There's nothing like Christmas shopping for a five-year-old nephew to bring on the nostalgia. Monster that he is, the boy is my god-son, so I figured I better come up with something. My sister, the boy's misguided mother, suggested clothes. Yeah, right. We all knew which presents were clothes. They were the ones that came in rectangular boxes and were wrapped in plain green paper. They had to be wrapped because when little Johnny and Susie came traipsing down the steps on Christmas morning no parent wanted that first picture to be of two bawling kids (which is exactly what they'd get if the kids saw a bunch of socks and sweaters laying under the Christmas tree!).
Anyway, after my derisive laughter subsided, I decided to take a trip to the local toy conglomerate. I wandered past the rows of bikes (they're always closest to the doors for some reason), discounting them because the boy already has one. The toy drum set? No. My sister, petite as she is, possesses a vindictive streak that would give pause to Karl Rove. Legos? Ooh, close. But I could just see the boy stuffing one up his nose and the attending emergency room visit, which brings us back to my sister's closet sociopathic tendencies.
And then I came upon it....the board game aisle. I had found the Lost Dutchman's Mine (Literally. They still sell a game by that name). Rows and stacks of brightly beckoning boxes of all shapes and sizes promising memories to last a lifetime. Monopoly. Clue. Stratgeo (they still make that!). Sorry. Payday. For the toddlers there was Candyland, Chutes and Ladders, and Hi-Ho Cherry-o. There were some games that I didn't recognize. But that didn't matter. It took me a few minutes to decide, but I bought the boy Stratego. It might be a little advanced for him, but that's okay. He can grow into it. If nothing else, I can say I didn't buy him clothes.
My all-time favorites board games:
1. Dark Tower (they don't make it anymore. But it was awesome).
2. Talisman (I'm an eternal fantasy geek, and this game had it all)
3. Gambler (I don't think they make this anymore, either.)
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Originally posted by Doctor Ratthe kid is 5, too early for risk and diplomacy.
Clothes bad; toys good. You did right, Fleabitten.
I enjoyed Risk and Diplomacy as board games, and they have the added bonus of promoting geography awareness.
ever played risk at conquerclub.com? i few of us game some rhp games going.
We used to play Monopoly, but it drags on, so we started playing Payday.
When I was a child we had a big compendium of games that included Ludo, Snakes and Ladders, Draughts etc. These were played by the whole family together and I think it's quite sad that many parents don't ever do this with their children.
Originally posted by Doctor RatThanks, Doc. I enjoyed Risk, too, but I never played Diplomacy. Axis & Allies was another good one from that genre.
Clothes bad; toys good. You did right, Fleabitten.
I enjoyed Risk and Diplomacy as board games, and they have the added bonus of promoting geography awareness.
Edit: PawnQueen, check this out if you get a chance. Someone took Snakes & Ladders seriously enough to figure out the mathematics of the game:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snakes_and_Ladders
Originally posted by FleabittenI thought I was the only one who played Dark Tower. 😀 That was a fun game and if I could find it again, I'd buy it in a heartbeat.
There's nothing like Christmas shopping for a five-year-old nephew to bring on the nostalgia. Monster that he is, the boy is my god-son, so I figured I better come up with something. My sister, the boy's misguided mother, suggested clothes. Yeah, right. We all knew which presents were clothes. They were the ones that came in rectangular boxes and wer ...[text shortened]... d this game had it all)
3. Gambler (I don't think they make this anymore, either.)
Originally posted by PhlabibitChess is a game played between two people on a board with sixty-four squares set in an alternating pattern of dark and light, sometimes referred to as a chequerboard pattern.
What's that?
Both sides start the game with an equal army; one light in colour, the other dark, commonly known as White and Black respectively. The object of the game is to checkmate your opponent's king. This happens when the square that the king occupies is under enemy attack and retreat to another square is impossible, none of it's pieces may interpose between the king and the attacking piece, nor may the attacker be captured.
The army is comprised of sixteen pieces which are endowed with varying powers depending on their mobility. The king is a special case as it's capture ends the game and as such is given an infinite value. The lowest unit, of which each side has eight, is the pawn which is given a value of one. Next come the knight and bishop which are worth three pawns each. The rook has a value of five pawns and the queen, the most precious piece besides the king, nine pawns.
Pawns may only move forward on the same file [the lines of squares that run between your you and your opponent] except when they capture an enemy piece. When this is possible they move diagonally forward one square and land on the square that the enemy piece occupied thus removing it from play. On their first move pawns may move two squares forward. The pawn is also exceptional for the fact that it's arrival at the final or eighth rank [the horizontal rows of squares] enables it to promote to any piece higher in value than itself. Bishops may only move on the squares that make up the diagonals and therefore do not move onto alternate coloured squares. They are not limited to any number of squares and may move from one side of the board to another except there being a piece in the way. The only piece that has the ability to 'jump' over pieces is the knight which moves in an L shape. This L shape can be variously configured, for instance, it may move forward one square and then two to the left or right, or two back and one to the left or right. The only provision being that there exist an L shape from the square it departed and the square it now inhabits. The movement of the rook is simple as it may move forward or backward along a file or left or right along a rank. The queen possesses the combined power of the rook and bishop's movement while the king may only move one square; horizontally, vertically or diagonally.
The players start the game with their respective armies lined up mirroring each other. The pieces occupy the first rank closest each player with pawns making up the next line. Both sides move alternately with White given the first move. The pieces inevitably come into conflict when various tactical manoeuvres are employed by either side in an attempt to win the opponent's pieces. This diagram shows the starting position after White's first move:
I hope this serves as a primer to the interesting subject of the board game, Chess.
P.S. I've left out castling and en passant which may be a chapter for another time.
P.P.S. If, on the other hand, you mean 'fond' when you say 'that', I mean 'having a liking for.'
Originally posted by Green PaladinLooks a lot like a game I know called "Fancy Checkers".
Chess is a game played between two people on a board with sixty-four squares set in an alternating pattern of dark and light, sometimes referred to as a chequerboard pattern.
Both sides start the game with an equal army; one light in colour, the other dark, commonly known as White and Black respectively. The object of the game is to checkmate ...[text shortened]... e other hand, you mean 'fond' when you say 'that', I mean 'having a liking for.'
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