Intro

Welcome to my new board game blog. Board gaming has always been a large part of my family's entertainment. Recently there has been a resurgence of interest in board gaming. I think the interest stems from the face to face social structure inherent in board games. While gaming over the Internet can be fun and involve other players, it really is no substitute for being in the same room as people you love to hang out with. There are alternatives to board games. For instance you could watch a movie with the group, however unless you are watching a cult classic that everyone could quote in it's entirety it's rude to socialize. Is sitting quietly in a group any different than sitting quietly alone. The shared experience of a board game can bring friends and family closer and that's what I'm after.

Over the course of this blog I'm going to write about games my  friends and family enjoy. I will occasionally post tips and strategies. Hopefully I will help your group enjoy a hobby as much as my friends and family do.

If you are interested in buying board games in the Edmonton area I would like to suggest my favourite store. Mission fun and games in St. Albert has been extremely helpful in finding new games. The staff is knowledgeable and is usually up for a chat about a game. They host game sessions so check the store calender and you can possibly go in to try a game before you decide to buy it. The one downside I have encountered is that the store can be too busy on specific game nights and can get a little crowded. If you want to have an in depth conversation with staff try a non-game night. Their website is: http://www.missionfunandgames.com and they do sell games in their online store.

If you are looking for video of game play I would advise you to go on to Wil Wheaton's Table top http://tabletop.geekandsundry.com/ it's a web series where Wil Wheaton explains different board games and goes through a play session with random celebrities.The show presents games in an easy to follow and entertaining format. This helps players who don't want to be the clueless newbie at the table as they can learn game play before attending your game session. There is something that is now referred to "The Wheaton Effect." Games featured on the series will receive a boost in sales. So the series is effective.

Right now my board gaming groups include my wife, my brother and his fiance, my parents, occasionally my sister and her daughters, my wife's sister with her husband and kids, and various friends (who are having some serious scheduling conflicts). I have a huge clan of cousins who have varied levels of interest in board games. It's been a while since we've met up though but hopefully that will change soon. It seems some coworkers may be interested in playing as well so hopefully I can get that going too. It will be easier now that my lunchtime crib partner has come back from maternity leave.

My intention is to do a weekly blog posting on Thursday evenings (my wife's wonky shift night.) So check back then and happy gaming.