Doctor Office Toys Helping the Child to Visit a Pediatric Clinic in the Good Mood

A pediatrician friend of mine often laments about zealous parents promising children that there won't be any needles or procedures that may agonize the child. And if the child is due for a vaccination, as a doctor she has broken the child's trust. The next time pediatric doctor makes a promise to the child, he is unlikely to believe her. But you can't really blame parents for this. As a mother of two, I understand how difficult it is to prepare a child for a visit to the pediatrician. Anxious parents in an effort to calm children often unknowingly end up making matters worse.

But there are several ways through which a pediatrician's visit can be made interesting and welcoming. Waiting room toys, activity wall panels, play table or wooden play cubes are the centers of attention and the place where children of all ages congregate to play while waiting for the doctor's checkup. These toys, when placed in the pediatric clinic, distract kids from the unpleasant thoughts and start the visit in the right mood.

Needless to say, the first step is to ensure that the atmosphere is calming but fun filled and interesting. The friend whom I earlier mentioned made sure that the rooms completely distracted the child from the purpose of the visit. There were walls with different themes that range from deep sea to dense forest. If the deep sea room had walls with pictures of corals, star fishes and octopuses, the dense forests had pictures of giraffes, monkeys and elephants amidst wild bushes and trees. To throw in a good measure of reality, the deep sea room had an aquarium as well. There were waiting room toys placed in each room.

While we are on the subject of toys, it's important that the pediatrician chooses the toys with care. They should be interesting enough for the child to play and the collection should be vast enough to be used by children of all age groups. A good idea is to include at least one game that involves group activity. You can't be having enough toys to give all the children at the same time. Thus, activity wall panels or activity tables are of great use, since many children can play at once. You can even choose from giant building blocks that children can play with.

But make sure, you've devised a way to ensure that the toys from the' unwell' section does not spill over to the toys in the 'healthy' section.

And finally it's not only about the clinic and the pediatric clinic toys; it's about the pediatrician himself as well. Doctors who end up making false promises that a procedure would be painless (when it's going to be just the opposite), doctors who aren't patient enough with children are sure to be unpopular among children.

The next time a parent's complaining about a child refusing to visit the pediatrician, make sure you take a good look around the clinic. The solution probably lies within the clinic, than with the child.

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Chess Setup Of Bishops And Horses And Rooks Oh My

Chess setup seems a bit overwhelming at first because the pieces must start in certain squares and are only allowed to move in certain ways, but it does not take long to begin having fun playing. It is good if two people can learn together avoiding discouragement if one person constantly wins over the other.

Starting from the corners and working inward, we will set up the chess board and discuss briefly the moves the initial pieces can make; remembering that vertical rows are files (letters) and horizontal rows are ranks (numbers). When beginning it is best to have a board with the files and ranks marked.

Rooks are generally shaped as castles on a traditional board, but to call them castles is incorrect in some circles. The person playing white has a black square at "a1" and a white square at "h1" and this is where their rooks begin. The person playing black will have rooks at "a8" and "h8". Rooks are generally considered to be very powerful and are able to move horizontally and vertically along the files and ranks. It can move multiple squares if needed until it encounters the other player's piece (capture), the edge of the board, or one of their own pieces (stop).

The next pieces to set are the knights. Generally shown as horses, or horse heads, the knights occupy "b1" and "g1" (white) and "b8" and "g8" (black). The movement of the knight is special because it is the only piece that is allowed to jump over other pieces of the player or the opponent. Their movement forms an "L" by moving two spaces up or back and one left or right or vice versa. It does not matter if there are other pieces except at the end of the L where the knight lands. It cannot land in a square occupied by its own color but it can capture a piece of the opponent's color. Part of its power is that it can sneak up on pieces the opponent may consider protected. It is not considered to be as powerful as the rook, but equal in power to the bishops.

The next pieces to set are the bishops, which usually in English sets resemble a bishop's hat or mitre. This is not true of the appearance of the bishops in all sets from all countries. The bishops occupy the squares "c1" and "f1" for white and "c8" and "f8" for black. Bishops move along the diagonals and will always be on the same color square they started on. It can move multiple squares if needed until it encounters the other player's piece (capture), the edge of the board, or one of their own pieces (stop). It is not as powerful as a rook, but is equal in power to the knights.

Breaking the chess setup and movement of the pieces into groups helps the game to be less confusing.

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Several of the Most Recognized Classic Board Games and Their History

I grew up playing board games with my siblings, some of the games we used to play seem to be timeless; I thought I would make a list of the most recognized board games on an international level. Here is what I came up with.

1. Checkers, which evolved from the game of Draught, was introduced to Europe through Egypt sometime during the 16th century. The oldest known draught (checkers) manual was found to be published in 1549.

It is common knowledge that the game of checkers as we know it today, has been the source of countless hours of fun for families, friends and has been taught generation to generation within our families.

2. Another game that always ranks as one of the most recognized games is Chess. This game is also one that follows on the shirt tails of checkers (draught). It is recognized as an evolved version of checkers. Chess has been used throughout time as a source to gage intelligence and deductive reasoning and has also been used to enhance these processes. Chess, just as checkers, has been the source of countless hours of entertainment, fun, and even some fun frustration to families, friends and their opponents since its invention.

3. Another game that ranks in the most recognized board games would be the game of Chinese Checkers. This games name leads one to think that it was originated in China, but its origin is not Asian at all. This board game actually originated in Germany rather than China as the name implies.

The name also may lead you to think that it is a variation of the game of Checkers but again it is not. Chinese checkers is a deviation of an American game called Halma that originated in the United States and was first called Stern-Halma. The "Stern" portion of the name meaning star refers to the design of the playing surface of the game board.

A game of luck and strategy, the Chinese Checkers board game is also ranked in the Most Recognized Board Games, and is also known as a favorite of many generations.

4. Tic-Tac-Toe is another board game recognized the world over. This game is believed to have originated as a game called Terni Lapilli during the Roman Empire in the first century. It is believed to be the oldest game in history still being played today. This game of chance and strategy is a favorite of young children and the young at heart.

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So You Want to Learn to Play Chess Well?

Learning to play a game like chess is a great idea as it's an effective way to learn new skills, and have a lot of fun too. There are organized chess clubs all over the world and you can make a lot of new friends who have the same interests as you and are looking for new partners to play against.

You don't have to spend a lot of money to get started either, all you need invest in is a standard sized chess board, wood is fine and probably one of the better options as it lasts for years and actually looks better when it starts to get a little shabby as this gives it character. So spend wisely on your first board and ensure it is durable and hard-wearing.

When buying a chess set you can either choose to get the board and pieces together, in which case they will match, or buy them separately if you like the idea of a set that's a bit different. Wooden chess boards with marble pieces can work just as well if the colours contrast and it can give a set a unique look that suits your personality.

The objective is to make moves that lead to winning the game, each player chooses a colour, generally black or white, and there are 16 pieces in a chess set consisting of 6 different types, a King, a Queen, two Bishops, two Rooks, two Knights, and eight Pawns.

These pieces are each allowed to move in various directions and a certain number of squares, so Knights can move in the shape of the letter L, two squares forward, backward, left, or right, followed by one square left or right, and their added advantage is the ability to jump over other pieces, the only piece that can do this. Bishops can move as many squares as they like as long as it's diagonally and the path is clear. Rooks can move forward, backward, left, and right as many spaces as desired without jumping over any other chess piece.

Then there are the pawns that take over the whole front line to start with and doggedly make their way, one square at a time, to the top of the opponent's side whereupon they can be crowned as queens. Although pawns are only allowed to only move one square at a time, on the first move they can move two squares if they want to, also they can only move straight ahead, until they want to capture one of the enemy then they have to take the piece diagonally.

Queens have the most powerful role of all the pieces, and are one of your most important players, as they can go anywhere they choose, forwards, backwards, sideways and diagonally, unlike the king who can only move 1 square a time forward, backward, left, and right and diagonally.

The aim of the game is to capture your opponents King, so if you hear your opponent say checkmate, then you have lost the game. There are other possibilities, for example the game could be a draw if the only pieces left in the game mean that nobody can win. Check means you still have a chance as it's a warning that your king is being attacked and could be captured on the next move, but gives you the opportunity to move away from the danger, unlike checkmate.

White is always the first to move at the beginning of a game, and you should be aware that y once you have moved a piece you can move it back only if you don't take your finger off it, once you let go then you have committed to that move. Make sure you are definite about that move before letting go. Electronic chess sets are an effective way to teach yourself chess if time is limited and means you can carry a portable product around with you whilst on trips or travelling to and from work.

Playing backgammon or chess are great ways to unwind after a long day at work or school, or a stressful day doing chores, whilst simultaneously developing cognitive skills for any age. Backgammon for travel is also a popular game and can be carried around easily enough when bought in lightweight, compact designs.

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Chess Basics and Strategy to Dominate the Home Game - Beat Your Friends at Chess 1

4 Basic Chess Strategy Factors

In general, we will focus on four basic factors that need to be taken into account when choosing your opening. Each opening in this book will include a gauge to measure how powerful each opening is for each factor. Keeping these factors in mind during the entire course of the game will give you a good idea of how to react to any situation.

Tempo

Tempo means making every move count. It's closely related to speed, and is needed both offensively and defensively. To keep tempo when opening, one must avoid moving the same piece twice. Another way to loose tempo is to move pieces that do not work together or do not accomplish anything quickly.

Keeping tempo throughout the opening means more flexibility, quicker attacks, and a more fluid defense. On higher levels of play, being a single move ahead in tempo is a solid advantage. On the home game level, a mistake in tempo is much more likely and therefore the advantage from keeping your tempo can be enormous.

Center Pawns:

Despite their appearance, pawns may just be the most powerful piece in the game. Think about it - the only piece worth trading for a pawn is a pawn. Forcing your opponent to trade when you have better center pawn control will give you an advantage and give your opponent a chance to make the game ending mistake.

Having pawns in the center means having pawns that are either positioned in, or able to attack, the four squares in the middle of the board. This can drastically reduce your opponents options, and eventually tighten a noose that will likely end in your victory. Just don't forget to keep the pawns protected from a distance. As long as your center pawns are protected, you want them up as far as physically possible.

Minor Pieces:

Minor pieces are everything other than pawns, the king, and the queen. Advancing the minor pieces is vital to both attack and defense. Where you place your pawns early on will be the biggest factor in how easily your minor pieces can advance.

The most important role of minor pieces is to put pressure on the opponent's king. This pressure doesn't just mean an immediate checkmate but also includes locking down the minor pieces or queen of your opponent, forcing them not to move and expose the king.

King Safety:

While some players may prefer more aggressive strategies, the defensive player will be most interested in this factor. The first opening we will work through is a perfect example of a formation with high king safety. Check our ebook for more beginner chess openings.

The king is typically safest after castling, which can be performed as soon as there are no pieces between the king and one of the rooks. The king is even safer if there are also a number of pawns close by. Openings which leave room for the king to castle, and don't remove defensive pawns, will develop a safer king.

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The Settlers of Catan: Strategy Guide

The Settlers of Catan, by designer Klaus Teuber, is one of the most successful board games of the last few decades, a game that brought many people back in playing board games, initiated many into the hobby and has millions of fans worldwide. In this perspective and while preparing for the national championship of Catan in my country, Greece, I thought it might be a good idea to compile a strategy guide for the game for beginners and experienced players alike. So, let's go!

Main Strategies

There are actually three main strategies you can follow, depending on the setup of the board. The first two usually work better and faster while the third will be your last resort, if the setup isn't favorable or if you don't have the opportyunity to get the initial positions you'd like at the start of the game. Actually your strategy will be very much dependent on your initial placement of settlements and vice versa.

Wood/brick strategy. Your goal is to build as many settlements as you can while also building and maintaining the longest road. To pursue this strategy you need strong positions for wood and brick production, as well as a little grain and a little wool. Build your first road as soon as possible and go for the best available third settlement position. Continue to expand your road, trying to connect your first two settlements which ideally should be far from each other. Continue building settlements, possibly at harbors too. Finally upgrade 1-2 settlements to cities and there you go! Grain/Ore strategy. Your goal is to upgrade your settlements fast and purchase many development cards in order to have the biggest army. In order to achieve your goal, you need strong initial positions for grain and ore, a little wool too. Before upgrading your settlements, try first to build a third settlement. That will assure your don't get blocked by a fast wood/brick opponent. As soon as you have three settlements try to upgrade all of them, while purchasing development cards. These cards will provide knights that will become your army while also removing the thief from your settlements/cities. Hopefully you will get some victory points too and finish the game abruptly surprising your opponents. Mixed strategy. If there aren't any good initial positions to go for one of the previous strategies or you lose them by playing 3rd or 4th, you can try to mix them by building your initial settlements in a way that you get a little of everything. This way you will be slower but more flexible to bad dice rolls. As soon as you see the scale weighing towards one of the two strategies, emphasize on that one.

Initial Placement

One of the most important decision you will have to make during the game is where to place your first two settlements. Take your time to study the board and don't rush things. This decision will affect your ability to produce materials in an efficient way and will determine your whole strategy. There are many factors to consider in order to choose the best available positions. The most important ones are the following:

Dice roll statistics. For the throw of a single die, all outcomes are equally probable. But in the throw of two dice, the different possibilities for the total of the two dice are not equally probable because there are more ways to get some numbers than others. For example, there are six ways to get a total of 7, but only one way to get 2. Number seven that moves the thief is the most common roll but of course there is no such hex on the board. Numbers six and eight are the next best thing. To help you decide, numbers with a higher probability are designated on the Catan island with larger font than those of lower probability. The best resource producing numbers are 6 and 8 and apart from being bigger than the other numbers their font is red. If you look closely, you can see a number of black dots below the numbers (not in all editions though). They also represent the probability of a number to be rolled. 6 and 8 have 5 dots because they can be rolled with 5 different ways. 5 and 9 have four dots, 4 and 10 three dots, 3 and 11 two dots and finally 2 and 12 have one dot being the less frequent rolls. Upon deciding for your first settlement position the most important factor is to count the dots on each position open on the board and find out which position will produce materials more efficiently. For your second placement this factor will become less important because that settlement will finalize your strategy and thus you will probably more specific needs. Resource types / Strategy. Having in mind the strategies mentioned above, you should always try first to pursue one clear strategy, either wood/brick or grain/ore. A position with 12 dots which produces a wood, brick and wool with highest numbers on wood/brick is better than one with 13 dots producing wood, wool and ore because the latter doesn't serve any particular strategy. Your first settlement is the most important one, so choose it so that resources match your strategy if you can. Variability of resources. You could try to build a settlement on a 13 dot wood/wood/wood position, planning to build your second settlement on a wood harbor but I warn you: that is most probably not going to work. Ideally you could build your first two settlements so that you can produce all five resources, although you will actually want that only if you are going for the mixed strategy. In general you will want to emphasize production on a combination of either wood/brick or grain/ore with supplements from the other resources. If you narrow your production too much, and focus on 2-3 resources you will have to trade two of them in a harbor (trading with other players is never guaranteed) to get a new resource this way decreasing the total number of available resources you have and slowing you down. Producing at least four different resources seems crucial because it guaranties flexibility in building and trading. Variability of numbers. Although building in two different locations, each adjacent to a number 6 tile, let's say one producing wood and the other one producing brick, initially seems a good idea, you may find that at times you will be either flooded with resources when 6 comes up or with nothing at hand when it doesn't. Having a streamline production of resources by occupying spaces with variation in numbers seems the way to go as it helps mitigate the factor of bad luck that always plays a role in dice-rolling games. Having one common number in your first two settlements is acceptable but try not to have more. Harbors. It's not wise to build one of your first two settlements in a harbor as you will have at least one less resource producing hex at your desposal. It's definitely not advisable to build on a harbor adjacent to a single hex. However if there is no better location building on a harbor would be acceptable in an occasion in which the harbor is adjacent to two high producing hexes and it enables you to trade in a resource which will be abundant. The location of harbors in general should be taken into account during your second settlement placement. Having the ability to do 3:1 trades or even 2:1 for a resource you will have plenty of shouldn't be underestimated as it could give you a significant boost in late game. Try to always have at least one settlement near the coast and if you have to choose between two equal locations go for the one closer to a 2:1 harbor of a resource you will have plenty of. Space for expansion. Try to position your settlements far from one another especially if on a wood/brick strategy. That will prevent opponents from blocking your way around, give you more flexibility in expanding and will enable you to ultimately connect your two settlements when going for the longest road. Direction of initial roads. That is a tricky one, especially if you are playing first or second. The board will, in that case, be empty or almost empty and you will have to decide where to direct your first two roads. Try to think which are the best positions around the one you just built. Consider that these will probably be taken up from other players and direct your road to a less favorable but still promising location. If you are on a wood/brick strategy, you can risk directing your roads towards interesting locations towards the center of the map, having in mind the possibility of connecting your first two settlements. The center of the map is always a bit risky though, as there is a good chance that you get trapped in there and not able to expand your road enough to build the longest road. In general go for the center if you have a lot of wood and brick and feel confident that you'll get there before your opponents. If you are on grain/strategy it's better to expand outwards as you will probably not be fast enough to build at a location near the center of the map. If a convenient harbor is near, go for it.Thoughts on gameplay

First few moves:

Together with initial placement of settlements, your first few moves will be very crucial. When on wood/brick strategy try to expand quickly, building new roads and settlements, thus blocking your opponents and strengthening your position on the board. If on gran/ore strategy try to grab the best free position near one of your setlements before starting upgrading.

Expanding:

Try to expand as soon as you can and occupy spaces with numbers you don't already have. This way you can ensure a steady flow of resources no matter what the dice roll is. Even if you are on a grain/ore strategy expanding is the first thing you must do before upgrading settlements to cities. Grab one more settlement (so you have 3) and then you can forget all about it and focus on upgrading.

Longest road:

If you are on a wood/brick strategy, it's crucial for you to build the longest road in order to win. Expand, always have that in mind. Choose a path which is less likely to be blocked by opponents and try to connect your initial settlements soon enough before the path is blocked.

Pay attention to your opponents' moves:

While you are focused on executing your highly polished strategy, don't forget that your opponents are doing the same. Especially when you have accomplished the goal of having the longest road, watch your opponents' moves closely. They are almost sure to try to get it away from you with sneaky moves:) Try to block their path before they can be dangerous even if it slows down your plans.

Play aggressively:

The best defence is offence! When going for the longest road, always try to block early any opponents that you see as potential competitors for the prize. Don't forget that you can also break an opponent's road by building a settlement along it. You can also try to trap grain/ore opponents, denying them a third settlement and thus slowing them down considerably.

Trading:

Always try to take part in trades. Remember that each time your opponents are trading between them, they are strengthening their position and you get nothing. Don't be easy on your trades but don't be too demanding either. Trading in your turn is better than trading on others' turns because you can immediately use the resources and do some meaningful stuff. If you trade on an opponent's turn, you may lose what you got by the time it's your turn to play due to a knight, the thief (if holding too many resources) or even a Monopoly card.

Monopoly development card:

Stealing all resources of one kind from all players is a very powerful weapon and you should use it carefully. Before playing it, you must consider two things: First, what resource do I need? (Well, that's the easy part!). Secondly, do other players have that resource and actually do they have plenty of it? Supposedly, you need brick. If you play Monopoly and get two bricks, that was pretty lame. If you don't exactly remember what kind of resources your opponent have, wait a turn or two and see what they get. If they get a lot of it, don't use it and it is what you need, go play Monopoly in your next turn.

Thief

Some thoughts about the correct way of playing the thief:

Try to always attack the stronger opponent. You will decrease his resource cards and you will slow him down, enabling you (and unfortunately other players too) to catch up on victory points. If you are looking for a specific resource, steal from the opponent who is more likely to have it. You can try to get a hint about that by first asking to trade for the resource you need and see the reaction of other players. If someone has it but don't want to give it up they'll probably tell. That is a bit nasty but one has got to do what he's got to do! Place the thief on the best producing tile of the opponent you are stealing from. It will hurt him more. Also try to go for hexes that hurt multiple opponents. Scrabble's X Factor   Scrabble Tip - Learn High-Scoring Words   Bohnanza Board Game Review   Washer Toss - Playing a Simple Yet Fun Game   Interesting Facts About the Letter V   Tips and Tricks for Playing a Washers Game   

Chess Sets Online: The Long History Of Chess

In the novel Through The Looking Glass, the author, Lewis Carroll, depicts much of his heroine's adventures taking place in a dream world based on chess set pieces. This story, published in 1871, reflects the interest in the game of chess that has existed for hundreds of years. This has led not only to many people being motivated to buy chess sets but also a fascination with the game, it's strategies and traditions.

Some research indicates a version of chess may have existed in China in the second century AD but the first records of the game exist in India where the game was played prior to the sixth century. From here, the game seemed to have spread to Persia and then across the Muslim world before reaching Europe. The game was originally known as 'chaturanga' in India and the chess set pieces were divided into four military divisions: cavalry, elephantry, chariotry and infantry. These four divisions became the knight, rook, bishop and pawn in the modern game.

Chess was mentioned in a Persian poem written in the seventh century and in several subsequent poems and essays soon after. Known as Shatrang, the game had mystical connotations in India and Persia at this time.

It is sobering to understand just how global the game of chess really is: it has individual names in most languages, including Sanskrit, Chinese, Japanese, Greek, Latin, Catalan, Italian, French, Dutch, Mongol and Arabic. It was carried across the known world into Spain by the Moors and spread into the corners of Europe by the year 1000 and Buddhist pilgrims and Silk Road traders spread the game to the Far East.

Interestingly, the chess set pieces were often individually prized as gifts and ornaments in their own right. The modern trend to buy a carved chess set as a present and room feature as well as part of a game to play seems to continue this tradition.

It seems likely the game of chess reached Britain with the Norman conquest of 1066 and, as in the rest of Europe, chess became a game associated with culture and nobility but as time moved on the intensity sometimes created by playing chess could create violence. This was a problem that seemed to worry the Church and in 1061 Saint Peter Damian even criticized the Bishop of Florence for playing chess. Perhaps inevitably the game became the focus of prize money and gambling during medieval times and as a result Louis IX of France banned gambling in 1254. Nonetheless the French people ignored him and continued to wager money on chess games.

It was at the start of the sixteenth century that chess began to assume its modern form. Prior to that time, the rules varied and the chess set pieces could move in ways that would surprise us now. A Russian version gave the queen the ability to move like a knight.

Chess was played in the London coffee houses during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, indeed around 1840, as Britain formed its vast empire, London became the focus of the growth of the game. The first organized chess tournament seems to have taken place in London in 1851 and the winner was a German professor of Mathematics, Adolf Andersson. By 1990 there were more than one thousand international tournaments.

Russian chess players tend to dominate the game but that is not surprising when you consider chess is the national sport of that country, where it is more popular than football.

Whole books have been written about the history of the game of chess and indeed about the individual pieces and the stories and variations of the game are many and fascinating. Whenever you buy a chess set and pick up one of the chess set pieces, it is very easy to feel a connection to all those people throughout history who have done the same thing.

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A New Lease on Dice: Dungeons and Dragons Getting A Remake.

Before Skyrim, before Oblivion, before Morrowind, before World of Warcraft, before Final Fantasy, before Everquest, before the Final Fantasy games that actually took place in fantasy settings, before Dragon Warrior before role-playing games had taken place electronically there was Dungeons & Dragons. One of the greatest games for kids, past generations of children would get together over graham crackers and punch and sit at a table with a pair of dice and a dungeon master who at times may have been a little too arbitrary. Many consider these meetings--which would sometimes go for 8 hours straight-to be the grandfather of the role-playing genre. But with the new generation of role-playing gamers, there simply is no patience, appreciation or understanding for this old and outdated game.

In the process of designing a 5th edition of the game, Wizards of the Coast-a Hasbro subsidiary that owns the game-has issued a call to all the faithful for some feedback on how D&D can finally level up while maintaining the mysticism and magic as it did during its creation in 1974. Wizards explain the Dungeons and Dragons games for kids is a "unique entertainment experience because it's crafted by the players at the table, and every gaming session is different," says Liz Schuh, director of licensing and publishing for Dungeons & Dragons, "We want to take that idea of the players crafting that experience to the next level and say: "Help us craft the rules. Help us craft how this game is played."

Dungeons & Dragons evolved from a cult sensation of nerds and Apple II users to a niche subculture, with rumors that it was among a series of Games for Kids that attracted children to black magic and even suicide rituals. It's been said throughout the decades that 20 million have rolled the dice and wandered the dungeons with an estimated $1 billion spent on D&D products. But over time, the game drowned itself with so many different editions and ways to play based on a multitude of skill levels that only lead to heavy confusion. So the challenge for making one of the greatest kids for games relevant to today's generation exists within finding a balance between simplifying the game for newcomers while rewarding the experience for the masters who put their time into the craft. "We're really lucky that we have such passionate fans," Ms. Schuh said, "and we anticipate they'll roll up their sleeves and help us in this effort."

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Chess Teacher - The Game

Chess Teacher is a family game developed by Excalibur, Inc. based in Miami, FL for those eager to learn the exciting game of chess. The game is similar to any chess board but comes with a simple breakdown to teach the young and old chess novices how to play. Beginners can easily learn to play chess with the Chess Teacher Set.

Chess Teacher comes with the below elements and has an easy-to-follow format. Included in the game is an 8x8 square folding board of black and white tiles. The Staunton-style plastic playing pieces involve 16 black chess pieces (8 main pieces and 8 pawns) and 16 white chess pieces similarly. All the elements come packaged in a convenient tin which is perfect for storage or travel.

What is unique about Chess Teacher is that in addition to the pieces are instructional diagrams which attach to the piece itself. These indicate appropriate piece movement such as which direction they can maneuver and how many spaces.

A user guide is also included which provides detailed chess rules and tips for beginners. The guide begins with the basic outline of each piece and how they are to be placed and moved across the board. Next, an outline of chess rules from setting up play to movements of the pieces. The guide details many special moves which are important in learning how to play chess effectively. These moves include; capturing a piece, castling, capturing en passant, promotion and check. Endgame is briefly addressed as well and players can learn about checkmate, resignation and a draw. The user guide concludes with a few tips on chess to assist you in playing well from the beginning.

This game can be found in plenty of retail outlets such as toy stores, Wal-Mart, Target as well as online on Amazon or other purchasing outlets.

While there is plenty of information online to learn the complex game of chess; this game is very effective especially if you are interested in teaching children the game. Having the basic rules and movements conveniently at your disposal is a great way to learn without frustration. Most people learn by picking up the pieces one at a time and evaluating their scope. The diagrams included will make this a fun and simple experience. Having the additional instructions is very useful as it can sometimes take awhile to memorize how each piece moves. Chess is a highly strategic game and having Chess Teacher will allow a beginner to learn quickly how to play.

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The History Of Backgammon Sets

The earliest backgammon sets known to exist were found in archaeological digs in the Middle East. The oldest was discovered in an ancient city located in modern day Iran. Researchers believe the game board to date to around 3000 BC. This makes it one of the oldest board games known to exist.

This specific board was similar in many respects to a contemporary backgammon game. Two dice and approximately 60 checkers were included. However, the exact rules used by the ancient players are not known. The degree of similarity with the modern game is uncertain.

Other artifacts and documents reveal that the game was played throughout the region. Most notably, several boards discovered in the city of Ur also date to the same era. There is also evidence to suggest the game was known in ancient India and Egypt as well.

During the time of the Roman Empire, games similar to backgammon were played in Rome. The exact rules have been lost to history. Numerous boards exist. These also were accompanied with counters and dice. The Roman variant appears to have used three dice rather than two. Most of the surviving boards include 24 points.

The closest ancestors to the modern game can be found in medieval Europe. In France, the "Games of Tables" began in the 11th Century. It quickly became popular with gamblers and travelers.

While today board games are uncontroversial, there was some intense opposition to them during certain historical periods. Within 250 years of their origin in France, the Games of Tables were banned by the King, Louis IX. Similarly, the Church of England outlawed all boards games during the rule of Queen Elizabeth. In those times and places, backgammon sets would have been illegal contraband.

Today, most backgammon boards are two-sided. Many are designed the two halves of a box. This allows for the easy storage of the dice and the checkers while the game is not being played.

Both sides of the board contain 12 points. Each point is a long triangle of one of two colors. The colors correspond to the checkers. Each player selects a different color at the start of the game.

Throughout history, backgammon has been played in many periods, nations and settings. People of all classes, from kings to wandering gamblers, have participated in the game or its ancestors. The games has even been played on the ocean; a board, along with counters and dice, was discovered in sunken hull of a Dutch ship from the 1600s.

Many variants and offshoots of the game have developed over the course of its long history. These include both primarily geographical versions and more strategic differences. One of the more modern innovations to the gameplay was the addition of the doubling cube.

While a doubling cube superficially resembles a die, it is in fact a marker to be placed on the board. The addition of this piece changes the game significantly. Most modern players prefer to play with one, as it makes the game move more quickly and deepens the available tactics.

The doubling cube originated in New York City in the 1920s. While the exact story of its invention remains unknown, the cube first appeared in gaming clubs. Its addition brought an ancient game more in line with modern expectations.

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Stone Age, Board Game Review

First off, let's talk about the basic rules of the game. Stone Age is a worker placement game. Each player starts out with 5 people which can be placed in various places on the board in order to gather food, resources, make tools, construct buildings, advance in the food chain, produce more people or advance the civilization. Workers are placed in yellow "rings" and each place has 1 to 7 rings available for worker placement.

Each round of the game comprises of 3 phases:

Players place their workers on the board. The starting player places one or more workers on a place then the next player, in clockwise order, places some workers and so on until all players have placed all of their people on the board. The number of rings on the board indicate how many workers can be placed in a particular location. Each player is permitted to place workers only once per turn in a specific place. Players use the actions of their placed workers. Players can choose the order in which each action is taken. Players feed their people. All workers must be fed with 1 food originating either from standard food production (according to placement in the food track) or stocked food. Food can be stocked by hunting in the Hunting Grounds.

The possible places for worker placement are:

The hunting grounds. Here people hunt for food. This is the only place where no rings are shown and players may put as many workers as they like but remember, only once per turn! Players roll as many dice as the amount of workers placed, during the second phase, and get food equal to the result of the dice divided by 2 and rounded down. Forest, Clay Pit, Quarry and River. Here people work for wood, clay, stone and gold accordingly. A total of 7 workers can be placed here. Players, during the second phase, roll as many dice as the amount of workers placed and receive an amount of the relevant resources equal to the result of the dice divided by 3,4,5 or 6 rounded down accordingly. The Hut. Only a single player can place workers here. 2 people (man+woman) are placed here in order to produce an extra worker during the second phase. The Field. Only one worker can be placed here. During the second phase, the player who placed a worker here will advance in the food track 1 space, increasing his food production. Tool maker. Only one worker can be placed here. He grants the player with an extra tool, used to reinforce the result of dice when gathering resources. Players can use tools in dice rolling to improve the dice result by adding the value of one or more tools to the result, thus making up for a bad roll. Each tool can be used once per round. Buildings. Players place a single worker on any building. During the second phase they will pay some resources to construct the building and will be given instantaneously some victory points. Civilization cards. Players place a single worker on any card. During the second phase they will pay the amount of resources shown on the top of the location and will be given the card along with an instant bonus (There is one exception of a card granting 2 resources that can be claimed instantly or later in the game. Each civilization card gives a bonus that will give victory points at the end of the game. Cards may reward the player for the amount of workers, tools, buildings, food production or similar cards he has.

Now let's see how the game scores in each of our review scoring categories, which are:

Components - Are the game components carefully designed? Are they beautiful and do they add to the value and feel of the game?

Gameplay - Is the gameplay interesting enough? Does it have enough depth?

Learning Curve - Is the game easy to learn or do you have to look up the rules each time you play it?

Theme - Does the game give a sense of immersion? Can you imagine being in the world it depicts?

Fun - Does the game make you laugh or at least have a good time while playing? Is it enjoyable enough?

Components:

The gameboard is just awesome! It's very colorful and impressive. All places where you can assign your workers are depicted with beautiful detail and appear connected to one another, forming an amazing little world. The individual player boards is the place to put your food, tools, buildings, tokens and resources. It also provides useful information about how civilization cards are used to gain victory points and what are the various multipliers for the resources. After a while you will remember these by heart but for the first couple of games it can come up handy. Resource blocks depict well each resource and the leather dice cup ensures that the dice are rolled without much noise. 8/10

Gameplay:

Gameplay is the most essential part in a game. No matter how beautiful a game looks, if it hasn't enough depth to keep you wanting for more, you will easily be bored. After playing a few games of Stone Age I realized that Stone Age is not an easy game to master. Each and every game will be a different one and players have to constantly think and adjust their gameplay and strategy according to the particular circumstances. More than often you will have to face crucial questions: Should I try to get that civ card that will give me more points or maybe should I aim to sabotage an opponent who is building up in structures? Should I make another tool or go for the field before the place is taken? One of the most intriguing aspects is the limitation of rings per location as well as the uniqueness of locations e.g the hut, toolmaker and fields. Only one player can occupy these places which makes the decision of proper worker placement pretty challenging. The most important part of the game is the first phase and players should pay attention not only to their own progress but to their opponents as well. Don't forget civilization cards when acquired are placed face down, so you must try to remember what your opponents strategy is. Dice rolling will be done extensively in the game but strangely it won't affect a lot the path to victory (partially because using the tools you make, dice results can be improved). Close attention has been paid to the variations of the game for 2-3 players, introducing new challenges and requiring a bit different strategy. For example in a 2-player game, only 2 of the 3 places: Hut, Field, Tool Maker are available, plus only one player can occupy the resource locations. Considering the fact that most games lose some of their fun factor when played with less than 4 players, this is a point where Stone Age shines. Overall I think that, although simple in implementation, the game is very challenging and can become quite addictive as the road to victory is never straightforward. 9/10

Learning Curve:

The game rules may seem a bit confusing at first but after playing 2-3 games, all becomes perfectly clear and rules are very easy to remember. Individual player boards help towards that, by containing information about resource multipliers/point values and the way civilization cards work. 7/10

Theme:

Although the game board and components are beautifully designed and depict the theme of the Stone Age quite successfully, the mechanics of the game don't have enough depths to let you actually feel like being a caveman. Maybe if the people tokens were designed with more inspiration.... 6/10

Fun:

Stone Age isn't a game that will make you burst in laughs in any case. There is no player interaction in any way, which some may think as a downside that affects the fun factor However, if you like strategy games, Stone Age can be very engaging and keep you nice company for a lot of hours as you struggle to find the key to success. A key that will be somewhat twisted in every game you play. 7/10

Pros:

Each game is different A lot of strategy involved Special rules for 2-3 player game which can be even more challenging

Cons:

No player interaction

Overall score: 7.4

Find out more about Stone Age at:

http://www.boardgamemaniac.com/Games/By-Genre/Strategy-Games/Stone-Age-l34.html

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Put Cuponk On Your Wish List

We all have our wish lists, whether it is for the holiday season, a birthday, or just because. The fact is we are all human and we all desire nice things and fun things. One thing that should not be missed is putting Cuponk on your wish list so that you can have years of fun and entertainment.

Fun For Everyone!

For adults, they can start playing with their kids, spending quality time together, something necessary for close family ties. Adults can also enjoy Cuponk with their own friends, turning a dinner party into something memorable. It is a hot game that is made for everyone, regardless of age or gender.

Contents

It comes with a special cup with a backboard funnel, special balls and trick cards. There are different styles of cups to choose from, just to make it even more personal an experience. The players must pick a trick card when it is their turn and then perform the trick successfully. The trick always involves getting the ball into the cup, which will light up and make some crazy sounds afterward.

Affordable

It is also a great form of entertainment that is inexpensive. In fact, it is just a matter of the initial investment, which is also a very affordable investment which retails around $20 to $30. That means that there can be endless nights and afternoons of fun with the game they can get everyone involved.

The Rules Of The Game

The rules of the game allow for everything in the home to be allowable. That means that you can bank the ball off the wall, use the stairs, the ceiling, or what have you. It is all legal. What makes this game even more special than most others is the fact that all ages can play at once. So, a family with different age groups can enjoy a few games together, without any real concern for damages, as the balls are quite light. It's kind of like beer pong rules, but without the beer.

Fun For A Long Time

In a time with economic instability, where consumers have felt the squeeze and have chosen to stay at home to save a few dollars, it is a great way to do that without being bored. Playing games with friends or family members is a good way to laugh and pass the time pleasantly, as opposed to just sitting in front of a television wasting precious time.

A Family Event

Life is filled with special moments, and those are the times that are spent with others, laughing, socializing, and so on. These are the things that people will remember forever. No one will remember watching television, but everyone will remember those memorable moments playing fun games and spending good quality time with the people they love.

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Why Chess Game Sets Are So Popular

If there is one game that never goes out of fashion, it is chess. People have been buying chess game sets all over the world for hundreds of years not only because it is a fun game to play, but also because it is one that is challenging. What you might not know is that the variety of chess game sets is absolutely huge. If you travel the world, you will see that each country has its own themed sets and that many people actually collect these sets throughout the years.

What Should You Look For?

When you are buying chess game sets, one thing that you should keep in mind is where you are going to play it and who you will be playing with. If you are looking for a portable set that you can take to the park, then that wouldn't be the same one as you would put out on your table at home.

Which Chess Game Sets Are Most Popular?

There are some sets that go in and out of popularity, such as Star Wars sets, or sets where all the pieces are related to a particular movie, time period, or theme. But there are some sets such as the American History themed set that is always very popular, especially among people who really enjoy their American history.

If you shop online, you will find that there are many different kinds of themes such as fantasy chess sets, civil war chess sets, and even those that represent figures in medieval or renaissance times. This really does add an entirely new and fun aspect to the game.

What About Chess Game Sets for Children?

When you are playing with children, you need to make sure that the pieces are large enough so that they won't swallow them, and they should also be large enough so that their tiny fingers can move them around. Chess is not generally thought of as a game for younger children, but it can be fun for them to play with the pieces.

Games for Travel

There is also a wide variety of chess games that are more portable. Some of these are designed for car travel and have magnetic boards and pieces, while others are designed to be set up in a park or on a camping trip and have more rugged boards with figures that can't be broken. The choice is really up to you as to what kind of board you need, but keep in mind that many chess players have multiple boards.

If you are going to buy chess game sets, then you will definitely find that the best selection of all kinds of games, both expensive and inexpensive, can be found online. You will also find a lot of information on playing the game that you might not find in your local toy store. Some people take this game seriously while others play it for fun - either way, having a nice board with pieces that you enjoy can make the game even more enjoyable.

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Chinese Checkers: The "Star" Game

Chinese Checkers is a game that has been derived from the game known as Halma. It was an American professor called Dr. George Howard Monks who founded the game Halma. The professor got the idea after reading about an English game called Hoppity. His fascination with the game eventually led to his invention of the game. Significant contribution was also made by Dr. Thomas Hill, and this game was first launched by E.I Horsman Company in 1885.

Chinese Checkers is quite similar to Halma and is played on a board shaped like a six pointed star. A maximum of six people can play this game. Generally every player is assigned 10 game pieces, but some variants of the game allow up to 15 pieces per player.

This game is based on simple rules that can be easily learnt by everyone. The aim of the game is to move your pieces onto the side exactly opposite to you. A player is allowed to jump over rivals' pieces and can block their paths. He/she is also allowed to hold the opponent's pieces captive.

Each player is given a differently colored set of pieces and these are arranged neatly in the region of the star that has been allotted to him. Sometimes marbles are used as game pieces and this increases the visual appeal of the game.

In order to excel at this game, the player must be able to make decisions wisely and move pieces in such a way that will enable him/her to arrange his/her pieces on the opposite side before any other player. The game continues even after the winner is decided, and thus the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth places are determined.

Chinese checkers was initially known as Hop Ching Checkers but was later renamed to Chinese checkers. This game was first patented by the name Stern Halma but was later patented by the Milton Bradley Company under the name of "Chinese Checkers". Variations of this game also exist and one of them is known as Super Chinese Checkers.

This game is wonderful for family gatherings as six people can play it. It can also be played on a picnic with a group of friends. It provides hours of entertainment and challenges the player to make moves using tactics. The simple rules make it suitable for all age groups and even children can quickly learn the basics of the game. By playing just a few games, one can become a pro at it and devise strategies to win the game every other time.

Online Chinese checkers can be played by a single individual, with the computer doing the rest. This is a very entertaining game if you have an evening all for yourself.

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The Game of Operation Turns Any Kid Into a Heart Doctor

This very popular game called Operation was developed in 1967 by Milton Bradley. Currently distributed by Hasbro, this great battery-operated game allowed kids of all ages to practice dexterity and hand-eye skills. Perfect for any little heart doctor, this game allowed kids to take miniature tongs in an attempt to remove small pieces from a pictured patient on the board. Kids would have to dip the tongs inside small crevices to retrieve small pieces, but if the metal tongs made contact with the sides of the cavity, a buzzer would go off, meaning their turn was up.

This game was extremely popular with kids and young adults in the 60s through the 90s. It was marketed on television to children on Saturday mornings during the 1980s, and remained a popular family game since its inception. Any kid could turn into a heart doctor or brain surgeon during play, and it was one of the first games in which kids could learn very basic internal anatomy of the human body. The game also afforded kids to practice on their dexterity, concentration, hand-eye coordination, and about the way electricity works (since contact with the metal tongs on the metal cavity rims would cause a buzzer to go off).

Each game contained a deck of cards, the tongs or tweezers with which children would pull the game pieces from the drawn patient on the board, and the pieces that fit inside him. Each game required children to focus on the Adam's Apple, broken heart, ankles, stomach, ribs, knees, funny bone, a Charlie horse area, a writer's cramp area, ankle bone to knee bone connection, wish bone, bread basket (the solar plexus), and a small ice cream cone located in the head called "Brain Freeze".

Other versions were made throughout the years. A 2006 version of the game featured Spider Man which sent sales through the roof. The next year, Sponge Bob Square Pants adorned the board. Eventually Hasbro would produce a Simpson's version, a version for Doctor Who, as well as Toy Story. By 2006, the company developed another board for the Iron Man movie franchise, and in 2011, developed a model for the film, Cars 2. Clearly the game is profitable for the company as it is a success among children. Any aspiring throat, nose, foot, or heart doctor can enjoy this fun and entertaining game.

Operation has been one of the longest lasting games through the decades. Original sets are selling for high amounts on eBay and other auctions. While they are still able to be found, many collectors pay high dollar for an original set, especially sets that were a part of the first 100 manufactured by Milton Bradley. If anyone has one of these, they could easily sell it for a large amount of money. For those who wish for them to gain value, simply protect the parts, box, and store it away for another day!

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