The storm from two nights ago has knocked out the DSL so I can’t update the blog, check email, check the weather report, so we wait for the radio as if we’re time travelers getting translated way back to, oh, 1990. The electricity is still going strong, though, and we need to juice to power fans and air conditioning, the latter we keep set around eighty. We keep it warm mostly because we hate the transition from ninety-five to seventy that businesses apparently favor and that gives Dana and me head colds. Plus, it’s nice when your shorts and tank are just as comfortable inside as out.
Wendy went to bed early. She refused to nap and was riding a nerve-wracking freakout as the afternoon wore on. Her frenetic day also wore out Dana, so we decided that a short, small game would be the best choice for us. We settled on Phoenix. (Photo from BaSL on BGG)
We mixed up some glasses of rum and coke, unfolded the blue felt, and set up this small, lovely abstract game. I think it’s our first pure abstract since Mancala, and, like any good abstract, the rules are simple. Hefty cubes representing most of Roy G. Biv are arranged randomly in the center of the board. Each player pulls ten pawns (there are five of each of the six colors of the spectrum) and sets them up in draw order on their side of the board. The players also get five cards from a shared deck. The cards dictate the action: swap pieces, move them up, swap the center cubes, etc. With the cards, the players move their pawns to align with the central cubes. It’s a quick game, a bit random with the pawn-pull and cards, but it offers some interesting challenges.
But what’s really interesting is why we have this game. This past Christmas, 2009, Dana, Wendy, and I were treated to a mysterious, overwhelming generosity. A local Secret Santa dropped off baskets, bags, and piles of gifts. Whoever it was left a note explaining their project that left us both in tears. Among the gifts was this game. And I appreciate that this person spent the time to find a good game.
So, thank you.
And now Saturday looks a little busy. We’ll have to work hard to find time for a game.
Ah, and if you’re in Lincoln and you’d like to be part of this project, leave your email in the comments (be sure to spell out “at” and “dot” to foil bots).
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