The Game Bistro
Kevin Whitmore
United States
Albuquerque
New Mexico
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Welcome to the online version of The Game Bistro. We're a friendly crowd, usually willing to play the game you brought with you. But, what's that? Oh, well if you didn't bring game, perhaps you would enjoy a game from our shelves...
So cruise the shelves, and if you see a game we ought to play - make a comment. Visitors to game night are welcome, so if you're a traveling geek visiting Albuquerque, drop me a line and we'll have you over for game night.
For your review, we have 8 full shelves, with 25 games each; and few more spilling onto shelf 9. They line up so much more neatly in this virtual version!
Shelf 1 contains the current Top 25 - games that have proven popular, and that you will frquently find on our game tables. As I update this list frequent readers may notice games rise or fall, or even enter and leave this portion of the list as tastes change.
Shelves 2 - 7 are the "game night" games. Games that can reasonably be played in an evening. These shelves are arranged alphabetically for easy reference.
The last part of shelf 7 and the rest of the games sitting on shelf 8 are the "weekend" games collection. These are longer games that never seem to get played as often as one imagines they might. You'll find plenty of train and Civ-type games here.
Not on display are all the 2-player games, cause game night is intended to be a multiplayer experience.
Comments welcomed!
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Kevin Whitmore
United States
Albuquerque
New Mexico
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Call My Bluff is a lightweight bluffing/guesswork game that up to six can play. Probably best with 5 or 6 players. It generally is well received, and plays in roughly 30 minutes.
Call My Bluff entered the collection in 2000. We have played it 40+ times, and continues to be a club favorite. Call My Bluff has picked up a few Personal Endorsements over the years.
Last played in January 2012.
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Kevin Whitmore
United States
Albuquerque
New Mexico
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The best flicking game.
This was the "Game Bistro Game of the Year" for 2001, and again in 2011.
Crokinole entered the collection back in 2001. It has been played 50+ times, although we went through a few years when it fell from favor. More recently Crokinole has been having a bit of a comeback. Crokinole has several endorsements from the Bistro Players.
Last played in January 2012.
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3.
Board Game: Agricola
[Average Rating:8.25 Overall Rank:2]
Kevin Whitmore
United States
Albuquerque
New Mexico
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Last played in January 2012.
I have the 1st German edition, but it has been enhanced with English cards, and toy barnyard animals.
This was the "Game Bistro Game of the Year" for 2008.
Agricola entered the collection is 2007. It has been played 25 times, and has a whole hatfull of Personal Endorsements.
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Kevin Whitmore
United States
Albuquerque
New Mexico
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Last played in November 2010.
This is an old club favorite. I have a bunch of expansions for this game.
Power Grid entered the collection in 2004. It was nosed out for "Game Bistro Game of the Year" by Saint Petersburg. But Power Grid has had the last laugh, as it continues to get played, while St. Pete does not. We've played Power Grid 25 times. Power Grid has several Personal Endorsements from the Bistro Players.
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Kevin Whitmore
United States
Albuquerque
New Mexico
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Last played in July 2011.
A great game that has been played many times. Always popular.
This was the "Game Bistro Game of the Year" for 2003.
Puerto Rico entered the collection in 2002. We have played it 30 times. Puerto Rico has several Personal Endorsements from the Bistro Players.
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Kevin Whitmore
United States
Albuquerque
New Mexico
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We've played this game 16 times since April, 2010 when Chester brought it by for the first time. My copy arrived in June 2010, and has seen regular use since. Several Bistro Players have given this their "personal endorsement".
Three plays in 2011, most recently in November. We sometimes use the expansion map.
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Kevin Whitmore
United States
Albuquerque
New Mexico
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Last played in November 2011.
One of my all time favorite games. Best with 5, but it works well with 4 also. I have the El Grande expansions, but we never seem to use them.
We've been playing El Grande since 2000, although I didn't acquire a copy for the first few years, as we played on a friend's copy. We've played 24 times. El Grande has many Personal Endorsements from the Bistro Players.
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Kevin Whitmore
United States
Albuquerque
New Mexico
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Last played in November 2011.
Top-rate strategy game. For the longest time we didn't seem to play it very often, but in 2009 this game started to get back into the rotation. This game generally always gets very high ratings.
Entered the collection in 2001. 19 plays by the club.
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9.
Board Game: Tichu
[Average Rating:7.73 Overall Rank:36]
Kevin Whitmore
United States
Albuquerque
New Mexico
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Last played in June 2010.
The club's favorite cardgame.
Tichu entered the game collection in 2000, but it didn't get into high rotation until 2007. We have played it 20 times. It has picked up quite a few Personal Endorsements.
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Kevin Whitmore
United States
Albuquerque
New Mexico
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Last played in May 2011.
This is a club favorite. It serves well as a starter or as a closer. A nice push your luck game for up to 4 players.
Can't Stop entered the collection in 2000. It has seen 30+ sessions, and has picked up a couple "Personal Endorsements" over the years.
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Kevin Whitmore
United States
Albuquerque
New Mexico
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Last played in January 2012.
This was the "Game Bistro Game of the Year" for 2002.
Carcassonne entered the collection in 2001. We've played it 20+ times. Carcassonne picked up several endorsements back in 2002 - 2004.
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Kevin Whitmore
United States
Albuquerque
New Mexico
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Last played in June 2011.
Super cool bits paired wth a brutal economic modelling game. Plays up to 5, but 4 seems to be the sweet spot.
Planet Steam entered the collection in 2009, and was our "Game of the Year" for 2009. We've played it 11 times.
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Kevin Whitmore
United States
Albuquerque
New Mexico
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Last played in December 2011.
This is a fun game about machismo and running with the bulls. We always have fun with this one.
Viva Pamplona! entered the collection in 2002 and got moderate play for a couple years. But in 2006 it was rediscovered by the Bistro Players, and enjoyed as a quick-playing game that six could enjoy. It remains in the active rotation, and has 20 plays to its credit.
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14.
Board Game: Ra
[Average Rating:7.60 Overall Rank:48]
Kevin Whitmore
United States
Albuquerque
New Mexico
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Last played in June 2011.
We've been enjoying this game for years. Usually we can complete a game in about an hour, making this a handy filler. But it really does offer some interesting and tough decisions.
Ra entered the collection in 2001, and has consistently gotten a play or two most years since. Our count is 20 plays. It has a couple Personal Endorsements.
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Kevin Whitmore
United States
Albuquerque
New Mexico
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Last played in January 2012.
A clever game that we played a lot of. And then we didn't. Now we are playing it again.
"Game Bistro Game of the Year" for 2004 & 2005.
Saint Petersburg entered the collection in 2004, and was in high rotation through 2005. Then it gathered dust for quite a while. In 2009 it finally began seeing action again. We're now up to 20 plays. St. Pete has a couple endorsements.
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Kevin Whitmore
United States
Albuquerque
New Mexico
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Last played in September 2011.
Dexterity game. Amusing for a few minutes, especially while we wait for everyone to arrive. This is our current novelty game. It is assembled and hanging on the wall, so it is easy to grab for a quick match. 13 plays total.
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Kevin Whitmore
United States
Albuquerque
New Mexico
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Last played in September 2010.
New addition to the library as of Feb. 2010. Super tight economic game. A bit "mean". Worthy of some study. 9 Plays so far.
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Kevin Whitmore
United States
Albuquerque
New Mexico
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Last played in May 2011.
Nice brisk territorial control game. Probably best with 3-4. Plays in under an hour.
Web of Power entered the collection in 2001. It has received moderate play ever since. 15 plays by the club.
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Kevin Whitmore
United States
Albuquerque
New Mexico
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Last played in December 2010.
E&T entered the collection in 2000. It has been played a couple times almost every year since, notching 17 plays. E&T has several Personal Endorsements from the Bistro Players.
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Kevin Whitmore
United States
Albuquerque
New Mexico
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Last played in December 2011.
We have a house rule that the person being sacrfied to the volcano must offer cries of anguish.
Der Untergang von Pompeji (Pompei) entered the collection in 2006 and received a nice number of plays. Then it fell out of the rotation. In 2008 it became a very popular game with the Bistro Players, but has once again fallen out of the roatation. Lifetime total: 13 plays by the club.
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Kevin Whitmore
United States
Albuquerque
New Mexico
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Last played in June 2011.
Nice middle-weight economic game by Martin Wallace.
Tinners' Tral entered the collection in 2008, and received a whopping 6 plays. But for Agricola, this would have been our "Game of the Year" for 2008. Tinners' Trail has a couple endorsements. But since, this game mostly is gathering dust. 9 plays by the club.
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Kevin Whitmore
United States
Albuquerque
New Mexico
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Last played in February 2011.
This is a fine game. We still enjoy playing this ocassionally, although Power Grid has taken over this game territory in many instances.
Medieval Merchant entered the collection in 2001, and has seen a play or two most years since. It has 2 Personal Endorsements, and sits at a total of 12 plays over the years.
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Kevin Whitmore
United States
Albuquerque
New Mexico
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New offering as of Feb. 2010. 8 Plays to a generally good reception. Last play was in July 2011.
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24.
Board Game: Brass
[Average Rating:8.08 Overall Rank:8]
Kevin Whitmore
United States
Albuquerque
New Mexico
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Last played in June 2010.
A heavy duty economic game for 3 or 4. This is a favorite of mine.
Brass entered the collection in 2008, just as our Agricola fever was subsiding. We've played it 8 times, and Brass has received an endorsement from two Bistro players.
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25.
Board Game: Shark
[Average Rating:6.70 Overall Rank:856]
Kevin Whitmore
United States
Albuquerque
New Mexico
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Last played in November 2011.
Neat economic game that plays pretty fast. Lots of transactions for the banker. We have gradually moved over to using the "Rule of 7".
Shark entered the collection in 2003. It received moderate play for a while, but then fell off the rotation. In 2009 we have began playing this again, to mostly good - excellent reception. We've now played Shark 12 times, and it has received a couple Personal Endorsemets.
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Posted Sun May 24, 2009 3:51 pm
New York City
New York
This is an AWESOME list. Thank you for taking the time to put it all together. It was a great read and reminded me of games I own that I must get on the table.
Great collection.
Albuquerque
New Mexico
So I have recently reworked the approach: Shelves 1-4 are now the Top 100, as rated by the Bistro Players. (I adjust this as the lifetime rankings shift.) Shelves 5-6 are under-played newer games, or older games that have fallen out of favor, or even old curiosities in my collection that the club has never explored. The last two shelves are now devoted to those "weekend" games that just don't make sense to put on the table on a Tuesday evening.
Oh, and my 2p games are listed elsewhere.
Update: December '09 - Much like my physical collection, which I keep shifting and reorganizing, I find the urge to keep tweaking this list. I've decided to restructure this list again.
Shelf 1 will remain the current top 25.
Shelf 2 will remin games rated 26 - 50.
Shelf 3 thru 6 (currently) will now be the alphabetical "pack" - games that (potentially) get played by the club.
The last couple shelves will be for weekend games.
Albuquerque
New Mexico
It also has given me some good ideas of games I'd like to request.
Albuquerque
New Mexico
With these two changes, the Top 50 games (first two pages) has a bit of a shake up...
Games that climbed 3 or more positions: Tinners' Trail, Princes of Florence, Brass, Wallenstein, Fire & Axe, Ingenious, Caylus, and Imperial. (Clearly my adjustment for longer games helped these titles. Although Tinners and Ingenious did not get an adjustment.)
Games that fell 3 or more positions: Carabande, Bohnanza, Bamboleo, Auf Achse, and Elfenland. (These were in hot rotation in 2001.)
Leaving the Top 50: Big City and Time's Up.
Entering the Top 50: Automobile and Die Sauelen von Venedig.
Albuquerque
New Mexico
With the turning of the year, it is time to revise the rolling 10-year ratings for the collection. With the retirement of ratings from 2001, Crokinole has lost all of its body weight from its explosive first year in my collection (when it became the most played game ever - 17 sessions in 2001). Nonetheless Crokinole has continued to remain in the top 10, due to its enduring popularity and frequent play in the modern era.
As always my decisions about which games I wish to own have a direct impact on this list. Generally I try to avoid ditching games I know are enjoyed by the club. But I ditched Rise of Empires after one play, and in a recent purge two other games, Amun-Re and Caylus, left the collection due to my lack of love for them, and their somewhat infrequent play by the club. This had a direct effect on the Top 50.