Monday 31 October 2011

Board / Card Games: Happy Halloween!

Board / Card Games
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Happy Halloween!
Oct 31st 2011, 10:30

Betrayal at House on the HillIf you're looking for a great game to celebrate this spookiest of holidays, I enthusiastically recommend Betrayal at House on the Hill, designed by Bruce Glassco and published by Avalon Hill / Wizards of the Coast / Hasbro. I ranked BaHotH as the #3 board game published in 2004, and the company released a new version in 2010.

Betrayal is definitely an "experience game" -- that is, you cannot play if you're overly concerned about who will win and who will lose. Players work together, exploring a haunted house, but at some point one of the players (the game determines which one) will become a traitor and turn on his friends. That's when the fun begins.

If you'd like to learn more, I interviewed Glassco when the game was originally released. Here's some additional information about the 2010 edition.

What's your favorite spooky game? Post your thoughts in the comments below, or share them on Facebook or Twitter.

Image courtesy of Avalon Hill / Wizards of the Coast / Hasbro.

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Board / Card Games: 2011 Essen Game Fair Recap

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2011 Essen Game Fair Recap
Oct 31st 2011, 07:43

Every year, the Essen Game Fair in Germany is a highlight for board game enthusiasts. Officially known as the Internationale Spieltage (or simply "Spiel"), Essen is the event at which game publishers show off their newest offerings to the German public in advance of the holiday season. Every year, plenty of interesting news about upcoming (and sometimes unexpected) releases breaks at Essen. Dale Yu and others at The Opinionated Gamers have put together an incredible collection of coverage of the 2011 Essen Game Fair.

Essen is just one of many great conventions included on my complete game events calendar.

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Board / Card Games: Best Football Board Games

Board / Card Games
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Best Football Board Games
Oct 31st 2011, 08:02

We are now eight weeks into the 2011 National Football League season, and several things are clear: My Green Bay Packers (full disclosure: I'm a part owner of the team) are really good, the Detroit Lions are really for real, and the Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts are really bad.

If you're interested in bringing some of the NFL's hard-hitting action to your game room, here's a look at my picks for the top 10 football games. Soon, R&R Games will release 1st & Goal, a new football game designed by Stephen Glenn. I played a prototype version last year, and again earlier this year. Unless something dramatic changed between that prototype and the finished version, my list will soon have a new #1 game.

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Board / Card Games: How to Win at Connect Four

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How to Win at Connect Four
Oct 31st 2011, 07:15

The classic Connect Four is a simple game, perfect for children and adults to play together or for children to play on their own. (One of the most memorable boardgame commercials of all-time is this one about Connect Four.) It's in the same family of connection games as Tic-Tac-Toe on the simple side and Pente on the more complex side, but Connect Four's vertical nature makes it unique. Here are some basic strategy tips that will help you learn how to win at Connect Four.

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Board / Card Games: What's Hot Now: Monopoly FAQ

Board / Card Games: What's Hot Now
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Monopoly FAQ
Oct 31st 2011, 10:08

This FAQ covers frequently asked questions about the board game Monopoly. Due in large part to the widespread popularity of Monopoly, many house rules have been developed over the years, some used by many players and others used only by a few.

The answers provided here relate to the official rules of Monopoly -- but you should feel free to make adjustments as you see fit, as long as all the players agree to them ahead of time.

Rules and Variants

Money Building Houses and Hotels Property, Rent and Mortgages Deals with Other Players Other Gameplay Questions History of Monopoly Special Editions and Collecting Monopoly Miscellaneous If you have any questions about the board game Monopoly which aren't answered in this FAQ, please post them in the Board/Card Games Forum. You can get answers from gamers around the world.

The answers in this FAQ are based on information from a variety of sources, including the official Monopoly rules, Hasbro, Monopoly.com, USAopoly, Ken Koury's Monopoly FAQ, and Richard Wilding's Monopoly FAQ.

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Board / Card Games: What's Hot Now: How to Shoot the Moon in Hearts

Board / Card Games: What's Hot Now
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How to Shoot the Moon in Hearts
Oct 31st 2011, 10:08

Generally speaking, your goal in a round of Hearts is to take the fewest points. However, if you manage to take all 26 points in a round, this is called "shooting the moon", and you get to subtract 26 points from your total instead.

Although difficult to do and generally not recommended for beginners, here are some tips on how to shoot the moon in Hearts:

Consider the possibility of failure.

If you try to shoot the moon, and miss by a single heart, you will instead gain 25 points. If you're at 75 points or more, then this will end the game with you in last place. Be sure you can afford to fail -- or be sure that you are good enough not to.

Check your hand.

You don't just need some high cards to shoot the moon; you need most of them. You'll also generally want a long suit in which you hold at least six cards, including most (if not all) of the royalty. Every hole in your hand, every missing ace, is a trick someone else could take to ruin your plan.

Pass wisely.

If you are trying to shoot the moon, you can't afford to have any cards in hand that will force you to lose a trick with points in it. If you have a suit with only low cards in it, get rid of those cards. Passing low cards may make it obvious to your recipient that you are trying to shoot the moon, so be aware of this fact.

Also, keep in mind that some players will hold on to a high card, rather than passing it, precisely to prevent other players from shooting the moon. If the player passing to you is likely to do this, it will make shooting the moon much harder.

If you are missing some important cards (especially aces), and you pass away all your low cards, you may end up with a 25 point hand if the player next to you holds an ace.

Pay very close attention to the "holes" in your hand once the round starts.

If you have the K, Q, J, 8, 7, 3 of diamonds, look to see when someone plays the ace. Once they do, you hold the three highest diamonds and can likely go on a run later in the game if you get the lead.

But until the ace of diamonds falls, you don't hold the highest card, and someone else can stop your run. Until that ace falls, you may not want to tip your hand and make your moonshot attempt too blatant. Otherwise that annoying missing ace may come back to take one heart at the wrong time and ruin your plans.

Once the cards that can stop you have been played, it's time to take control.

A popular method is to use your high cards to take tricks repeatedly, and then play your long suit starting with the highest card to run the table. By the time you hit the lower cards in your long suit, everyone else should be void, so you should win the tricks even with a three.

Be sure you have some high hearts.

Once hearts are broken, you may want to be able to lead A, K, Q of hearts, in order to take three rounds of hearts from other players. It's okay to have a single low card like a five of clubs lingering in your hand at the end of your run, so long as you have already taken all the hearts.

What you want to avoid is the scenario where you run the table but on the final trick, you play a five of clubs, your neighbor plays the jack of clubs she was saving, and someone else drops a heart to give her a point -- and ruin your moonshot.

If you can clear out all the hearts early on, all you have to worry about is the queen of spades. Once you get all of that, it doesn't matter if you have a few cards stuck in your hand that will lose you tricks, because you have all the points.

Above all, remember that shooting the moon is a rare occurrence.

If you aren't sure if you should take the risk with your hand, it's probably safer not to try.

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Board / Card Games: What's Hot Now: Monopoly 101

Board / Card Games: What's Hot Now
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Monopoly 101
Oct 31st 2011, 10:08

Monopoly is published in 26 languages and sold in 80 countries. But how much do you know about this game, first published commercially in 1935 -- the height of the Depression?

Whatever you want to know about the board game Monopoly, these links will provide it.

Monopoly Rules and Strategy

When you play Monopoly, do you get money for landing on Free Parking? If so, you're not playing by the official rules -- and you're making the game longer and probably less fun than it should be.

There are also some time-proven strategies to being a successful Monopoly player.

Playing Monopoly Online

When you can't find anyone to play Monopoly in person, there are several ways to enjoy the classic real estate game online for free.

Monopoly History

Monopoly's history is not as simple as you might imagine. Charles Darrow was not the first person to design a Monopoly-like game, and the publication of a 1974 game called Anti-Monopoly led one man to do a lot of investigating.

Collecting Monopoly

Monopoly may be the most collectible board game in history, as hundreds of editions have been published through the years. Many major U.S. cities and universities have their own special themed editions of Monopoly, as do the NFL, Coca-Cola, Betty Boop, the Simpsons, Elvis Presley, NASCAR and many others.

Some collectors have amassed thousands of Monopoly-related items, including board games, computer games, mugs, greeting cards, keychains, gum, boxer shorts and more.

If You Like Monopoly, Try These Games

There are many great board games with an economic theme. Monopoly is the best-known, but many others deserve a spot on your game shelf.

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Sunday 30 October 2011

Board / Card Games: What's Hot Now: The Complete Guide to Monopoly

Board / Card Games: What's Hot Now
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The Complete Guide to Monopoly
Oct 30th 2011, 10:08

First published in 1935, Monopoly quickly became a best-selling board game. It has maintained that status for the past 75 years as hundreds of versions have been published and sold in 103 countries and 37 languages. More than 200 million copies of Monopoly have been sold.

Monopoly Profile

Monopoly - Basic GameImage courtesy of Hasbro / Parker Brothers

I believe that Monopoly is one of the 50 most culturally and historically significant games published since 1800. This profile explains why.

How to Win Monopoly

Monopoly Here & Now World EditionImage courtesy of Hasbro / Parker Brothers

There's a strong element of luck involved in playing Monopoly, but there's also enough strategy so that skilled players will win more often than not. Use these tips and hints, and you'll be smiling all the way to Boardwalk.

Frequently Asked Questions

Monopoly 1935 Deluxe First EditionPhoto © Erik Arneson

This FAQ covers frequently asked questions about the board game Monopoly. Due in large part to the widespread popularity of Monopoly, many house rules have been developed over the years, some used by many players and others used only by a few. The answers provided here relate to the official rules of Monopoly.

Ways to Improve Monopoly

Monopoly Electronic Banking EditionImage courtesy of Hasbro / Parker Brothers

We've all been there... a family gathering, a rainy Saturday afternoon... and everyone decides to play a board game. In homes all around the world, that game is often Monopoly. But so many of us have played it so often -- and games can drag on for so long -- that one more game of Monopoly just might make us scream. But there's a reason Monopoly has been so popular for so long: It's a good game. The problem is that most of us don't play by the rules.

Playing Monopoly Online

Information about how and where you can play the classic board game Monopoly online.

Monopoly Properties

Monopoly Here & Now - Go SpacePhoto courtesy of Hasbro

A close look at all of the properties available in the standard Monopoly game, including the relative likelihood that a player will land on each property space.

Monopoly Here & Now: No More Boardwalk?

Monopoly Here & NowImage courtesy of Hasbro / Parker Brothers

Why did Hasbro do away with Boardwalk in the Here and Now Edition of Monopoly? And is Boardwalk gone forever?

Monopoly Town - Review

Monopoly TownImage courtesy of Hasbro / Parker Brothers

A review of the children's board game Monopoly Town, published by Parker Brothers / Hasbro.

Free Parking: Monopoly Card Game

Players try to accumulate points by keeping their parking meter out of violation and avoiding Officer Jones when it is in this Monopoly-themed card game.

Best Monopoly Books

Monopoly is an American institution, one of those games that seems to find its way into just about every home. If you're interested in the history of Monopoly, or in making this board game more fun to play, these books will help.

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Board / Card Games: What's Hot Now: Rock Paper Scissors - Rules

Board / Card Games: What's Hot Now
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Rock Paper Scissors - Rules
Oct 30th 2011, 10:08

Rock Paper Scissors (sometimes abbreviated as RPS) is a classic two-player game. Although the rules are very simple, some people take it to another level by analyzing it as a psychological test. The World RPS Society sponsors the annual RPS World Championship, and has published a 208-page strategy guide.

Rock Paper Scissors is often played to determine who goes first in some other activity.

Players

2 players.

Equipment

No special equipment is necessary.

Goal

The goal of Rock Paper Scissors is to choose the item (rock, paper or scissors) which defeats your opponent’s chosen item.

Setup

Players face each other and create a fist using the hand they will use to play.

Gameplay

The players simultaneously countdown from three. (i.e., They say, "Three, two, one, go.") When the players say "go," they each use a hand to create the shape of their chosen item, as follows:

  • Rock is represented by a closed fist.
  • Scissors are represented by a closed fist with two fingers (the pointer finger and the middle finger) extended.
  • Paper is represented by an open hand.

Winning

The winner of Rock Paper Scissors is determined as follows:

  • Rock defeats (breaks) Scissors.
  • Scissors defeats (cuts) Paper.
  • Paper defeats (covers) Rock.

If both players choose the same item, the game is a tie and they play again.

Players can choose to play a predetermined number of rounds, such as best two out of three, or best three out of five.

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Board / Card Games: What's Hot Now: How to Win at Clue (Cluedo)

Board / Card Games: What's Hot Now
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How to Win at Clue (Cluedo)
Oct 30th 2011, 10:08

Clue (also known as Cluedo) is a board game about deduction. The game is highly thematic, with characters running around different rooms in a mansion and looking at various tiny weapons.

However, if you're just focused on how to win at Clue, most of the thematic stuff doesn't really matter. The weapon minis are irrelevant, and your attention should just be on getting information. Here are some basic strategy tips on how to do that. (You should also review the basic rules of Clue.

DEDUCTION

Don't ask about cards you know your opponents are holding.

After you start by marking off all of your own cards, you'll want to learn about more cards you can mark off as soon as you can. When you make a suggestion, your goal is to get more information. If your opponents can show you the same card you've already seen, then you get no new information, and your turn has failed. The only cards that you have already marked off on your list that you should still ask about are your own cards, since nobody else will be able to disprove them.

Eliminate one possibility every turn.

This is, of course, not always possible. But given that eliminating all false possibilites is your ultimate goal, the player who does this fastest has a huge advantage over the other palyers. To this end, you should ideally be making a suggestion every turn. Any turn where you do not make a suggestion is, essentially, a wasted turn.

ROOMS

Spend your time in rooms.

You can only make suggestions in rooms, so travelling on a roll of the dice should be seen as a last resort. When you enter a room, make a suggestion. If someone suggests you and drags you to a new room, make a suggestion there on your next turn.

Use the secret passages.

This lets you move from a room to another room, guaranteed, without having to risk rolling the dice. That's two suggestions in a row that you get to make, without having to worry about bad luck stealing your opportunity.

If you haven't eliminated those two rooms after that, you can keep going back and forth between those two rooms until someone shows you one of those cards. Until they do, it's the most efficient way to gather information.

Try to learn about rooms whenever you can.

You can suggest any character or any weapon from anywhere on the board, but your room suggestions are limited by your location. For this reason, rooms can be the hardest thing to figure out, so you should learn about them whenever possible.

Spend time in any room you hold in your hand.

Not only will this let you learn more about the weapons and people, but you can use the unfair summons trick. If another player is about to reach a good room to make a suggestion (e.g. a corner room, or the likely murder room), you can make a suggestion about that player's character, which will drag their pawn back to your room. And if that player takes his next turn to make a suggestion in your room, you can simply show your room card.

COPIOUS NOTES

Before playing, ask yourself how much work you want to do.

Clue can be played as a simple deduction game with the above tips, but if you're willing to write everything down and put in a lot of effort, you can gain additional information.

If you're desperate to win, you can write down each suggestion made, who showed a card to each suggester, who showed you each card, and which cards you have showed to each player. Doing this will be a lot of extra work. But it can give you a lot of benefits.

Don't give away any new information.

If you know which cards you have shown to each player, you can show them the same cards repeatedly to avoid giving away extra information. Never reveal a new card when you don't have to.

Use your knowledge about other players' hands to make new deductions.

If you know that Bob has the wrench card, and you have the Colonel Mustard card, and someone else shows a card to disprove the suggestion of "Colonel Mustard, in the Library, with the Wrench," you know that card must be the library.

Figure out what your opponents know.

If an opponent repeatedly uses the same item in suggestions, whether it's a location, weapon, or character, it probably means nobody else can disprove that item. If Suzy has made three suggestions in a row about the Revolver, chances are very good that the Revolver is either the murder weapon, or in Suzy's hand.

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Saturday 29 October 2011

Board / Card Games: What's Hot Now: Mediterranean Avenue

Board / Card Games: What's Hot Now
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Mediterranean Avenue
Oct 29th 2011, 10:07

Location on Monopoly Board:

Space #1, between Go and Community Chest

Cost of Mediterranean Avenue:

$60

Cost of Houses and Hotel:

$50 per House
$50 plus four houses for Hotel

Rent on Mediterranean Avenue:

Unimproved: $2
One House: $10
Two Houses: $30
Three Houses: $90
Four Houses: $160
Hotel: $250

Likelihood Among Property Squares:

28 of 28

Mortgage Value:

$30

Equivalent Property in U.K. Edition:

Old Kent Road

Equivalent Property in U.S. Here & Now Edition:

Jacobs Field in Cleveland

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Board / Card Games: What's Hot Now: Fan Tan - Card Game Rules

Board / Card Games: What's Hot Now
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Fan Tan - Card Game Rules
Oct 29th 2011, 10:07

Fan Tan, which Hoyle's Rules of Games indicates may have been named after a Chinese gambling game, is also known as Stops or Sevens.

Players

3 to 8 players. Probably best with 4 or 5 players.

Deck

Standard 52-card deck. King is high; Ace is low.

Goal

To be the first player to get rid of all his cards.

Setup

Shuffle the deck and choose a dealer, who deals the entire deck out. Some players may receive one card more than others. This will even out over several hands.

Gameplay

A key rule in Fan Tan is that each player must play if they can. Breaking or even simply forgetting this rule can ruin the game.

The 7s are always playable.

The player to the left of the dealer plays first and play continues in a clockwise direction. If he has a 7, he must play it; otherwise, he must pass. When a 7 is played, it’s laid in the middle of the table because it forms a foundation for other cards to be played on.

Once a 7 is played, the 6 and 8 of the same suit are playable. Place the 6 to one side of the 7 and the 8 to the other. Future plays are made on these cards, always in sequential order. On the 6s, the sequence is 5-4-3-2-A. On the 8s, the sequence is 9-10-J-Q-K.

Winning

The first player to play all of his cards wins the hand.

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Board / Card Games: What's Hot Now: Capture - Complete Rules

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Capture - Complete Rules
Oct 29th 2011, 10:07

Capture -- also known as Boxes, Squares, Dots and Dashes, or Paddocks -- is a simple game that can be enjoyed by children as young as six years old.

Players

Capture is usually played by 2 players, although it can also be played by 3 or 4 players.

Equipment

Paper and pencil.

Goal

To be the player who captures the most boxes when the game ends.

Setup

Ideally, Capture is played on graph paper. If graph paper is not available, a board can be made on any piece of paper by drawing a series of dots in the shape of a square.

The board can be of any size. The smaller the board is, the shorter the game will be. Beginners might like to start with a 2x2 or 3x3 board to learn the basic tactics and strategies. More experienced players may prefer a board of 6x6 or even 10x10.

A 16x16 Capture board is available at this site and can be printed out. It can be used to play games on smaller boards as well.

Gameplay

At the start of the game, the board is empty. Players take turns, adding a single horizontal or vertical line between two unjoined, adjacent dots (corners on graph paper).

When a player completes the fourth side of a box, she writes her initial (or some other distinguishing mark) inside the box and gets to take another turn.

Scoring

The game is over when no more lines can be placed. At that point, the players each count the number of boxes they have claimed.

Winning

The winner of the game is the player who claims the most boxes.

If the event of a tie, the player involved in the tie who went later wins. This is because players who go earlier have an advantage.

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Friday 28 October 2011

Board / Card Games: What's Hot Now: How to Bid in Euchre

Board / Card Games: What's Hot Now
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How to Bid in Euchre
Oct 28th 2011, 10:07

Euchre, as a trick-taking game, is subject to some of the same strategies as other trick-taking games such as Bridge, Hearts, etc. However, two big differences change Euchre strategy quite a bit.

Firstly, of course, the cards only range from 9-A, leaving only five tricks per round and a heavy amount of voids. And secondly, the left bower jumps from one suit to another, leaving trump a slightly longer suit and the next suit slightly shorter.

Keeping these two facts in mind, while also considering the strategies below, is helpful for those who want to learn how to bid in Euchre.

Calling Up the Card

The first question you have to answer in a round, before you start thinking about any more complicated Euchre strategy, is "Should I make a bid and call up this card?" Obviously, you should only do so if you think your team can take at least three of the five tricks.

Keep in mind that the dealer gets the top card of the kitty, which is the trump suit. This presents a handy advantage if the dealer is on your team (since the dealer can gain a trump and often discard an unwanted card to create a void). Conversely, if the opposing team is dealing, calling up the card means a free trump for your opponent most likely to create an early void -- which can be trouble when you can only afford to lose two tricks.

Generally speaking, you can count on your partner for an average of one trick per hand in an average distribution. This means if you have two solid tricks, and your team is dealing, you should bid. If your two tricks are shaky, and the opposing team deals, you may want to pass.

Finally, as the dealing team, if a Jack is flipped up in the kitty, the dealer should almost certainly call trump and pick it up unless you have a terrible hand. A flipped jack is the right bower, and hence a guaranteed won trick. There's an old saying, "Turn down a bower, lose for an hour."

The exception to this is a no-trick hand. If you are the non-dealing partner, with a hand full of red cards when a black jack is flipped, you may wish to pass the bid vehemently, so the dealer understands that you cannot be relied on for even a single trick.

Second Time Around

If all four players pass on calling up the top card of the kitty, it is turned face down, and players have a chance to declare any other suit as trump. If you have three of a suit (and ideally an off ace), this is a great time for you to declare trump.

The player left of the dealer should think hard before passing the opportunity to declare trump. Keep in mind that the dealing team has just turned down a free trump card because they were very weak in that suit. This means the dealing team is likely strong in some other suit, and if you give them a chance, they will make it trump.

Obviously, the best scenario is to be holding a pair of jacks of the same color. If you can call trump in either of those suits, you are guaranteed to win at least two tricks.

An Alternative Method

Most players will learn when to bid by feel, but for those who are not yet at that point or prefer something more concrete, you can assign a score to your hand, in order to determine whether you should bid.

Some players use a 3-2-1 point system, with the bowers worth 3 points each, face trumps worth 2 points each, and low trumps or off-suit aces worth 1 point each. In this system, any hand of 7 points or above is worth bidding.

Another system is simply scoring your hand by tricks. A right bower is worth a full trick. A Left bower is worth 3/4 of a trick. Ace, King, or Queen of trump is worth 1/2 a trick. And low trump is worth 1/4 of a trick. Each trump card in your hand beyond the second gets a 1/4 trick bonus. Meanwhile, off-suit aces are worth 3/4 of a trick, but lose 1/4 of a trick for every other card you have in that suit. And finally, every suit in which you are void is worth 1/4 trick, if you have more than one trump card. Using this method, you can bid whenever your average hand value is at least 2.5 tricks.

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Board / Card Games: What's Hot Now: Buy Board Games

Board / Card Games: What's Hot Now
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Buy Board Games
Oct 28th 2011, 10:07

Playing board games and card games is a wonderful diversion. And there is a perfect game out there for just about everyone. Whether you enjoy party games, mystery games, designer games, or wargames, you have plenty of choices.

Must-Have Games

Some games you cannot be without. Although this list is different for every gamer, my picks include a variety of game genres (abstract, party, trivia, word, strategy, etc.) and games that can be played over and over without growing stale.

Party Games

The goal of party games is to have a good time. Social interaction is emphasized over strategy and tactics; and the success of a game is measured more by how much you laugh than how well you do. These games should have you in stitches. If you enjoy trivia, there are also plenty of choices for you.

Designer Games (aka German Games)

This relatively new segment of the gaming world has caught on like wildfire in many circles. These elements mark the best of the genre: relatively simple rules, deep strategy, excellent replay value, and appeal to both hardcore gamers and casual gamers.

Light Wargames

If you enjoy games about combat, but don't want to spend an entire weekend recreating all the intricacies of a particular battle, this is the kind of game for you. And if you've never played war games but think you might be interested, start here.

Award-Winning Games

Several boardgame awards are presented each year, honoring the best of the best among new games. Buying games that have won prestigious awards can help you ensure that you buy games that are also great fun.

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Board / Card Games: What's Hot Now: Use a Backgammon Doubling Cube

Board / Card Games: What's Hot Now
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Use a Backgammon Doubling Cube
Oct 28th 2011, 10:07

Many casual backgammon players have never used a doubling cube, but it brings a significant amount of new strategy into the game. Read on to see how you can use it, too.

Difficulty: Easy

Time Required: 5 minutes

Here's How:

  1. Backgammon can be played as a series of games, with players competing to reach a certain number of points to win. (Or for a set number of games; the player who has the most points at the end wins.)
  2. Each game starts with a value of one point. The doubling cube is placed in the middle of the Bar and is not controlled by either player.
  3. When a player feels he or she has the advantage, that player can choose -- before he or she rolls the dice -- to offer a double.
  4. The opposing player can turn down the offer, but concedes (i.e. loses) the game by doing so.
  5. If the opposing player accepts the offer, the value of the game doubles (e.g. from 1 to 2, from 2 to 4, from 4 to 8, etc.).
  6. When a player accepts a double, he or she takes control of the doubling cube and is the only player who can make the next offer of a double.
  7. Some players use 'beavers': when a player is doubled, he or she may immediately redouble (beaver) while maintaining control of the cube. The original doubler can accept or refuse, as with a normal double.
  8. Some players use 'automatic doubling': if the first roll is doubles, the value of the game becomes 2 points. The cube remains in the middle (no player has control of it).

Tips:

  1. Although any particular doubling cube will have a limited number of sides, technically there is no maximum point value for a single game.
  2. You don't really need to have a cube to play with doubling rules -- a pencil and paper can be used as a completely effective substitute.

What You Need

  • Backgammon Equipment
  • Doubling Cube

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Board / Card Games: What's Hot Now: Tic Tac Toe - Game Rules

Board / Card Games: What's Hot Now
These articles that had the largest increase in popularity over the last week // via fulltextrssfeed.com
Tic Tac Toe - Game Rules
Oct 28th 2011, 10:07

Tic Tac Toe is a simple game which, if played optimally by both players, will always result in a tie. However, many players (especially younger children) still enjoy it, and the game can be made significantly more complex by increasing the size of the board.

Players

2 players.

Equipment

Paper and pencil.

Goal

The goal of Tic Tac Toe is to be the first player to get three in a row on a 3x3 grid, or four in a row in a 4x4 grid.

Setup

One of the players draws a board, creating either a 3x3 grid of squares or a 4x4 grid of squares.

Playing Tic Tac Toe on a 3x3 Board

X always goes first.

Players alternate placing Xs and Os on the board until either (a) one player has three in a row, horizontally, vertically or diagonally; or (b) all nine squares are filled.

If a player is able to draw three Xs or three Os in a row, that player wins.

If all nine squares are filled and neither player has three in a row, the game is a draw.

Playing Tic Tac Toe on a 4x4 Board

X always goes first.

Players alternate placing Xs and Os on the board until either (a) one player has four in a row, horizontally, vertically or diagonally; or (b) all 16 squares are filled.

If a player is able to draw four Xs or four Os in a row, that player wins.

If all 16 squares are filled and neither player has four in a row, the game is a draw.

Other Variants

Tic Tac Toe can be also be played on a 5x5 grid with each player trying to get five in a row.

The game can also be played on larger grids, such as 10x10 or even 20x20. For any grid of 6x6 or larger, I recommend sticking to a goal of getting five in a row. This turns the basic game of Tic Tac Toe into a much more complex game with similarities to Pente.

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Board / Card Games: What's Hot Now: Monopoly Online with Middopoly

Board / Card Games: What's Hot Now
These articles that had the largest increase in popularity over the last week // via fulltextrssfeed.com
Monopoly Online with Middopoly
Oct 28th 2011, 10:07

Middopoly

Link: http://www.jgames.com/middopoly/

Middopoly is a Java game very similar to Monopoly. (This game has several changes -- e.g. Free Parking is replaced with Student Parking, Jail is replaced by a Hospital -- but none that seem to change the basic rules.)

The first thing you'll see when you visit the site is a pop-up window that asks how many players are taking part in this game of Monopoly. Choose a number and click on "Okay." Each player will then enter his or her name.

The next step is for each player to choose a token (this is still in the popup window). The computer will then roll to see who goes first (you'll see the results), and once you click on "Play the Game!" it will start.

From there, everything is pretty self-explanatory. The buttons include "Roll," "Trade," "Mortgage," "Unmortgage," "Buy Structures" (houses and hotels) and "Sell Structures."

On your turn, the first thing to do is click "Roll." After you roll and move (moving is automatic), a button marked "[Playername] Finished" will appear. Do not press this button until you're sure that you've done everything you want to on this turn.

If you land on an unowned property, buttons marked "Buy" and "No thanks" will appear in the middle of the game board. You must choose one before continuing.

Player assets are always listed below the game board, and rent is paid automatically. To play with multiple players, they all have to be using the same computer. No computer opponents are available.

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Thursday 27 October 2011

Board / Card Games: What's Hot Now: Pirates of the Caribbean PocketModel Game - Black Pearl

Board / Card Games: What's Hot Now
These articles that had the largest increase in popularity over the last week // via fulltextrssfeed.com
Pirates of the Caribbean PocketModel Game - Black Pearl
Oct 27th 2011, 10:07

Pirates of the Caribbean PocketModel Game - Black Pearl

Pirates of the Caribbean PocketModel Game - Black Pearl

Image courtesy of WizKids

This is the Black Pearl ship from the Pirates of the Caribbean PocketModel game, published by WizKids.

Filed In:

  1. Board / Card Games
Erik Arneson

Erik Arneson
Board / Card Games Guide

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