spend Memorial Day weekend playing games with three other couples. We stayed in condos on Lake Palestine near Tyler, in the piney woods of northeast Texas. This is quite near my mother's house and where I spent my teenage years, so it was very convenient to dump/drop off our boys with her for the weekend. The condos were shabby, but adequate, and the views were beautiful when it wasn't raining and we managed to drag ourselves away from the gaming and outside to get…
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Spiel : Boardgames in the UK
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Unplayed games back up to 98
1 Nov 2009 | 1:42 amWell, October saw the biggest setback to my aim to get down to fewer than 20 unplayed games by the end of Jun 2010. However, I was fairly restrained in my buying at Essen, bringing back fewer new games than usual and I stuck to my edict of not buying any expansions this year (as [...] -
Essen 2009 trip
23 Oct 2009 | 12:38 pmJust back from two days at Essen. Fabulous time as always but seemed to spend more time talking than playing games. Rather restrained on the buying front - only 19 additions to the collection which are shown in glorious technicolour below. -
Coming at Essen - Steam Barons
18 Oct 2009 | 1:15 amThe third game being released by Martin Wallace, this time through Warfrog rather than Treefrog, is Steam Barons which is the first expansion for Mayfair’s Steam. Two maps are included in the game, one covering eastern USA, along with parts of Canada, and the other covering northern England. The maps are suitable for five and six [...] -
Coming at Essen: The Boardgamegeek Game
14 Oct 2009 | 5:45 amRichard Breese’s second game to be released at SPIEL ‘09 is The Boardgamegeek Game. Here is a description from the game’s entry on BGG: The BoardGameGeek Game (TBGGG) is being published by R&D Games to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the BoardGameGeek website, the gaming community’s most indispensible database! Ernie (the famous BoardGameGeek mascot) has gone on holiday [...] -
Coming at Essen: Last Train to Wensleydale
10 Oct 2009 | 4:24 amThe second Martin Wallace game being released at Essen is Last Train to Wensleydale, published in his Treefrog line. The game is set in the Yorkshire Dales and the aim is to move stone, cheese, and various passengers, from the hills of the Dales to the major trunk routes run by the North Eastern Railway and [...]
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The Tao of Gaming
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Moving
24 Oct 2009 | 6:10 pmThe Tao of Gaming has moved. Update your bookmarks accordingly. -
I'm a mortal lock for the next Sports Guy Mailbag
21 Oct 2009 | 5:10 pm(At least, the next one after he sees my email) From Game Informer, current issue, page 61. "Specter wanted Oswald the Lucky Rabbit [1] to be the centerpiece of Epic Mickey. But that wasn't possible until a years-old dispute was resolved. 'Disney didn't own the rights to Oswald,' Spector explains. 'So there was no way I could use him as a character in this game.' But Bob Iger, the CEO of Disney, went to NBC/Universal, which after 80 years owned the rights to Oswald, and TRADED AL MICHAELS, a human sportscaster, for the rights to a cartoon rabbit." (Technically this is old news, but since I… -
Powerblogs is shutting down
21 Oct 2009 | 2:10 pmWhich means I have a month (or so) to decide whether to continue this somewhere else, or just confine my ramblings to BGG/SABG or other sites.... I could move to blogger or wordpress, I suppose. -
Lou, I think I may have topped that game of Medici
20 Oct 2009 | 2:10 pmSee the full story on the SABG blog. (Non-Lou's are welcome to check it out, but I think he'll really appreciate it more). -
Endeavour Initial Thoughts
20 Oct 2009 | 2:10 pmI got in two games of Endeavour yesterday. It's ... fast. It's hard to dislike a fast game, especially one that gleefully steals from titles I like. I'd lustily hate Endeavour if my first game took two hours, like some reviewers claim. But we played a 3 player game in about an hour (with rules), and then a five player game in less than 1.5 hours. At the time I didn't particularly love it. The good: It's fast, You have some long term strategy, Quite distinct feel, based on # of players Not many false choices (that I saw). The bad: Endeavour doesn't differ enough from other Euros to excite me.
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The WAGSENING
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This is your brain. This is your brain crushed by CONAN (Age of Conan)
4 Nov 2009 | 6:28 pmI wasn't able to attend last week, but for the sake of posterity I will note that Age of Conan was played, and that Shemp apparently crushed all opponents in his debut session. In a result that is eerily reminiscent of my first session some time ago, Shemp was a distant first and crowned Conan for the win. Either that is a bizarre coincidence or this baby's got serious runaway leader problems!!!Halloween gaming was postponed to next week's session. -
Be My Cube Tomato Coalition Buddy
26 Oct 2009 | 10:09 amLet me be clear:Die Macher is a good game. It is also a loooonnnnggg game... for a Euro, anyway.Die Macher is a game of very complex, interlinked/co-dependent strategies, with great theme and a fair amount of tension.Why don't I look forward to it more?Why does it fall solidly into the "daunting" category of Euro games for me?Why does it not leap immediately to the front of the line in terms of being a Euro-masterwork?I gave it a lot of thought this past weekend, and it suddenly occurs to me right now that it's something that I seldom talk about... because it usually isn't an issue.It's the… -
Déja Vu (Steam, Pandemic: On the Brink, Excape)
16 Oct 2009 | 9:56 amShemp thought enough of last week's games that he picked them again this week.(That, and I suspect he was feeling too lazy to think about choosing different ones)SteamOur second game of Steam was played on the German map, which is designed for 4-5 players. As it's designed for more players than the USA/Canada one, we expected it to be more wide open, and for the most part it was. That said, when the game was completed every single town and city had been built to. I wouldn't have predicted that (in fact, I predicted quite the opposite because I pointed to a particular town, Seiglen, in the… -
Hmm. Steamy. (Steam, Pandemic: On the Brink, Excape! x2)
9 Oct 2009 | 8:32 pmMore new games!SteamI've always really like Railway Tycoon. Despite this, and despite the fact that I like many heavy strategy games, I've had very little interest in Age of Steam. It's reputation as being a particularly unforgiving game and some of the discussion I've read about wonkiness in some of the rules kept me from giving it a try. That being said, Railroad Tycoon has it's own set of issues (well known by now... huge board with sections that will never get used even with 6 players, a card system that can unfairly advantage a player if the right cards come up, component colour issues,… -
Hail Shaempsar (Mare Nostrum, Glory to Rome)
2 Oct 2009 | 7:55 pmMare Nostrum made it's second appearance in as many weeks, and Glory to Rome is also played in order to ensure that we do nothing but play ancient Roman themed games.Mare NostrumFor our second game, we shuffled around who played which civ.Agent Easy = RomeShemp = GreeceKozure = EgyptLuch = CarthageWe also added the expansion board, even though we were not playing with the other expansion elements (apparently, it evens out the number of unowned provinces near all the players).As Rome, I was playing a combat oriented civ. once again (I was Carthage last time). In order to avoid the combat which…
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Board Game Beast
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Nov 6, Firefly Fantasies
5 Nov 2009 | 5:18 pmWant to play Firefly Fantasies FREE online and enter REAL CASH tournaments? Now you can! Click to play NOW!Game: Firefly Fantasies Play FREE or FOR -
Nov 6, Bomp Bomp
5 Nov 2009 | 5:10 pmWant to play Bomp Bomp FREE online and enter REAL CASH tournaments? Now you can! Click to play NOW!Game: Bomp Bomp Play FREE or FOR REAL CASH online -
Nov 6, Four Seasons game
5 Nov 2009 | 5:03 pmWant to play the Four Seasons game FREE online and enter REAL CASH tournaments? Now you can! Click to play NOW!Game: Four Seasons Play FREE or FOR -
Nov 6, Flower Power game
5 Nov 2009 | 4:52 pmWant to play the Flower Power game FREE online and enter REAL CASH tournaments? Now you can! Click to play NOW!Game: Flower Power Play FREE or FOR -
Nov 4, Block Party
3 Nov 2009 | 6:05 pmWant to play Block Party FREE online and enter REAL CASH tournaments? Now you can! Click to play NOW!Game: Block Party Play FREE or FOR REAL CASH
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ChessBase News
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Measuring the 'hotness' and watching the 'Mate-o-meter'
6 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm"There can’t be many chess players who have not heard of Fritz," writes Sean Marsh on his chess blog. "This latest version looks like being THE must-have chess item of 2009." He examines the new "hotness" display and the "Mate-o-meter" and concludes that Karpov would have done better in a certain line against the Catalan if he had used Fritz. Order it now or read Sean's review. -
Five pieces lined up on the h-file...
5 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm... we see in this position, where Black had just played ...Ng6-f4, attacking White's queen and rook. How would you assess the situation now? A) The fork wins for Black; B) White can get away with perpetual check; C) He can actually give mate. The solution is here, but first ponder over it with a larger version of the diagram. -
Tal R02: All games drawn – first win expected tomorrow
5 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pmWe are not complaining – yet. Two or three of today's games were quite exciting. But somehow we miss the rush of win, and a table in which not everyone is in the lead. That will happen tomorrow. It must. Today it was Ponomariov and Ivanchuk who put some token pressure on Aronian and Svidler, but in the end the result was five draws. Round two report. -
Israeli double agent shot dead in Moscow
4 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pmShabtai Kalmanovich, a former Israeli double agent who penetrated Golda Meir's government on behalf of the KGB, has been shot dead in Moscow. An unidentified gunman fired at least 20 shots into his chauffeur-driven Mercedes Benz. Why do we report this? Because Kalmanovich was a patron of women's basketball – and chess. News reports. -
World Junior Championship – Impressions from Patagonia
4 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pmThis event, which ended on Tuesday, brought us lively games and a dramatic finish. But being staged in a remote place at the other end of the world there was a dearth of pictorial material. Which was a shame, since the venue, the southern end of South America, is scenically beautiful. Well, thank heavens for Åse Østebø, captain of the Norwegian squad. She has sent us this spectacular report.
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Confessions of a chess novice
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Are the Knights truly dead?
4 Nov 2009 | 11:51 amQuestion from a reader:============Hi BlueDevil,I would like to join the Kights Errant. It appears as though the secretary is inactive? Can you help me? Your post reminds me of some some comments that I read about Lasker on chessgames.com having a great "Geometer", looking around for features and only then calculating.smiteknight.blogspot.com=============What's going on, Knights?Sorry smiteknight -
Look around, not ahead
9 Oct 2009 | 4:17 pmIt is amazing that nearly every game in the lower levels of chess are decided by people literally not seeing obvious interactions between pieces on the board. Leaving a piece open to be taken, or forgetting a piece is pinned, or even not seeing mate in one.Yet many of us in these lower levels still insist on looking many moves ahead in silly lines. We aren't losing because we fail to look ahead -
Poking a dead guy with a stick
21 Sep 2009 | 10:13 pmClick here to for a journalist revisiting revelations about Bobby Fischer's ancestry, among other things (LA Times). Not much chess in there. -
Chess Opening Advice for Beginners
17 Sep 2009 | 7:37 pmThe following is an email I sent to a chess bud. I think it is enough to get you to a decent middlegame. It applies whether you are playing as black or as white. Of course I don't claim it is unique: it is the standard opening boilerplate prep talk.There are two goals you want to aim for in the opening of a chess game:1. Develop all of your minor pieces (Knights and Bishops), preferably so they -
Synoptic versus myopic views of chess
3 Sep 2009 | 9:46 amTommyg has similar themes in his recent great post.Speaking of fresh perspectives, Dk Transform has some great new videos up. The first could be a Saturday Night Live audition tape. Great to associate a face/voice with his David Foster Wallace style blog.OK, now on to the main topic of my post....-----------------------------------I made a visit to the library where the Carolina Cobras played
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About.com: Chess
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Azerbaijan Takes Gold in European Team Championship
2 Nov 2009 | 6:12 amVugar Gashimov scored the critical win for Azerbaijan in the final round of the European Team Chess Championships, allowing them to defeat the Netherlands 2.5-1.5 and slip ahead of Russia in the final standings to take first place. Azerbaijan and Russia entered the final round tied for first, and one of the two were guaranteed to take first unless both teams lost in the final round. Russia, though, stumbled slightly in their final round encounter with Spain. While Alexander Morozevich scored a board two victory over Francisco Vallejo Pons, Evgeny Alexseev gave the point back to the Spaniards… -
Should Women's Chess Titles Stay or Go?
26 Oct 2009 | 4:27 amA recent Wall Street Journal editorial in favor of abolishing women's titles in chess has generated a lot of discussion online. For a while now, this -- and similar issues, such as the necessity of female-only events in chess -- have simmered, becoming hot topics now and again whenever an article like this WSJ editorial pops up. Reaction, not surprisingly, has been mixed. Some, like Russian GM Alexandra Kosteniuk, are strongly against taking away these titles, while Mig Greengard and others fall on the opposite side. Still others have made the point that the editorial's author, Barbara… -
World Championship to be Held in Sofia
18 Oct 2009 | 3:37 pmThe World Chess Championship finally has a host. The match has been awarded to Sofia, Bulgaria, thanks to a bid worth 3 million Euros backed by the Bulgarian government. According to a report by ChessBase, Turkey and Singapore were also in the running to host the event, but dropped out when Bulgaria's bid -- which includes a 2 million Euro prize fund for the players -- was submitted. This effectively gives challenger Veselin Topalov home field advantage for the match, though the Bulgarian government has guaranteed neutrality. I think it's unlikely that there would be any material advantage… -
Zatonskih Goes Undefeated to Win US Women's Championship
15 Oct 2009 | 4:59 amAnna Zatonskih came into the US Women's Chess Championship as the top seed (just barely -- her USCF and FIDE ratings were just two and four points higher, respectively, than those of Irina Krush), but few could have predicted that she'd dominate a fairly strong field as thoroughly as she did last week, winning the event by two points without a single loss. Her score of 8.5/9 was nearly reminiscent of Bobby Fischer's 11-0 score at the 1963/64 US Championship; Zatonskih's only blemish came in a draw against Camilla Baginskaite, who finished second at 6.5 points. The complete tournament… -
Magnus Dominates in Nanjing, Crosses 2800 Barrier
12 Oct 2009 | 6:27 amMagnus Carlsen didn't keep up his blistering pace after starting 4.5/5 in Nanjing, but he did more than enough to win, finishing at 8/10, a full 2.5 points ahead of second place Veselin Topalov. Carlsen went an incredible 5/5 with White and also took a win with Black against Dmitriy Jakovenko without losing a single game throughout the event. Not only did Carlsen put on a historical performance, he also crossed the 2800 barrier for the first time on the live rating list. If he hangs on to his 2801 rating until the November rating list, he'll be just the 5th place to cross that barrier on a…
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Boylston Chess Club Weblog
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BU Open is Sat Nov 7th - list of early entrants, n=81
1 Nov 2009 | 1:15 pmThe 15th annual BU Open is this Sat, Nov 7th..As of Friday evening 80 players have pre-registered:.BU Open 2009: Open - Name/Rtng/IDRd 1Rd 2Rd 3Rd 4Tot 1IM Vigorito, David 2477 12426279 0.0 2xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 2452 20008479 0.0 3FM Kelleher, William Joseph 2384 10012571 0.0 4FM Chase, Christopher W 2326 10010985 0.0 5FM Mac Intyre, Paul 2323 12232580 0.0 6WGM Corke, Anya S 2298 12809699 Wesley University 0.0 7NM Times, Lawyerbye 2293 12167330 0.0 8NM Enkin, Max 2292 12694870 Brandeis University 0.0 9NM Pismennyy, Avraam 2275 12858217 0.0 10NM Krasik, Ilya 2259 12580336 0.0 11NM Lwin,… -
More on the City of Boston Championship
1 Nov 2009 | 1:11 pmyear City of Boston Champion (GBO)revised with the additions by Iglesias and Lappin...2009 SM Denys Shmelov2008 FM William Kelleher2007 WIM Ester Epstein2006 Avraam Pismenny, FM John Curdo2005 Avraam Pismenny, Leonid Tkach2004 Avraam Pismenny2003 IM Igor Foygel, FM John Curdo, Jack Stolerman, Patrick Sciacca2002 FM Charles Riordan2001 Henry "Hal" Terrie2000 IM Igor Foygel1999 GM Alexander Ivanov, IM William Paschall, Mark LaRocca1998 GM Sergey Kudrin1997 FM John Curdo1996 GM Alexander Ivanov, IM Jonathan Yedidia1995 1995 GM Alexander Ivanov1994 GM Alexander Ivanov1993 FM Charles Hertan, FM… -
Greater Boston Open through the decades
30 Oct 2009 | 2:13 pmThe following “research of winners of the GBO through the decades” is a follow up of a publication made by Robert Oresick and credited to MACA Publications Coordinator George Mirijanian at the Boylston Chess Club Weblog on 10/26/09.. I went Thursday night to the BCF and in one hour I gathered a lot of information from our Chess Horizons collection, but sadly I found we are missing two issues from 1983 Volume 15issues #5 & 6where the winner(s) of GBO from that year are named. . I would like to call all the readers of this weblog if anyone has and could spare such issues to the BCF to… -
Blitz 2 - 2 Sharks
29 Oct 2009 | 7:10 pmBoston Blitz 2-2 Miami Sharks October 29th, 2009 Chris Bird Board White Result Black 1. GM Eugene Perelshteyn (2588) 1-0 FM Bruci Lopez (2480) 2 FM Marcel Martinez (2475) 1-0 Denys Shmelov (2474) 3. WGM Anya Corke (2304) IM Blas Lugo (2351) 4. Eric Rodriguez (2290) Ilya Krasik (2252) Boston Blitz 2-2 Miami Sharks -
Ethan Gilsdorf will speak about his book "Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks"
29 Oct 2009 | 10:51 amHi!Just found out about your organization.I'm a New York Times and Boston Globe freelance journalist and a PsychologyToday.com blogger --- and Somerville resident --- and I think members of your group might be interested in my new book and attending an event I'm having at Brookline Booksmith Tues Nov 3.Would you be willing to pass this on to your peeps?Thanks!Ethan Gilsdorfauthor of "FANTASY FREAKS AND GAMING GEEKS: An Epic Quest for Reality Among Role Players, Online Gamers, and Other Dwellers of Imaginary Realms."***The Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks dog-and-pony (and orc) show comes to…
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Dana Blogs Chess
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Reno Redux — Round 6
31 Oct 2009 | 1:32 pmAnd now, back to chess. However, the blog stats make me wonder whether I should post off topic more often. My blog got more than 200 hits on the day that my post about Jorge Cham’s detention went up — even though I had no information to offer other than what was already in Cham’s cartoon. That was the most hits in any one day since I started keeping track. (Admittedly, I only started keeping track a couple of months ago). But the purpose of a chess blog isn’t to get a lot of hits, right? The purpose is to talk about chess. Right? Hello? Anybody there? Okay, I know that… -
(Off-Topic) Cartoonists and Border Guards Don’t Mix!
29 Oct 2009 | 9:30 amI’m a regular reader of two webcomics, one of which is “Piled Higher and Deeper,” by Jorge Cham. It’s a satirical look at life in academia, mostly focusing on the life of graduate students. “P.H.D.” is a huge cult hit (especially among grad students, probably not so much among professors), and as a result Cham has been able to quit his dead-end job as an engineering professor and go into the exciting career of cartooning! Nowadays, Cham gets invited to universities all over the world to give talks. What a life, right? He gets his expenses paid to visit all… -
Reno Redux — Round 3
28 Oct 2009 | 10:42 amI’m going to show you some of the highlights from my Reno tournament, starting with Round 3. I came into this round with a score of ½-1½ and was paired against Walter Shipman. I admire his play a lot — very solid and tough to beat. He plays what Jesse Kraai would call “old man chess,” but he has a right to, because he is 80 years old! I sure hope I’m playing as well as Shipman when I get to age 80. Shipman is also the solution to my personal “six degrees of Bobby Fischer” puzzle. What is the shortest link of players connecting me to Bobby Fischer,… -
There’s Something About Reno …
26 Oct 2009 | 11:02 pmI don’t know what it is, but something about Reno seems to bring out my best chess. Is it the thin mountain air? Or is it the gambling, risk-taking spirit that pervades the place? Anyway, all of my best results in recent years have come there: 2005 Far West Open: I go 5.5-0.5 in the Expert section, winning first place. That is the last time that I entered the Expert section, because I felt after this that I had earned the right to test myself against masters. 2006 Western States Open: I go 4-2 in the Open section and win the under-2300 prize, thanks to my last-round victory with a Queen… -
Reno report — round four
25 Oct 2009 | 9:16 amAfter the first four rounds of the Western States Open, the two biggest stories are upsets and youth. Both of the two top seeds went down to defeat in the first two rounds. In round one, GM Jaan Ehlvest (seeded #2) blundered a piece against veteran master Andrew Karklins and immediately resigned. In round two, GM Loek van Wely, the top seed who was making his first appearance ever at the Western States Open, ran up against junior superstar Steven Zierk. You can see the game in Michael Aigner’s blog. There’s a good chance that I will lecture about this game for ChessLecture, too…
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Chess.com
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Another approach to Sc. Defence, Dragon Var.
7 Nov 2009 | 4:11 amHello Chess peepz! Here's another game in which I practiced Dragon variation of the Sicilian defence. I couldn't get anything more than a draw out of it. Please go ahead and analyze it. I'd thankfully welcome your comments. Â -
World Juniors 2009 - The Indian Perspective - Conclusion part 1...
7 Nov 2009 | 2:07 amI was hopping around the spectators area in the tournament hall like a mad frog in total anxiety as Soumya Swaminathan, the only medal aspirant for the Indian team, was finishing her penultimate (12th)round game against the Peruvian WIM Cori Tello... -
Read this if you can
7 Nov 2009 | 12:24 amWhy do we sleep in church,But stay awake through a 2 hour movie? Why is it so hard to talk about God,but so easy to talk about rumors? Why are we so bored when we look at the Bible,but find it easy to read Playboy? Why is it so easy to ignore a... -
My chess tactics and ideas
6 Nov 2009 | 11:17 pm When I play chess I have two plans Plan:A  and Plan:B, plan B is to enforce plan A. "When I sit down to play a game of chess I expect to win". A quote from I.M. David Pruess. That saying cracks me up so simple yet so direct. -
King's Gambit: Keene's Defense
6 Nov 2009 | 10:16 pmthis game was like others, played in 45 45 time controls at FICS teamleague. the game has an interesting tactical middle game which I hope you enjoy. comments are appreciated. Â this is how complications can lead to crushing victory. all you ...
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Robert Pearson's Chess Blog
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Memorable Game 7: King Hunt! (Unfortunately Mine), RLP - R. Campbell 10.14.2000 0-1
6 Nov 2009 | 11:05 pmMy previous "Memorable Games" posted here were memorable for me in that they were some of my best games. This game is memorable because I forget a little thing called "development" and my whole king side stays at home for an entire game, just like in some of those 1850's clashes "Anderssen-NN" or "Morphy-Allies." Also, one of the few times in my career that my king made it out to the fifth rank with a bunch of pieces still on the board; hardly ever a good sign. Yes, I willl officially call it a King Hunt.Ron Campbell, my opponent in this game, was a regular around the Anchorage chess scene in… -
I Invent a Totally NEW Word - Please Make It Go Viral!!!
4 Nov 2009 | 10:05 pmOver at Liquid Egg Product the Mascot has produced, directed and starred in a Halloween Holiday Classic. In the comments, I write:Seriously dude, I know you’re loyal to Donnie and all but someone with your combination of churtful yet charming snark, slender physique, immunity to criticism, babe magnetism and tolerance for tasteless violence and gore would fit RIGHT IN with most of the Hollywood crowd.Churtful? CHURTFUL??? I think I meant to say cheerful, then thought to change it to hurtful, and LOOK WHAT HAPPENED! Ma, I done a good thing!Cheerful and hurtful. And snarky. Yes, that's… -
'Round the Chess Blogosphere Highlights + Hot Chess Babes!
20 Oct 2009 | 10:36 pmReassembler goes democratic, and my vote for "link love" is the only vote for link love. I threaten to take it on myself. Thus, this post.The Other McCain has gotten over 2.7 million visitors so far by using 5 simple rules, Rule 2 being (in part) "Reciprocal linkage is the essential lubricant that makes the blogosphere purr with contentment." I don't think we in the chess area of the blogosphere are doing enough of it. Blue Devil Knight is pretty good about linking, see here and here. Rocky Rook points out an interesting chess variant, or at least an interesting game using chess pieces,… -
Chess and Baseball: The Thinking Man's Games (?)
12 Oct 2009 | 10:36 pm"Interchangeable Skills?"You decide as Yankee's manager Joe Girardi talks about the two games.Sorry no embed, permalink here. -
Amazing and Amusing Juxtaposition
7 Oct 2009 | 10:06 pmHere's one for ya--BJ14269's Blog over at Chess.com. I don't feel the need to add any commentary except, "Remember, God loves all His children, including snipers!" (Hat tip: Chess Skills feed)God in life Submitted by BJ14269 on Thu Oct 8, 2009 9:18am. I was wondering... What is God doing in peoples lives now-a-days Read more » » posted in BJ14269's Blog 9 reads | 0 comments favorite sniper? Submitted by BJ14269 on Tue Jul 21, 2009 7:55am. I was wondering if anyone had a favorite sniper? It can be from any time or place or skill. my personal favorite is Carlos Hathcock! any others? Read more…
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Polgar Chess Daily News and Info
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LIVE Commentary: Gelfand vs Carlsen
6 Nov 2009 | 11:30 pmThis is a very intriguing matchup. Gelfand is an underrated player who is very technically sound. I have known him for years and he is not one who would be too easily intimidated. Carlsen is a brilliant phenom with flair. He is on a quest to become #1 in the world. I expect this to be an exciting game. The game will begin at 7 am NY time and 6 am Texas time. Our friends at Chessdom are also covering this.For those of you who are new to my LIVE commentary, simply refresh your browser to see my updated commentary after the game begins.1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Ne4 5. Bh4 c5 Aggressive… -
Grandmaster chess tactic
6 Nov 2009 | 10:51 pmBlack to move. How should Black proceed?Source: ChessToday.netChess news from Susan Polgar -
Supremacy at Russia's expense
6 Nov 2009 | 10:39 pmArmenia and Azerbaijan vie for supremacy at Russia's expenseLeonard BardenThe Guardian, Saturday 7 November 2009More than 150 nations are affiliated to the global chess body Fide, yet team supremacy on the board is currently being fought out by two small Caucasian republics. In the process the pair have humilated their big neighbour Russia, for long the undisputed No1.When Armenia won the 2006 Olympiad, the success was reckoned a surprise one-off. Then its squad retained the crown in 2008, sparking street celebrations in Erevan and the presidential plane home for the winning team. On both… -
Polgar Chess University
6 Nov 2009 | 10:04 pmSpecial BonusAnnual plan includes 1 year of FREE World Chess Live membership! - Affordable Chess Training with World-Class Instructors! - Weekly Classes for Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced levels! - Classes are personally being conducted by me and many other World-Class Chess Trainers! Polgar Chess UniversityMy new online chess training program where students of all levels, no matter where they live, have an opportunity to learn chess from some of the best instructors in the game. I created this online school with the dream of bringing expert advice and training to chess enthusiasts… -
LIVE Commentary Poll
6 Nov 2009 | 10:03 pmWhich game would you like to see LIVE commentary in round 3?Boris Gelfand - Magnus CarlsenVishy Anand - Peter SvidlerAlexander Morozevich - Vladimir Kramnik Levon Aronian - Peter LekoVassily Ivanchuk - Ruslan Ponomariovpollcode.com free pollsThe game with the most vote will be the game I will do LIVE commentary tomorrow morning.Chess news from Susan Polgar
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The Closet Grandmaster
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The Filipino Defence
7 Nov 2009 | 3:23 amThere's a new system doing the rounds of blitz games in Sydney. It's called the "Filipino Defence", so named because its main exponent is, of course, a Pinoy ("Johny from Manila"). The big idea is apparently to win games on time, especially when the position is hopelessly lost. Anyway, one group of Pinoys who might have made use of this new system is the RP team in the Asian Indoor Games in Vietnam. Spearheaded by GM Antonio, the boys and girls has so far failed to win a single medal in the chess events. Very disappointing, indeed. -
Chess as a Stress Reliever
5 Nov 2009 | 4:24 amI like this story from the St Louis Today. It's a surprising benefit (to me, anyway) of playing chess:"When you play chess have to focus your mind on the game and strategies," said Suzanne Corbett, 56. "It gave him a relief and a quiet space."It also helped her as his caretaker, she said. "Sometimes we feel so helpless on what we can do to make it better, and a simple game like chess is something you can do with an individual without smothering them."From Chess helps cancer patients de-stress. -
Frenchman Wins World Juniors
4 Nov 2009 | 3:29 amCongrats to Frenchman Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Swaminathan Soumya, of India, for winning this year's World Juniors in the boys and girls sections, respectively. It was not a particularly positive showing by the trio of Australians, but I suppose they can finish their South American stint with plenty of good experience. Final Aussie scores are as follows:6.0 Guo, Emma (Girls)4.5 Guo-Yuthok, Sherab (Boys)3.5 Anton, Sarah (Girls)Despite her terrible run, Sarah did pull off this win. It's a good, domineering one. 2009 WJun GirlsDe Leon, P.Anton, S.A881. d4 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. -
Aussies in 2009 World Youths
2 Nov 2009 | 8:01 pmWhile the Aussie contingent in the currently ongoing World Juniors in Argentina is somewhat anaemic, the group headed for the upcoming World Youths in Turkey will be a far bigger one. No less than 28 people - that includes parents, players and coaches - will turn up under the Australian flag. Lucky for the Aussie boys and girls is that they'll enjoy the services of 2 grandmasters as well as IM Lane and FM Smirnov, so we can expect a good showing particularlly from the likes of Bobby Cheng and Yi Yuan. The even will run from 11 November until 23 November. Chessdom has a preview (and I thank… -
2009 Melbourne Cup
2 Nov 2009 | 12:16 amThe race that stops the whole nation will be on again tomorrow afternoon, and for chess fans two horses are surely worth a bet. These are last year's winner "Viewed" and "Roman Emperor". What's so special about these two, you ask. Well, apart from the fact that both horses finished one-two in last month's Caulfield Cup and trained by Cup legend Bart Cummings (who is gunning for his 13th win), the pair are also owned by Malaysian chess stalwart, Datuk Tan Chin Nam.My tip, however, is Allez Wonder.
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Backgammon News
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Backgammon Game Discovers Ancient City
1 Nov 2009 | 5:49 amThe festive opening of the new building Afrodisias Ancient City Museum was held last weekend in the Aydın province in the Aegean region in Turkey, a year and a half after it was opened for public and 30 years after the museum was originally initiated. The museum exhibits the ruins of the Afrodi... -
Backgammon Season Opens in Greece
24 Sep 2009 | 4:29 amThe Greek Backgammon Federation has launched its 2009/10 season on September 12th, 2009 in a multiplayer tournament, attended by Greece's top backgammon players, including Greece's self declared number 1 backgammon player, Giorgos Klitsas, who served as the Tournament Director as well. ... -
Backgammon Cheaters Got Suspended Sentences
8 Sep 2009 | 5:50 amThree of the four men who were involved in a large-scale poker and backgammon cheating scandal at the Borgata Casino Hotel in Atlantic City two years got 3-5 years on probation, while the fourth suspect, gambling security advisor Steven Forte, was released with no charges last July. The trio is barr... -
Online Tribute to Late Backgammon Guru
25 Aug 2009 | 5:41 amFriends, admirers and past opponents pay tribute to backgammon player and author Walter Trice, who died early this week at 60. Walter Trice of Massachusetts has been playing backgammon for over 30 years, championed many ABT events, wrote two influential, highly praised backgammon books and develop... -
New effort in Online Poker US Regulation
12 Aug 2009 | 1:52 amA new bill aiming to regulate internet poker and skill games, backgammon among them, was introduced to the Congress last week by Senator Robert Menedez (D-NJ). S 8309, titled “Internet Poker and Games of Skill Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act of 2009,” emphasizes the ...
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Backgammon.co.uk
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Backgammon in the Fabulous 1980s
20 Oct 2009 | 6:29 amOr why chess experts should play backgammon for money instead of poker When someone is a talented chess player, but lacks the concentration ability or aspiration to become a chess pro, and still wish to monetize these skills, he usually heads to poker, sometimes with a backgammon stop in between.... -
Backgammon vs. Chess (#5)
8 Oct 2009 | 10:20 amBackgammon is broken, grumbles the blogger who uses the nickname MFChang who returned playing backgammon after more than 20 years of absence. Backgammon is a weak and unfair game, is the summation of her (?) impression; it has limited strategies and the doubles rule (allowing you to play the numbers... -
The Sandy Osborne Trophy
1 Oct 2009 | 1:32 amWhen: 2-4 October 2009 Where: Barceló Daventry Hotel Sedgemoor Way Daventry Nr. Northampton NN11 0SG The annual Sandy Osborne Memorial backgammon tournament, courtesy of BIBA, takes place every year at the first weekend of October. Tournament Format: Knockout Tel: 01522 888676/0... -
UK Masters & WSOB Championship
1 Oct 2009 | 1:18 amWhen: 21-25 October 2009 Where: 13-16 Allhallows Lane London, EC4R 3UL This year's UK Masters is closing the World Series of Backgammon for 2009, and it will be followed by the WSOB Championship. As in everything else that happened in the WSOB 3rd, somewhat dense, season, most of the det... -
Amsterdam Backgammon Club Tournaments
30 Sep 2009 | 2:44 amWhen: Every Monday, Wednesday & Friday and every 3rd Sunday Where: Café De Twee Klaveren (Wednesdays & Fridays) De Clerqstraat 136 Or Café Spargo (Fridays & Sunday) Linnaeusstraat 37A Amsterdam, the Netherlands The Amsterdam Backgammon Clubs run three weekly tourn...
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Total Diplomacy
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What can You Learn from the Mongol Invasion? (Part 2 of 2)
1 Nov 2009 | 1:56 amOn the outset, Genghis Khan had the fastest army on the planet. His genius was to take full advantage of his fast moving armies against well-established disciplined armies many times their armies. These armies were also backed by resources of an empire which made the task even more profound. Genghis Khan used the ancient Chinese Strategy of Slow Slow Quick Quick as his grand strategy. Let s see how this worked in practice. -
The Psychology of Decision Making in Risk (Part 1 of 2)
29 Oct 2009 | 1:40 amSometimes choosing between options is not easy, especially when you have to deal with probabilities. You may think each option has its own pros and cons. The situation gets even more complicated when you realise someone else has these options and are wondering which one they are going to choose. In Risk, decision making plays a significant role and it is ideal to have a deeper look at this topic. To start this investigation, let s do an experiment. To get good results, please follow these instructions carefully. Below, you can see two links. Each of these links leads you to a simple question. -
Critical Starting Moves in Risk (Part 1 of 2)
25 Oct 2009 | 12:46 amRisk can be surprising and in the course of a game, you may always have a heart sinking feeling of imminent danger and fall. In fact, this is what makes Risk so exciting. Anyone can win which means even experienced players must be on guard all the time otherwise can easily lose. The opening stages of a game are quite critical. If you start badly or make mistakes, you are very likely to get kicked out and the game and lose. You must pay constant attention to your opponents as well as your own position in comparison with others. The best way to learn opening moves is by example. Let s consider… -
What can You Learn from the Mongol Invasion? (Part 1 of 2)
12 Oct 2009 | 12:42 amHistory has many lessons to teach us and when it comes to strategy and you can get a lot of insight from it. In 1218, Khwarezm was a prosperous empire covering modern day Iran and Afghanistan. Shah Mohammad II ruled from his wealthy capital of Samarkand. At this time, the Mongols on his East approached him to make a deal on reopening the Silk Road. This would bring even more wealth, to the empire so Shah agreed to it. Later, Mongols sent an envoy to buy expensive gifts for their court from the empire. Shah suspected the convoy as spies and killed them all. Genghis Khan, leader of Mongols… -
Grand Startegy: Lose Battles But Win the War
23 Sep 2009 | 5:34 amThe classic definition of grand strategy is purposeful employment of all instruments of power available to secure a community . In other words, it is your ultimate plan to win. In Risk, this can boil down to the following: What is it you want to do and how do you want to do it? The ultimate goal in a classic Risk game is always very clear; conquer the whole world. This makes it relatively easy at first look, but is it that simple? Remember, in real life if you ever come to conquer the whole known world, you may not be too bothered about what happens the next time the world in conquered. You…
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aka Pastor Guy
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MIA #1: Cheese Snatching (Kaseklau!)
2 Nov 2009 | 5:59 pmCheese Snatching (Kaseklau!) designer: Wolfgang Dirscherlpublisher: Haba date: 2006BoardGameGeek rank/rating: not ranked/7.25age: 5+# of players: 2-4print status: in print cost: $12.59 (maukilo.com)And we've reached #1 again - this time of the MIA (missing in action) games from the Kid Games 100. Once again, it's a Haba game (the Kid Games 100 #1 was Kayanak) and once again it has been a rousing success with every group of people I've roped into playing it, regardless of age or gaming background. In fact, I think this would almost have certainly have ended up in the top ten of the Kid Games… -
MIA #2: Chicken Squabble (Zoff im Huhnerhof)
2 Nov 2009 | 7:35 amChicken Squabble (Zoff im Huhnerhof) designer: Marco Teubner publisher: Haba date: 2006 BoardGameGeek rank/rating: 3349/6.35 age: 4+ # of players: 2-4 print status: in print cost: $35.99 (maukilo.com) It's a good thing that the crow is warning the chickens about the approach of the fox... otherwise they wouldn't have enough time to dash back to the hen house when he appears. Of course, you'd think the rubber-armed farmhand who's flinging wooden chicken feed at them would figure that out himself, but that's the way it goes in agribusiness. Zoff im Huhnerhof (literally "Trouble in the… -
Abston Church of Christ
29 Oct 2009 | 1:19 pmI got forwarded some pictures of this epic Lego building, but with no link (and, sadly, some of the usual "forward this if you love Jesus" hoo-ha that makes me irritable and keeps me from forwarding it out of sheer spite for trivializing the message of Christ with such crapola... even though I do love Jesus.) Anyway, I thought I'd share a picture here (look carefully - it's made COMPLETELY of Legos) and link you back to the Abston Church of Christ - a work of love by Amy Hughes. If you like monster Lego projects and/or cats, go check the site out. Did anyone else notice that there are no… -
MIA #3: The Rolling Gang (Die Kullerbande)
15 Oct 2009 | 8:31 pmThe Rolling Gang (Die Kullerbande) designer: Heinz Meisterpublisher: Haba date: 2006 BoardGameGeek rank/rating: no ranking/6.67age: 5+ # of players: 2-8 print status: in print cost: $27.99 (maukilo.com)Actually, only one of the members of the gang is rolling... but the other members of his posse have decided (due to the benefits of magnetic power) to stand really still and let their friend the mouse (who to all normal powers of observation looks like a small wooden ball) run between their legs. Your mission (should you choose to accept it) is to manipulate the aforementioned mouse through the… -
MIA #4: Fluch der Mumie
15 Oct 2009 | 12:19 pmFluch der Mumie designer: Marcel-Andre Casasola Merklepublisher: Ravensburgerdate: 2008BoardGameGeek rank/rating: 903/6.98age: 8+# of players: 2-5print status: in printcost: $36.90 (Boards & Bits)Many, many moons ago, I bought this weird magnetic game called Zomax on the recommendation of Games Magazine... and I wasn't disappointed. It's not perfect, mind you - it's kind of like Risk crossed w/Conquest, but it's played "blind" because of the magnets & the vertical metal board. One of my other early German game acquisitions was Ravensburger's Scotland Yard, where one of the players was…
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Zimbio Board Game News
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Hasbro Nerf N-Strike Maverick - Colors May Vary Review
1 Nov 2009 | 8:01 amHasbro Nerf N-Strike Maverick - Colors May VaryProduct Description The Maverick blaster features a six-dart rotating barrel with easy flip loading so you don't have to waste any time while blasting enemy targets. Rapid launching action increases your battle speed and accuracy. Other features include a pullback mechanism and auto-advancing barrel.The Maverick is a part of the N-Strike team, so you can snap it onto the Unity Power System (sold separately) and ratchet the NERF action up another notch. This incredibly cool Maverick blaster has a six-dart barrel with flip-open action… -
The Settlers Of Catan Travel Edition [Digg]
25 Oct 2009 | 12:13 pmThe Settlers of Catan travel edition is played in exactly the same way as the standard Settlers of Catan board game. The games comes with a game board, 10 terrain tiles and 9 harbors. It has 16 cities, 20 settlements, 60 roads and 1 robber. -
Buy CLUE THE OFFICE EDITION- cheap Christmas gift
2 Oct 2009 | 7:39 amCLUE - THE OFFICE EDITION is THE hot boardgame right now, and will surely be enjoyed by people who like casual board games. CLUE OFFICE is will be a great cheap Christmas gift kids. CLUE OFFICE reviews already show that the boardgame is CLEVER, full of DETAILS, FUNNY, and totally full of THE OFFICE JOKES and THE OFFICE HUMOR. This CLUE version is a would make a great Christmas gift for any member of the family who is a fan of THE OFFICE. Retail stores such as Borders and JC Penny have it, and so do some online stores, but you can discount CLUE OFFICE EDITION right here: BUY CLUE - THE OFFICE… -
Discount CLUE – THE OFFICE EDITION!
30 Sep 2009 | 12:29 pmCLUE – THE OFFICE EDITION is a hot boardgame right now, surely to be enjoyed by people who dig casual board games. CLUE OFFICE is will be a great cheap Christmas gift for the family or for kids. The early CLUE Early OFFICE CLUE reviews reveal that the game is CLEVER, full of DETAILS, FUNNY, and totally full of THE OFFICE JOKES and THE OFFICE HUMOR. This CLUE version is a MUST HAVE for THE OFFICE fans. It is available..well, almost everywhere- retail stores such as Border and JC Penny have it, and so do some online stores, but you can discount CLUE OFFICE EDITION right here: BUY CLUE… -
catan: seafarers game expansion
23 Sep 2009 | 4:52 pmBuy Cheap Catan: Seafarers Game Expansion Buy Low Price From Here Now In The Seafarers of Catan you control a group of seafaring settlers exploring and taming the uncharted Isles of Catan. Embark on a quest to settle the island, build ships, and chart the nearby waters. Guide your settlers to victory with clever trading, cunning development, and by establishing the most productive sea lanes. Acquire your resources through card play and the luck of the dice. Discover far-off mines and use gold and combinations of resources–grain, wool, ore, brick, and timber — to develop your…
