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Best Board Games for Boys | Board Games | Hobbies | Chess News and Reviews.

Boys love adventures and thrills which make board games a best choice for them. Playing board games does not only provide enjoyment but also a good learning experience. It is also a good replacement to video games.

Kids can still play board games when raining and cannot play outdoor games. They can also bring it as a gift or source of entertainment at a party. Here are some of the best board games for boys that will also find interesting by grown-up men. These games can also be enjoyed by both boys and girls.

Lost Puppies

Lost Puppies is an award-winning cooperative game where kids must work together for the same goal rather than compete against each other.

Lost Puppies can be played by 2-6 players. The object of this game is to find and bring all the lost puppies back home before the night falls. The players must mix all the cards to start the game and place them face down on the spaces and homes on the board.

Players wait for their turns on turning over the cards one at a time to find the puppies and open a path home. If a card with a star on it, also known as the night card is turned up, place it on the space on the board with the corresponding number.

If the turned up card is the flashlight or take-a-peek card, the player must take it off the board and decide to use it at a later time. These are useful cards because flashlight cards can remove night cards and open a path while take-a-peek cards allow players to peek under a face down card.

Lost Puppies is earth-friendly and ethically manufactured by Peaceable Kingdom. They use soy-based inks on FSC paper and include corn based plastics on producing this game. Lost Puppies is a game that is good for children and good for the planet.

Boys will enjoy playing Lost Puppies because they love to act as heroes. Playing this game is similar to being part of a rescue mission bringing back home the lost puppies.

Forbidden Island

Forbidden Island is a Mensa Select Award Winning game that requires all players to work together. It has a lot of unique qualities including its rich illustrations, cooperative nature of play, innovative set of rules and endless possibilities produced by the tiles and cards.

The game is about sacred treasures hidden on the Forbidden Island so that no outsider could get their hands on them. The island was designed to sink if ever outsiders attempted to claim the items. The players have to work together, find the treasures and escape before the whole island is sunken beneath the depths of the Ocean.

Forbidden Island has no board game instead the island is created with 24 island tiles picturing a location on the island. Each adventurer will have their own special ability which can help them win the game.

Forbidden Island is designed by Matt Leacock and published by Gamewright Games. This game will be enjoyed by boys because they are love adventures. Forbidden Island is a treasure hunting game with a twist of working together as a team.

Roll Through the Ages

Grab and roll the dice then you can collect goods, assign workers to build cities and erect monuments, advance civilization through cultural and scientific developments. You can do all this by playing Roll Through the Ages.

Roll Through Ages is an addictive and strategic new civilization game. The goal of this game is to core the highest points by becoming the most advanced and impressive civilization by having cities, monuments, and developments while avoiding disasters. Players have to roll seven special dice in order to obtain workers and supplies to develop their civilization.

The game is also designed by Matt Leacock and published by Gryphon Games. The amazing artwork in Roll Through the Ages is made by Paul E. Niemeyer and Monte Moore.

Roll Through the Ages will be enjoyed by boys because they are born with interest in leading and building something. A game that is about building civilization will surely befit their interest.

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National Day for Children is celebrated on different days in many places all over the world. The Universal Children’s Day is one of the oldest United Nations (UN) recognised days.
To Celebrate China’s National Day for Children on June 1st, 2012, we are giving
FREE SHIPPING
on all Kids Board Games in our Educational & Kids Board Games Category for just one day!

Grab the Code…CHINAKIDS

Children are considered as the future caretaker of a nation and basics of a a good family, social, and educational environment are what National Children’s Day is about.

In China, Children’s Day is celebrated on June 1st. It was established in November 1949 at the International Democratic Women’s League Council held in Moscow. The State Council (Cabinet) elected a half-day holiday for all primary school Kids in every 1st of June.

In 1956, itwas made into a full day holiday with The Announcement by the State Council. It is an international commemorative day that exists for the reason of protecting lives and rights of children and promoting their happiness and health.

Children’s Day in China is considered equivalent to Christmas. It is a memorable day to enjoy and have fun for the children with their friends and family.

Children’s Day in China is celebrated in various ways. In the capital city, Beijing, a huge gathering is held by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, in coordination with three other organisations where over 100 children are invited to represent China’s 56 different nationalities. The purpose of the gathering is to allow children to establish a good relationship with each other, thereby helping them to work together in the future for the growth of the nation.

In this day, all entertainment places like cinemas, parks, palaces, and children museums are opened for free for all kids. Activities such as camping trips or free movie’s are held for students to have fun. Elementary schools organised celebration parties for young kids. Children of civil servants also receive small valuable gifts from the government. Young Pioneers of China usually held entrance ceremonies on June 1 as well.

Kids are spoiled and showered with gifts by their parents in this day. They are even given ‘lucky’ money by family members and family friends. Various parent-children activities are sponsored and organised by government and civic organisati
ons to strengthen the bond between parents and children.
Treat Children’s Day not just an ordinary holiday. It is a day to emphasise the dignity of children and their need for love, care, and respect.

In support of the observance of Children’s Day, we aim to provide our children with a caring atmosphere that would allow them to develop into well-rounded individuals who are aware not only of their rights but also of their responsibilities to family, friends, and the community.

The Kids Board Games in our Educational & Kids Games Category provides fun while having an educational experience, your kids will surely love. Avail this opportunity of free shipping in June 1 and indulge your kids with these amazing board games.

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— 3 days ago

#kids board games #australia #free shipping

Best Board Game for Girls in 2012 | Board Games.

There are a lot of board games for girls out there. They played it at home and bring at a party.
The girls’ games have feminine themes to keep the girls’ interest, but there are some board games that are usually played by both boys and girls.

Women and young girls love to socialise, and thus it can be seen at their very young age. Girls love to play to be “social” and create a good relationship with other kids. Here are some best board game for girls that does not develop their social skills but also educational and fun!

Mermaid Island

A Cooperative Kids Board Game of adventure perfect for girls! Girls will surely love this game because of its mermaid-theme design and the way it is played.

Mermaid Island can be played by 2-6 players and especially designed for girls 5 years and up. However, girls at any age will surely enjoy playing this game.

In this game, the players work together to help the mermaids swim to Mermaid Island before the Sea Witch gets there. Players have to take turns spinning a spinner and move a mermaid or the Sea Witch. Mermaids can move one or two spaces at the same time and can take the bridge short cuts.

The Sea Witch can only move one space at a time and always takes the long way. The mermaid must go back to start if the Sea Witch lands on her. Mermaids can collect and use wand tokens to move the Sea Witch back one space.

Mermaid Island is an eco-friendly toy which is an important factor in choosing the best board games. It is made with recycled materials and printed with soy-based inks on FSC. The manufacturer, Peaceable Kingdom is known for its eco-friendly and socially responsible products.

No one will feel left out or left behind because this game encourages teamwork and shared decision-making. Mermaid Island is a cooperative game that will surely love by girls because it eliminates stress in competition and teaches girls that playing together can be fun!

What’s a Dame to Do?

An award-winning game suitable for girls! Women will surely love this game. What’s a Dame to Do? will surely be a hit to any parties, social events, dinners, and casual get-togethers.

Made in the USA, this game is all about laughing your way through sticky situations in life. The object of this game is to use your female intuitions to guess how players would react to given “dame dilemmas”.

Each player will choose which of the eight Score Folders, which have models that look like “real” women, they would like to use. They also have to choose the corresponding Hilarious Card, Guessing Chip, and ten Reaction Cards.

The girl in a What’s a Dame to do?! turn flips over the uppermost Dilemma Card and reads it aloud. The dilemmas in the cards are usually not everyday events but still possible to happen sometimes. The other players will search through their Reaction Cards and choose the one that they guess the girl with dilemma will do. Knowing people’s suggestions on the dilemma is one of the fun parts of this game because sometimes you have no choice but to lay down something g silly based on what card you have in hand.

Congklak Mancala

Congklak is a board game played all over the world which was originated in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Southern Thailand, and some parts of Sumatra and Borneo.

This game is mostly played by girls which also has simple rules that allow the boards to have different number of holes. The board used in playing Congklak, has a number of holes on each side which varies from different countries. All the boards have an additional bigger store-hole for each player. Since the prehistoric times, Congklak was played with stones, seeds, and shells.

Each player controls the holes on their side of the board, and their score is based on the number of seeds on their store-hole. The object of Congklak is to capture more seeds than the opponent.

Congklak is not only used for entertainment but also an educational tool. It is an enjoyable game that contributes to increasing alertness and learning maths for kids.

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— 4 days ago

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How to Play Okey Rummy | Board Games | Hobbies.

Okey is a traditional board game and a Turkish version of the game Rummy. It is an addictive game usually played with four players, although can also be played with two or three. Okay is closely related to the game Rummy as it uses the same set of boards and tiles but with different rules. In Turkey and among Turkish communities abroad, okey is a very popular game not only at home but also at coffee houses, street corner, and anywhere else men gather drink and talk.

Okey tile Rummy is played with a set of 106 wooden tiles. The tiles are numbered from 1 to 13 which are printed in different colours. Each number has a copy of eight tiles: two red, two yellow, two green, and two black. There are also two special tiles without numbers and are known in this game as “false jokers”. Tiles have to be faced down in the game; thus the backs of the tiles are plain so that they will all look the same.

During the distribution of the tiles, a 6-sided die is always used. Each player will have 14 tiles during the game. The object of okey rummy is to be the first player who form a hand that have a sets of equal numbered tiles, and runs of consecutive tiles of the same colour, by drawing and discarding tiles.

The first dealer is chosen by arbitrary decisions of the players. After the first player have been played and scored, the next turn to deal passes to the right.

Before the game starts, if any player has the tile that matches the face up tile on top of the last stack of six tiles, the player may show that tile, and score one point.

The player to the dealer’s right starts the game by discarding one tile, face up. Each player in turn may take the tile just discarded by the last player, or draw the next tile from the supply in the centre of the table, and must then discard one unwanted tile. This continues until a winner is determined.

Tiles that had been discarded are placed to the right of the player, who discarded them. The goal of okey rummy is to collect “sets” and “runs”: a set is made of three or four tiles of the same number and different colours; and a run is made of three or more consecutive tiles of the same colour.

A winner can has 14 tiles formed entirely into sets and runs. No tile can be used as part of both set and run at the same time. Another type of combination which can determine the winner is having seven pairs. Each pair must consist of two identical tiles with same number and colour. Two tiles with the same number but different colours do not make a pair.

If you have a possibility to win, then you can end the game by exposing all 14 tiles after discarding. The discards and the face up tile are the only exposed during the game; no tiles, sets, or runs are exposed during the game until a player shows a winning hand.

Okey is an enjoyable game all over the world. Okey also has a version in a social networking site like Facebook, allowing the users to play this game and socialise to other players around the globe.

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Chess is a board game played all over the world. There are a lot of designs of chess set that you can afford to have. Recently, it is now widely played on the computer and even on mobile phones. Chess is a game everyone will enjoy and a good help to exercise the brain.

Being good at playing chess does not just happen. You need to learn how to be defensive on your chess pieces while being aggressive over the opponent. There will never be assurance of winning over a game of chess. However, these tips will help you win in chess every time.

Know the Significance of each Chess Piece

You have to remember that every chess piece can be a key to your success. A pawn up could still help you win the game. You should not let your opponent take any of your pieces for free, or give them away as a bad trade. The most important piece in chess is the King; it should not be taken because it is basically worth the game.

Be clever in every move you take. You should always maintain your focus on having the best move in every single position. You must be sure that your move will not put your pieces in unnecessary danger without protection.

Be Aggressive

Playing chess is like fighting in a war. You need to be aggressive and push the opponent back to their side. Invading the opponent’s side can make you get closer to their King; it can also boost your hope to ‘checkmate’ and win!

Always remember to never let your guard down and go complete aggression. In chess, you must be 60% aggressive and 40% defensive.

Use all Chess Pieces

Some chess players always use pawns in their every move because it is their way to protect major pieces like the rook, queen and the King. However, not using all of your chess pieces lesser your chance of winning.

For example, a rook is frequently abandoned in the corner of the side and not used. It is like wasting the value of this chess piece. However, if you move the rook down to the centre, you can be attacking the most important pieces of the board.

Avoid Touch-Move

In tournaments, there is a rule applied called touch-move. It is applied if you touch one of your pieces; you have to move it, if possible. It is also applied if you touch an opponent’s piece – you have to take it or else you will be penalised.

In order to avoid touch-move, you must not touch a chess piece if you are uncertain where you want to move it. You must relax and carefully think of a strategy on your every move.

Know the Rules and Practice!

In every kind of games, practice and knowing the rules is always the basic. If you can easily remember the rules, you will easily think of a good move to win the game!

Practising chess can help you master the game and will boost your chance of winning in every game. You can practice it on your own because recently, chess is a game that can be played online.

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— 2 weeks ago

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The Game of Go | Board Games | Hobbies | Chess News and Reviews.

Go, also known as weiqi (Chinese), igo (Japanese), or baduk (Korean), which means “encircling game”. Go game originated from China; exactly when is unknown. It is a strategy game with such simple rules.

The origin of Go can be trace to Chinese Emperor Yao (2337-2258 BC) and had his counselor Shun design it for his son, Danzhu, to teach him discipline, concentration and balance.

In ancient times, it was part of the training of warriors in Japan, China, and Korea. Go game was one of the components of classical education along with calligraphy, painting, and music for both men and women.

Today, there are now millions of Go game enthusiasts all over the world. There are now professional leagues and championship matches which help widen the popularity of Go game. With the help of the Internet, it can now be played online.

Chinese Go is a beautiful game that leads to a countless number of intriguing patterns and clever manoeuvres. It is a simple game that requires a lot of clever strategies. The best way to learn how to master Go is simply practice it and become familiar with the patterns.

Instructions on Playing Go

Go is usually played on a 19×19 board and the pieces used are composed of black and white lens-shaped called stones. In the start of the game, black has 181 stones and white has 180. The player who has black will be the first to make a move. A move is made when a stone is placed on an intersection of the board. A stone should not be moved again unless it is captured by the opponent and taken off the board.

The goal in Go game is to obtain more territory, or points than the opponent. A player can gain points in two ways; by surrounding territory, and by capturing the opponent’s stones. The winner of the game will be the one with the most points.

The empty spaces that are surrounded completely by stones are called territory. Remember that the game is played only on the intersections of the lines and the edge of the board acts as a natural border. Points are counted according to the empty intersections the stones bordered.

In Go game, a player can capture the opponent’s stones by filling all the intersections around them. These captured stones will be placed on the opponent’s territory, reducing his score at the end of the game. The possibility of capturing a stone makes the game more complex and a tactical battle of wits.

All the intersections touching a group of stones must be filled on the outside and inside, for them to be captured. An empty space inside a group of stones is called an eye. To avoid being captured, a group of stones must have at least two separate spaces. One of the key in Go game is making eye space for your own group and preventing the opponent from having eyes.

One another rule in Go game is the ko rule which prevents repetitive capture. In this rule, a previous board position cannot be recreated. This rule prevents the game to be played endlessly.

Go is an enjoyable game that will exercise your brain in thinking of strategies to win. It is a classic game now popularly played not just in Asia but all over the world.

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The History of the Staunton Chess Set | Board Games | Hobbies | Chess News and Reviews.

Chess is a renowned game all over the world. Its popularity made the world interested in creating beautiful and unique model for chess pieces. There are now a lot of available chess sets in a variety of designs. The most well-known among its variety of design is the Staunton design.

During the late 18th century and early 19th century, the usual types of chess pieces including: the English Barleycorn chess set; the St George chess set; the French Regency chess set (named after Café de la Regence in Paris); and the central European Selenus chess set.

The disadvantages of these early designs are its tall, easily tipped and cumbersome pieces during play. But, the most inconvenient reason in these sets is its similarity of the chess pieces. In chess, the unfamiliarity of a player to his opponent’s set could tragically alter the result of a game.

Back then, it was all too clear that there was a great necessity for a chess set with pieces that were easy to use and recognised by chess players of opposite sides. The Staunton wooden chess set was then introduced by John Jaques of London, as the solution to this problem. Staunton chess set is named after Howard Staunton, a Shakespearean scholar, author, and a world champion from 1843 to 1851.

The design has long been credited to Nathaniel Cook and may have been conceived by his brother-in-law and owner of the firm, John Jaques.

In 1924, Staunton chess set gained the stamp of approval by World Chess Federation for use in all future international chess tournaments. It is also their choice of set.

The low cost in production of the Staunton chess set allowed the public to purchase and helped to popularise the game of chess.

385.00

The height of the king ranged from 3 ½ inches to 4 ½ inches and the diameter should be 40-50% of its height. The kings have a stylised crown topped with a cross pattée. The queens have a coronet topped with a tiny ball. The pawns are the smallest and developed from the freemason’s square and compass. Each piece was supported on a plain stem rising from a heavy, wide base which gave stability.

The Staunton chess set has proved extreme popularity and has been used around the world since. It has become successful because of its well-balanced and easily recognised pieces.

Since its introduction more than a century and a half ago, the Staunton has become the standard trademark of modern chess. Any chess player now will surely choose Staunton chess set in their every game. Here are some of the world’s finest Staunton wooden chess sets.

Large Ebony Bridled Knight Wooden Chess Set

This luxury wooden chess pieces are from India, the birthplace of chess. Large Ebony Bridled Knight is a unique and detailed chess piece set. The pieces are all hand carved and also involves over 100 man hours to produce.

The pieces of this set are made from Ebony, one of the most intensely black woods known. Ebony has fine texture and ability to polish very smoothly which made it a very valuable ornamental wood.

The triple weighted chess pieces like in this chess set are ornate yet solid and are masterfully crafted. It captures the original design first offered by John Jaques of London. It is a pleasure to play with this magnificent chess set!

Alban Wooden Chess Set

$289.00

It is named after French Grand master, Alban Delome. Alban wooden Chess set is professionally weighted and balanced. It is elegant and a joy to play!

The chess pieces are made from ebony and white maple. Every piece is felted with thick Green Billiard Cloth pads to protect the board. The King of the Alban Wooden Chess Set is 4” tall with broad 1 3/4” base and weighs approximately 82 grams!

This set has been hand turned and carved. The chess board is made from 50cm wooden inlaid golden rosewood and white maple. The Alban Wooden Chess is smooth, polished and feels beautiful to the touch.

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