WBC

Just got back from WBC. Will have some write ups later. I was just doing some reminiscing and re-read the WBC primer. This section really stood out to me.

Despite our themed background of championships, laurels and wood, WBC is about having fun. No game is worth winning, if in the process you antagonize your opponent(s) and cannot walk away from the table with the respect of those you've just played. PLEASE, if ever you find yourself about to chastise someone for "blowing the game" or playing poorly, I urge you to reconsider. Taking a loss out on an opponent with a verbal tongue lashing will not change the outcome, but it will brand you a "jerk". Dealing with subpar play in multi-player games is part of the landscape you've chosen to cultivate. It comes with the territory. Live with it - don't ruin someone's day. Above all, WBC admires sportsmanship. Be someone we want to welcome back - not someone we hope will stay away.

I still have some bad memories of games where this happened. Sometimes the wrath was in my direction, other times it was not. Either way, those game events are rotten memories now. I will come away from this year's WBC with one particular memory. My Air Baron semifinal heat - I am now 0-3 in ABN Semi's, but this year was a little different. It's always fun to play with my buddy Fred - and this year was no different. I made a bad open, wasn't lucky with the chits even after taking a loan and taking Detroit and most of New York, and despite my best efforts to attack the leader I wasn't able to compete for most of the game. I told some of the guys at the table that it was more fun losing that game than it had been winning a game where the "table-feeling" was uncomfortable.

In the end, it really is just a game. Enjoy the playing of it.

1,000 logged games

For the last couple years, I've logged each game I played at BoardGameGeek.com. No real reason why, but it's nice to look back and see the new games I've played. Well, since I started logging a few years back, I have now hit the 1,000th game logged.

I created a geek-list to commemorate the occasion. Basically, it runs down the games that I've logged 5 or more plays of. There are 29 games listed.

The 1,000th game was a 3 player game of Cuba. I really like this game and it was the first time we were able to use the El Presidente expansion. I explained the rules of the expansion and re-explained the base rules to my wife and father and we started off. Jen took an early lead, but it didn't take my dad and I long to catch up. By the time our scores were in the 30's and 40's, it was a very close game - within 5 points of each place.

My dad examining a move in Cuba

In the end, with a shrewd sale of Rum for 6 dollars, and the parliament passing all the bills - I was able to steal more bonus points than either my father or wife and pulled out a 118-111-110 win. I don't care as much about the win as I do about being able to play #1000 with my dad and wife. I'm glad we played the new expansion - I really think it makes a better game. There are some expansions that don't, but that's a blog for another day.

Review of El Capitan

Normally, I struggle with rule books. I usually have my father or brother-in-law read the rules and explain them to me. I'm a kinesthetic learner - meaning, I need to DO something to learn it. Video reviewers like Scott Nicholson and Tom Vasel have taught me games like Agricola, Le Havre, Vegas Showdown, Pillars of the Earth, and more.

During the 2008 WBC, I purchased a copy of El Capitan. I decided to bull through the rules and figure it out on my own. I figured it out well enough that I wanted to help other players learn about it, so I made a video review of the game El Capitan.

I uploaded it a while back. Click here to view my video review of El Capitan.

Welcome Message

Greetings! I am a second generation board gamer. My dad started playing board games with my sister and I and I've enjoyed playing many different style games over the years. I'll try any game once as long as someone is patient enough to teach me.

My top ten is a list of my top ten favorite games to play. Click on any of the links in my top ten to view it's Boardgamegeek.com page.

Why do you game?
ah, the eternal question why. Honestly, I don't think I can give a fair answer because there are so many reasons. The feeling of doing something fun with your family and friends, the tension of "will I get that tile or piece I need, will so-and-so buy into that land before I can, if this happens and I do this I may win", but mostly because it's a hobby that continues to grow and hopefully continues to get better and better.

What types of games do you prefer?
I prefer economic games and am mostly a Eurogamer, but I've always said I'd play anything as long as someone was patient enough to teach me. That said, I don't think I'll be playing ASL or POG anytime soon. War games just don't appeal to me. That's not to say I don't enjoy combat games. I think Air Baron is the closest hybrid to a war game/eurogame that I've played and it was the game that broke me into the hobby.

Where do you game?
Wherever. Online, at home, on the road. I've gamed at friends houses, at my parents house, at my in-laws houses, anywhere I can.

Who do you game with? etc.
Pretty much whoever wants to play. Mostly friends and family. I started out playing monopoly, Clue, Scotland Yard, etc with my sister and dad. My mother would play party games like Charades but had no interest in the boards. In High School I got some of my friends to meet up with my dad and I for Air Baron night. In college, I introduced some card games like Family Business to my Fraternity brothers and after college I continued to game with my dad. I am married now and my wife is a gamer as is most of her family, so we'll play together. I also met a few new friends through BGG who get together as well.

Then there's the whole online world, where I'll play Tikal, Carcassonne, Power Grid, Notre Dame, etc with people I've never met before.