That’s how it begins: one click of a blue tile sliding into its place on your wall board. You’ve blocked off an opponent’s chance at a column. You’ve stretched out your own horizontal line another three tiles. Not bad, you’re feeling good. Then the turn ends. Your floor spaces gets filled in with discarded marbles. … Read more
A local board game night sounds easy: we just need to set up some games. Everyone plays nice, and we’ll get it all done in time on a Tuesday evening. Nobody want to sit idle for forty-five minutes while waiting for their turn. Chaos can follow; but with a bit of clever construction, the double … Read more
Your board game night went off the rails when three of your friends argued over the rules no one could remember, while pizza grew cold. There were two player sitting around waiting forty minutes for empty table. Hosting any kind of tournament, whether it’s a casual night with friends or a larger event, requires planning, … Read more
It’s an immediate thing that you can’t see. You sit down at a game, the board is set, the clock runs, and then waiting somewhere behind you is a mathematical engine measuring what you do. Endgame technique or opening theory: these will decides this match right now, so most players spend their time thinking about … Read more
There you are, next to a clump of sixes and eights. On paper it’s a sweet set-up; the board is clean. You pick up your pen and start scribbling plans for an empire of wheat and ore, while your opponent nurse his cup of joe beside the three and the twelve. It’s the age-old Catan … Read more
The number six come up a lot and when you place it down you’re likely to get it on lock-down. It’s producing ore more consistantly and you know where you stand. Unfortunately, that means another player keep rolling other numbers over and over again. While their stuff continues flowing, yours slows to a halt, and … Read more
Sometimes you’re stuck with a safe three-letter word, so you play it out of desperation… And then you end up holding Q, U, and V. You know that feeling. Bad luck? No. Poor rack leave managment. What you throw away can be the difference between winning (or losing) high-scoring games over and over again. Most … Read more
