OT; Gobblet & 4x4 games

[Ron Hale-Evans <rwhe@...>]

Our Own Michael Schoessow published an excellent article about games
played on 4x4 boards in _Abstract Games_ Issue 15, Autumn 2003.  One
of the prizes for his Changing Landscapes piecepack game competition
was a 4x4 board game system, including rules for multiple games.  He
has also been circulating an HTML file cataloguing 4x4 games that I
hope he will put up on the Web soon (pace Mike!).

Our Own Tim Schutz alerted me at the last Seattle Cosmic Game Night
(Saturday) that many Barnes & Noble bookstores are selling selected
board and card games at half off.  One of them is Gobblet:

  http://www.gobblet.com/

This is a game that comes in its own wooden case about 9 inches square
and a couple of inches deep.  The lid slides out and flips over to
reveal a 4x4 board.  On the inside is an open-topped square
compartment that holds the unique Gobblet pieces (which nest like
Russian dolls) and the instructions for the game.  This compartment is
in the center of the box and leaves about 1.75 inches of empty space
all around it -- plenty of room to store checkers, Go stones, Reversi
pieces, Chess pieces, whatever it takes to turn the Gobblet box into a
full-fledged 4x4 game system to your liking.  You can even fit standard
piecepack tiles in it, just not a whole piecepack.

The box is lightweight, probably made of pine, stained a sort of cedar
colour.  The lid is plywood, but doesn't splinter.  Once you stick
your components back into the box, you can flip the lid
board-side-down and slide it back into place, so that the box holds
all the components of your game system.  There is virtually no chance
the box will accidentally slide open.  A great way to carry a bunch of 
games around.

As I said, I found mine half-off at Barnes & Noble, which means I paid
$15 for it.  I'd say I got a pretty good deal.  First come, first
served; your mileage may vary; other disclaimers may apply.

Ron H-E

-- 
    Ron Hale-Evans ... rwhe@... ... http://ron.ludism.org/
	 Center for Ludic Synergy, Seattle Cosmic Game Night,
Kennexions Glass Bead Game & Positive Revolution FAQ: http://www.ludism.org/