All the Games on Our Shelves

  We've had an extended time with extended family, involving four generations staying at our house, so obviously a lot of gaming has taken place.  We started with Mind the Gap , which some of us northern California folks REALLY like and thought would be a particularly appropriate game with which to start the family visit -- a generation-based trivia game.  Not everyone was as much of a fan, but that's OK, as we certainly have plenty of other games from which to choose!  Below is a picture of family members who were gathered together; the group ranges in age from 0 to 85. Next game is one that is a time-honored tradition in our family: Rook .  EVERYONE likes Rook ! Qwirkle is a favorite of Al and Jo, our Michigan guests, and do they ever know how to maximize their play!! Then a card game called Dutch that our middle son learned in Thailand, ironically enough. The next one, Skull King , is a favorite of David's.  This game is very similar to the games Up an...

  Just One is a game that was added to our shelves yesterday as a Christmas gift. It is the winner of the 2019 Spiel de Jahres. We are already addicted to it; this is particularly true of David who keeps asking to play it.  I think we've played it 7 times in the last two days (and that's despite other games, a jigsaw puzzle, Christmas dinner, and having two toddlers in the house!).  It's definitely a good party game, but it does only include as many as 7 players.  The picture below is of Caleb explaining the rules for our first go at it.  This was after our Christmas dinner - rather a small party this year, but always good to be with family, whoever can make it!  And with us, games are always involved!  This is a cooperative game, which is something I always appreciate.  Each player takes a turn having the word card in front of him/her.  The playing boards are shaped in a way that functions as an easel, and the player with the card sets...

 We were so excited to have a long weekend, which gave us time to game with our dear friends the Kirks.  I knew it had been far too long, but as I just now checked I see that it's been EIGHT MONTHS, which is just a ridiculously long time to go without playing games together!  I really love the fact that they involve their kids in serious gaming!  David said to me on the drive home, "I guess the jumped right over Chutes and Ladders , didn't they?"  YEP!  What you see above is a game called My First Carcassonne , and I'm sure I had as much fun playing it as the kids did.  Below is the stack of kid games that were brought out.  Carcassonne is the one in the bag.  I think Owen was pretty ready for us to get on to playing Carcassonne.  He looks quite eager as we are yet finishing up My First Stone Age with older brother Levi.  Below are a couple of pics of My First Stone Age , which also plays quite well.  Finally we...

GAME NIGHT!!  You know life is too busy when it takes months to set up a game night with good gamer friends!  The stars finally aligned last night, and we were able to play with Anna and Tyler.  Something else that is self-evident is that your friends really know about gaming if they are choosing those that have won the Spiel des Jahres award!  This stamp of high approval is on the game Kingdomino.  This is a game they introduced us to last night, and it is definitely a game I want to play a lot more of!  The goal, as with so many games, is to get the most points.  You do so by building a 5x5 size kingdom out of "dominoes" (i.e. land tiles of size 1x2).  These consist of squares of different terrains, some of which have one or more crown symbols on them.  When counting points at the end, only the terrains that contain one or more crowns count.  You multiply the number of orthogonally-conntected tiles of a given terrain, and multiply...