This page tracks the winners, runners-up, honorable mentions, and so on for the various game design competitions. If a game is listed on this page, it is probably pretty good.

See also RecommendedGames.

Piecepack community game design competitions

The piecepack community runs a series of game design competitions for the piecepack. The winner of each competition gets to judge the succeeding competition, and to borrow and autograph the TrophyCloth, which is then passed on to the next winner. Some contests also offer other prizes, such as EverlastingGlory.

Contest 9: IronPiecepackDesignerContest (August 2019 to TBD)

The motivation for creating Kitchen Table Stadium is to encounter new games that can be considered true artistic creations.

Contest 8: Where No One Has Gamed Before (February 2018 to July 2018)

Judge: RonHaleEvans. Had a theme of novelty, specifically,

1. Novelty: whether your game entry does something new with the piecepack – or just new, period.
2. Solid design: whether it runs smoothly without confusion and is fun to play.

Games

Gold: Tingle by Chris Goodwin

Silver: Desfases by Antonio Recuenco Muñoz

Expansions

Gold: PiecepackMatchsticks by Dan Burkey

Silver: MixedSuitsExpansion by Antonio Recuenco Muñoz

Special Achievement

• PiecepackRPackage by TrevorLDavis

See Where No One Has Gamed Before Results for more details.

Contest 7: GoodPortsmanship (September 2006 to March 2007)

In the spirit of free and open source software and culture, every entry must be a translation, or "port", of an existing game to the piecepack. While this may seem like a mechanical exercise at first glance, there is plenty of room for the game designer's talents. Judge: RonHaleEvans

GaryPressler was the winner with his game TheColonistsOfNatick, which is a port of The Settlers of Catan Card Game. The runners-up were MichaelSchoessow and StephenSchoessow with their game ShoppingMall, which is a port of MarraCash.

Winner: TheColonistsOfNatick, by GaryPressler

Runner-Up: ShoppingMall, by MichaelSchoessow and StephenSchoessow

Contest 6: GroupProjects (January 2004 to October 2004)

All entries were designed by a group of not less than two co-authors. The judge of the contest was ClarkRodeffer, who won the previous contest.

Winner: TheInCrowd, by JebHavens & IanSchreiber

Runners-Up (3):

• Best Children's Game: ElephantRun, by JimAdams & AmyEnge
• Best Eye Candy: Triactor, by JonathanDietrich, KenMacKeigan & JulieTaylor
• Best Use of Theme: Magistratvm, by Brad Johnson & Phillip Lerche

Contest 5: SolitaryConfinement (September 2003 to January 2004)

All entries were solitaire games for the piecepack. The judge of the contest was Phillip Lerche, who won the previous contest.

Winner: PiecePackingPirates, by ClarkRodeffer

Runners-Up (2):

• CardinalsGuards, by Michael Schoessow and Stephen Schoessow
• GalaxyExpress, by Matt Worden

Honorable Mentions (3):

• Cleverest overall concept: EpicFunhouse, by RonHaleEvans and Marty Hale-Evans
• Most aesthetically appealing: Fuji-san, by James Kyle
• Best theme: Matrix, by Jeff Barrett

Contest 4: HistoryRepeatsItself (April 2003 to August 2003)

All entries were games based on some sort of historical event. The judge of the contest was Rob LeGood, who won the previous contest.

Winner: PharaohsHeir, by Phillip Lerche

Runner-Up: Chariots, by Mark A. Biggar

Best Use of Theme: DivorcedBeheadedDiedDivorcedBeheadedSurvived, EricWitt

Contest 3: ChangingLandscapes (August 2002 to March 2003)

All entries were board games that utilized a mutable board (the board configuration changed in some fashion during the course of the game). The judge of the contest was Michael Schoessow, who won the previous contest.

Winner: New City, by Rob LeGood

Runner-Up: IceFloe, by Tim Schutz

Honorable Mentions (3, de facto):

• Decay, by Robert Mundschau and MattHeistad
• FroggyBottom, by Clay Blankenship
• King's Cottage, by JonathanDietrich

Contest 2: LudicSynergy (April 2002 to July 2002)

All entries were games that melded the piecepack with another commonly available GameSystem (a game system is a set of components that function together in multiple games, much like the piecepack). The judges of the contest were RonHaleEvans and Marty Hale-Evans, who won the previous contest.

Winner: AlienCity, by Michael Schoessow

Runners-Up (2):

• LeyLines, by James Kyle
• PawnsCrossing, by Michael Schoessow and Stephen Schoessow

Contest 1: TimeMarchesOn (February 2002 to April 2002)

All entries were games that had something to do with a clock, timer, or calendar in some sense. The judge of the contest was James Kyle, the designer of the piecepack itself.

Winner: KidSproutJumboree, by RonHaleEvans and Marty Hale-Evans

Private contests

Not strictly part of the community contest "lineage" above, these privately-sponsored competitions were run by game publishers with an interest in publishing piecepacks.

ToyVault piecepack design contest (December 2009 to June 2010)

Judge: Paul Blake. Criteria: "ToyVault's publishing history should not influence your game designs. We're not looking for games based on our existing media licenses, or any media license at all. We're looking for innovative, imaginative, and strategically rewarding games. They can be quick beer-and-pretzels games, or multi-hour epics, so long as they're fun."

In June 2010, Paul wrote, "In no particular order, the winners of ToyVault's Piecepack Game Design contest are:

• Glob, by Antonio Recuenco Muñoz
• CreamOfTheCrop, by Jay Cormier and DonKirkby
• TradeRoutes, by Andy Van Zandt
• SharkTank, by Richard Durham
• Relativity, by Marty Hale-Evans and RonHaleEvans"

For more details: http://www.bgdf.com/node/2593, http://boardgamegeek.com/article/5171073

MesomorphGamesContest1 (October 2004 to August 2006)

This contest was intended to spur authors to begin incorporating the unique aspects of MG's 4 Seasons and Playing Cards piecepack expansions into game designs. All submissions had to make use of a Mesomorph Games expansion (either 4 Seasons or Playing Cards) as an integral part of the theme or mechanics of the game.

Winner: PiecepackLetterbox, by RonHaleEvans