Article by J.Drake

The World Boardgaming Championships

First, some history: In 1975, Interest Group Baltimore (a local war game club) organized the first Origins at John Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland with the assistance and encouragement of Avalon Hill Game Company. In 1977 Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) hosted Origins III at Staten Island, New York. With the convention growing larger every year, Avalon Hill and SPI decided to turn administration over to the fledgling Game Manufacturers Association.

With the advent of different game styles, the focus of Origins shifted from boardgames to roleplaying games, miniatures and trading card games. Avalon Hill wanting a “return to basics” gaming convention that emphasizing competitive boardgaming broke away in 1991 to create Avaloncon focusing exclusively on their products.

1999 saw the bankruptcy of Avalon Hill and the purported demise of the convention. However Don Greenwood, unwilling to let such a popular convention fade, organized a group to create the World Boardgaming Championships. Avaloncon attendees donated time, experience and money to ensure this convention would survive.

From August 5th through August 10th 2008, the World Boardgaming Championships (WBC) were held in Lancaster Pennsylvania. As in previous years, tournament games are limited to one hundred but trial events, pick up and demonstration games fill in any free time an attendee may think they have. Open gaming is allowed in several rooms throughout the Lancaster Host and a special gaming tent with a library of new and popular games was provided this year.

Over one thousand three hundred people from around the world (Israel, Greece, United Kingdom, Texas) played board games with themes of military conquest, mental subjugation, economic efficiency and/or dice rolling skills. Several specialty card games are played as well but no games using a standard deck (like bridge). The most popular tournaments include Atlantic Storm, Ra, Ticket to Ride, Settlers of Catan, and Slapshot. Most games have between twenty and forty entrants.

Games for the current year are determined through the voting membership of the Boardgame Players Association (BPA). Typically the ninety events of the previous year having the most attendees are automatically included in the current year’s tournament list. (I write “typically” because every game needs a game master to run the tournament. Without a member to take charge and coordinate gameplay, the specific game will not be included.) The ten events with the lowest turnout are included in a voting pool, The ten games from the pool receiving the highest vote totals are given tournament status. This method ensures vibrancy to the WBC and frustration for the attendees in choosing which games to play.

Top players in tournament events receive plaques. (First place being larger and fancier.) By limiting prizes to “wood” the WBC eliminates much of the desire for players to influence a game using methods not approved by the rules. Even with competitive players vying for the status of finishing first, gameplay is friendly and the camaraderie of playing games is enjoyed by all.

To find the list of games played at the WBC, visit http://www.boardgamers.org/. In addition to the listing, visitors can find a write-up of each event by the game master.

Boardgamers have a number of conventions to choose from during the year: The WBC, GenCon, Origins, Prezcon, Essen and local conventions coordinated by schools, clubs or businesses. Okay, “Essen” is held in Essen, Germany and even though I’ve never been there it has to be listed because it draws 250,000 people. For this boardgamer/writer my favorite continues to be the WBC. Balancing attendance, cost, gaming focus, convention organization and attendee friendliness; I’ll be attending the WBC for years to come.