Knizia board games day

Today, I participated in a board game competition at Mad Hatter in London.

This meeting themed Reiner Knizia, a famous game designer. Knizia created a large amount of board games. The attendees fought for the prizes signed by Knizia himself.

London on Board: Kniziathon at The Mad Hatter (with prizes!)

Unfortunately, I had some other tasks today, so I left the pub early before the closing. I wonder who won the prize.

I knew some games produced by Knizia. Today, I played a total of four games below.

Lost Cities
This is a two-players game. You are to explore some unknown terrains. The taste of this game is very abstract. You play a card on which a number is printed. Each card you played is to be scored at the end of the round, but your score can be minus when inadequate numbers have been played. When you choose to drop a card unworthy for you, the opponent has an opportunity to get it. Whether playing a card or drop one is a serious dilemma. This game is easy to play, and fast to end, but very exciting. I lost the close game.

Ingenious
This is an abstract board game. Players are to place a tile, in which two symbols are printed, on a large hex board. Creating a line of a same symbol is scored. You have to get the scores with all six kind of symbols, as the minimum number you got in these symbols is decisive. I played it with an opponent. I lost the game too, despite the match was close.

Ra
This is one of my favorite games by Knizia. Players bid some chips using a token. Gathering some chips in harmony brings you victory points. There are several tokens each of which has different strength. Used tokens are also subjected to the bid. When Ra chip is drew, the bid begins automatically, and if the last Ra appears the round will end immediately. Thus, the situation will change dramatically according to each draw of the chip. I got the victory in this game!

Qin
The theme of this game is ancient China. You place a domino-like plate to construct your province. As expanding the region of the same color, your province get bigger. There are several villages which are subjected to be scrambled. Who complete the kingdom will win the game. I lost this game. To be honest, I felt I was a little unlucky to draw fitting tiles.

There are many other games Knizia invented. Some games are playable with iPad application. I recommend you to utilize such digital aids in playing Tigris & Euphrates, one of the masterpieces of Knizia, because it reduces considerably the difficulty to clarify the situation of the battlefield.


*sequel