Sunday, February 21, 2010

While Travelling With A Magnetic Chess Set, Learn To Play Chess

By Walt Peterson

Chess is considered by many as the oldest of all board games. It is revered in many areas of the world as much more than just a game. Chess is a game that reqires alot of thought and stradegy and is enjoyed by many leaders of nations. Napolean was known to play chess and his chess set can be seen in a North Carolina museum. Today chess is being played across the web, in family rooms, at schools and with magnetic chess sets, you can even play while travelling.

Many types and styles of chess set are available. While magnetic chess sets are one type, they add a new dimension to where chess can be played.They can be bought at various price levels. The low end sets are typically plastic and sold by large toy companies. Most of these are multi game sets and may include checkers and backgammon.

The magnetic chess sets and other low end chess sets are a great way to learn to play without spending a lot of money. Once you have learned to play and build an interest in the game then you can consider purchasing a more expensive set. One way to learn to play well is to join a chess club; these clubs will typically use less expensive sets.

Playing outdoors is a favorite place for many people and a magnetic chess set is ideal for this. Another common use is on trips in the car. The small magnets will keep the wind or bumps in the car will not disturb the game. Chess clubs and younger kids usually choose this type of set. The magnets in the bases keep the pieces in place until they are ready to be moved.

When you opt to upgrade to a more expensive set,there are stores that carry higher quality pieces and boards. You may find these retailers in specialty stores and online chess set dealers.It is limitless in the styles and material used in the boards and pieces.

As you grow in the game of chess and want to move up from the travel set, the next step is usually wood.Wood chess pieces also vary in type and quality.Some are artisticaly hand carved and others machine made. The choices of materials used are many if you decide you want something other than wood. Some of these higher end sets are crafted from materials such as pewter, marble, oxo-teak, alabaster and leather.

After you have selected the material used in you chess board and pieces, there is the next choice of style of pieces. Many different styles from various parts of the world have been constructed. The Staunton type chess piece is the standard style used in most tournaments. The name comes from the first grandmaster of chess. You often will see a magnetic chess set in the Staunton style.

There are many styles of chess pieces beyond the Staunton style. Some of the most popular styles are of armies from many different eras. These include Confederate and Union, Revolutionary, Civil War to name a few. These themed chess sets also may be of animals, witches and warlocks, people of the world and just about anything else you might imagine. Even thought these theme chess set may be beautiful fine works of art, you still will have a special place in your heart for that magnetic chess set that you learned from. - 621

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Sunday, February 14, 2010

Board Game Help

By Zeeman Haus

Picking the right board game for your next family game night or friend gathering is important. As strange as it sounds, most times everyone seems like they don't want to play, but end up having an uproariously good time once the festivities start. This is just one of those things. To help you pick out the right board game and make your game nice a little more special we offer up a few tips.

You have to ask yourself a few questions first off. These would be; How many players? What age group are we talking about here and what kind of players? These are important questions to consider. If you don't believe me, at the next buddy gathering, pull out a Chutes and Ladders game and see what happens.

The number of people playing matters. If you have 8 people and are playing an eight player game that's not so bad; eight people trying to play a 6 player game won't work at all. Someone is sure to cry "foul!" To avoid a board game apocalypse, plan this out and have a contingency plan for a fair way to divide up the teams.

Age is the number one factor to consider when choosing a board game for family night. Usually someone is a little smaller and can easily be left out. None of the older people want to spend time playing Candyland or anything that juvenile, but what do you do? The answer is play a quick round of a little kids' game to get warmed up. After that offer to partner up with your little one and let them move the pieces and roll the dice for you. This usually works for a little while.

The type of people you game with has an impact of a successful gaming night as well. Friends and family have different game needs. For family you might have a little more educational game in mind. For friends you might need to rethink things and tailor the game choices for their tastes.

Give your gaming group the option to pick from several different games. Mix up the types of games you will be offering as well. A good mix would be one classic board game with pieces and dice, one trivia based game and maybe a DVD game. This way your group has a few choices. If the debate becomes too heated, play more than one game in a row.

Get some gag prizes and hide them away. This is a great way to keep your guests interested. The first time you give a novelty gift to the winner of the first round and announce "PRIZE NIGHT!" everyone will want to play to see what other goofy gags you have purchased.

Family or friend game night is an old fashioned and fun way to spend the evening from time to time. It forces us to interact with each other in a scale we seldom do while watching movies and playing video games. Without getting too misty over it, let's just say it's fun. - 621

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