He deserves a big hand for that and we gave him one (A Guide To Hand Management)

There are a lot of new-fangled mechanics that have come to popularity in the recent years: worker placement, deck building, and dice building to name a few. But other mechanics have a much longer history. Among game components that have a rich history dice and cards both trace back over 1000 years. In this mechanic guide we’ll explore the most common implementation of card driven games, Hand Management.

News Bits: 3/18/2013

Ladies and gentlemen, the NEWS:

The National Post talks Diplomacy [Link] This is an interesting article on the man who made Diplomacy and the legacy of this game. I've avoided this one myself because of the hard feelings I've heard it engenders, but this was an interesting read nonetheless.

Stocking Stuffer Guide 2012

  "Children are grateful when Santa Claus puts in their stockings gifts of toys or sweets. Could I not be grateful to Santa Claus when he put in my stockings the gift of two miraculous legs?"
--G. K. Chesterton

There are likely as many stocking traditions as there are families who stuff stockings. I remember commercials from my youth suggesting that a diamond tennis bracelet--because it did not break the size constraint--was a suitable stocking stuffer. (If that's the case, make the stockings bigger--roughly the square, Fantasy Flight size game box.) In my family, "stocking stuffer" is a price range rather than a size limitation, and our stockings are often accompanied by bonus grocery sacks with things that are too big to fit in the stockings we have.

But for today's discussion of my recommendations for board game stocking stuffers, I'm offering two categories: one of small size, small cost games, and one of slightly larger games falling into a similar price range. Filler (stuffer?) games, if you will.

Here are my picks for 2012. Enjoy! (And if you're interested in larger games to give as gifts, check out our full 2012 gift guide.)

FDQ: What Do You Play to Relax?

Some days you don't want to play Agricola. Or Troyes. Or a game that burns your brains out. Some days you had a tough day at the office, or the babe you love so much has been screaming nonstop. Some days you need a stiff coffee, a cold piece of pie, and a relaxing game of...what? That's today's question: What game do you play to relax?

@FarmerLenny answers:
This has been in my thoughts lately, now that we have a new child in the house. While I often prefer the 60-90 minute games, my wife, who bears the brunt of the wee lad's whines and screams, if she wants to play anything, prefers to keep it light. And that's okay. So what games get played in our house when we want to relax?

Canasta is an old favorite. Canasta is a breezy game that can allow conversation or not, and since my wife and I have played this game for years, it doesn't require the brain power of some of the newer, shinier games. (Even newer games that are easy often require more brain power than the old stand-bys.) Jaipur is another game that can be relaxing. We also play Drop Site to unwind.

More recent acquisitions are Through the Desert (though playing with pastel camels after Easter seems unseasonal), Roll through the Ages, and Crokinole. I like the first two because they have some strategy and skill, but there aren't a lot of moving parts to monitor. I like Crokinole because all it is is moving parts. All of these games work well because they are played in rounds that usually last 10-20 minutes. They're easy to pick up and set down. And best of all, they allow us to be together and feel like we're doing something, even if it's not farming in the seventeenth century.

@Futurewolfie answers:
Honestly, playing board games in general is pretty relaxing to me.  Whatever hits the table, it's a chance to step back from the frenetic pace of digital life.  Even some of the more complex games throw less information per second at your eyes and brain than your average website.  Still, it's true, some games are more brain-burning than others and i'm not going to squeeze in Twilight Imperium for a quick break.  Most of the "relaxing" games I play with my wife, and we most commonly play Dominion.  Although Pandemic has seen quite the resurgence lately with the addition of the On the Brink expansion, and since it's cooperative there are no hard feelings at the end (except, perhaps, disappointment at a loss). 

There and Back Again: A Farmer's Tale

This is my first post in a while. Sorry about the silence from my end; I've been traveling all over creation to celebrate Christmas with family. And I've come back with a tale or two about what I played...

My bags were packed with fun games—both for under the tree and for general consumption. I brought some old favorites and some new, and here were the results.

Christmas Gift Guide 2011

Even dragons love Christmastime.

Christmas is right around the corner, and this means that gift-buying season is in full swing. Rather than giving those special someones on your list another sweater or novelty Monopoly set (Monopoly: The Tacky Christmas Tie Edition!), why not try giving them something they'll really enjoy? Look below as @Futurewolfie and I make gaming suggestions for the people on your Christmas shopping list. If you'd like more details about any of these games, we've linked to our reviews, or you can ask us questions in the comments. If we haven't covered someone on your list, post a comment, and we'll recommend something fresh. It's that simple.

(Oh, and so you know, we're not the only ones doing this. Check out other great lists on Dice Hate Me, Gamer Chris, Games and Grub, The Board Game Family, The Game Aisle, and of course, Board Game Geek. Their lists differ significantly from ours, but they have good suggestions, too.)

The Two-Player Bazaar (a review of Jaipur)

[Editors note: The following is a Nemesis Review, featuring opinions from our in-house eurogamer, @Farmerlenny, and his deadly enemy, the thematic, space-loving @Futurewolfie.  Make sure to read both opinions to get a better overall picture of the game!]

I had heard buzz around the Internet about a great two-player game called Jaipur, but I wasn't sure about it. Mostly because the pricetag was $25, the box was small, and the components, as far as I could gather, were a deck of cards (granted, beautifully illustrated cards) and a few stacks of pogs. But when I found it for a deal, I decided it was worth a try. And I realized just how foolish I was to balk at the pricetag, because this game is fantastic.

Friday Question: What Is Your Favorite Two-Player Game?

Everyone loves those gaming sessions where the stars align and everyone shows up. Options abound—games with a large group or several splinter groups. The synergy. In any case, people are happy and games are played. However, this isn't always the case. Or for some of us, this isn't even often the case. Which leads to this Friday's question: What is your favorite two-player game? Feel free to answer in the comments! (I appreciate the suggestions.)

@FarmerLenny answers:
My favorite game that is strictly two-player is probably Jaipur. I love the trading element and the constantly changing strategies based on what your opponent does. It moves quickly, offers good choices, and it's a game that really engages both players. If I'm thinking in general of what game I enjoy the most when there are only two players available, I would probably say Dominion. Dominion is a great two-player game. Some of the attacks are less nasty (notably Torturer--he can't stack as easily), but this might be a good thing. The experience is very different from a game that involves more players, but it's still excellent fun with two. In fact, I think the good tension is higher in a two-player game than a game with three or four players.

@Futurewolfie answers:

I actually don't own any two-player only games. I mostly get games to play with my board gaming group, which means that more players is often better than less. However, it is even better when games support two players, and not in an awkward, work-around variant that isn't very fun. I play two-player games most often with my wife (and second-most-often with my nemesis above), and the game that hits the table most often is Dominion. As @Farmerlenny mentioned, it's a different experience from four to two players, but the two-player game is still tense, competitive, and fun. Carcassonne is another great two-player game that hits the table a lot.

I've found that Tobago, though supporting two players, is a lot better with three or four (although two-player was significantly more fun after we knew what we were doing). Another game that supports two players is Race for the Galaxy, but while I enjoy it, I think it is significantly more fun with three or four.  

I'm always looking for great two-player games (especially if they support more), so leave your favorite two-player games in the comments!