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Awards: Spiel des Jahres
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A handy guide for those intent on collecting every game to win the famous German prize. Or if you just want to see whether you have played every one of them.

If you disagree with a choice for a particular year, which game do you think should have won? Considering this, you may or may not like to keep in mind that the jury has been mostly concerned with finding a middle of the road family game.

For additional reference, the Deutscher Spiele Preis winner for the same year is listed in [brackets] starting with 1990.
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1. Board Game: Hare & Tortoise [Average Rating:6.70 Overall Rank:579]
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1979 by David Parlett, 1st win for Ravensburger
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While it's a great game, Acquire was a runner up this particular year. Given that, the award was given to the wrong game.
 
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  • Posted Wed Feb 26, 2003 6:14 pm
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Todd Keinick
Canada
Medicine Hat
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Too much math involved. I agree Aquire is a much better game.
 
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  • Posted Thu Feb 27, 2003 6:08 am
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Konstantinos Nikolaidis
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I also have to agree. Aquire is a top 20 of all time type of game.
 
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  • Posted Mon Jun 23, 2003 7:56 pm
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David Fair
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I have, and love, Acquire. Been playing it a long time now. I can understand why the award was given to Hare & Tortoise. Remember, "the jury has been mostly concerned with finding a middle of the road family game."

Acquire is probably not middle-of-the road enough to win this award, though it is a much better game in the long run.
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  • Posted Sun Apr 11, 2004 2:06 pm
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Brent Mair
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Hare and Tortoise is great and pretty close to an evergreen product. Great choice for the year.
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  • Posted Tue Apr 19, 2005 6:29 pm
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2. Board Game: Rummikub [Average Rating:6.19 Overall Rank:1311]
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1980 by Ephraim Hertzano, Intelli/Arxon
 
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I'll admit to not having played this one, though I own a copy. But the fact that Formel 1 (later Daytona 500) was an alternate this year means that this was awarded poorly, just like in the first year. For that matter, Focus and later SdJ winner Dampfross were were both considered this time around.
 
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  • Posted Wed Feb 26, 2003 6:16 pm
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Morgan Dontanville
United States
Brooklyn
New York
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Plate of Shrimp.
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This was one of those lame Grandpa presents I got as a kid, and tried to make fun. It ended up being a battleground for Star Wars Action Figures. So, I guess the game did turn out to be fun...
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  • Posted Tue Jun 24, 2003 6:36 am
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David Reed
United States
College Station
Texas
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I found a couple of copies of this game at a toy store that was going out of business for forty nine cents a pop, and, with the help of a lot of rubbing alcohol and paint pens, made a Mah Jongg set (money was tight at the time and this was when it was hard to find them in the area and pre-web).

Having played the original game, Mah Jongg was a much better use than the original...
 
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  • Posted Tue Apr 5, 2005 9:22 pm
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Miguel Borba
United States
Sacramento
California
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I used these tiles to create dungeon floors for our D&D gaming sessions with miniatures. Never played the game itself.
 
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  • Posted Wed Dec 27, 2006 7:28 am
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Spencer Sloe
United States
Brooklyn
New York
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A fantastic game often overlooked due to mass reproduction. Make no mistake, easy to teach and a brain burner to boot. Great for the casual gamer and hardcore gamer alike.
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  • Posted Fri Jul 13, 2007 2:00 am
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3. Board Game: Focus [Average Rating:6.59 Overall Rank:1310]
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1981 by Sid Sackson, Parker
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Nice that Sackson was finally recognized this year. But he had an even better game which got runner-up status--Can't Stop. By this point in time, the SdJ jury was 0-for-3.
 
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  • Posted Wed Feb 26, 2003 6:17 pm
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Brent Mair
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Domination (Focus) is an excellent abstract with difficult choices.

Can't Stop is certainly more accessable but Focus is a deserving game.
 
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  • Posted Tue Apr 19, 2005 6:31 pm
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4. Board Game: Enchanted Forest [Average Rating:5.81 Overall Rank:3087]
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1982 (as Sagaland) by Michael Matschoss, Alex Randolph, 2nd win for Ravensburger
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Though the SdJ included Can't Stop in the competition again (I'm guessing they weren't necessarily tied to a particular year of release in the early days), they failed to recognize that game again. Worse yet, of the nominees which are rated here on BGG, the winner here rates lowest of all of them
 
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  • Posted Wed Feb 26, 2003 6:19 pm
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klausbh
Germany
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I have no desire to play this title today. However, I can say from personal experience that it makes a fine children's game. I was five years old when this first came out, and back then I loved it.

-Klaus
 
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  • Posted Thu May 12, 2005 9:00 pm
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Neil Cook
United Kingdom
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I agree... I remember playing this when I was aound 10 yrs old (although I think it may have been my brothers game)
 
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  • Posted Wed Oct 11, 2006 3:17 pm
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Paul Boos
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Given the target audience of Families (particularly when this award started, gaming was even more of a niche and most gaming were just kids playing or kids and parents playing (remember fewer computer game options and they were pricey), this is a perfect choice. I happily play this with son any time he wants. Not a complex game, but has interesting gameplay.
 
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  • Posted Wed Sep 3, 2008 1:04 pm
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5. Board Game: Scotland Yard [Average Rating:6.53 Overall Rank:705]
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1983 by Schlegel, Garrels, Ifland, Burggraf, Scheerer and Hörmann, 3rd win for Ravensburger
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I guess the jury got it right in their fifth attempt. However, the competition was very, very poor. Of the six titles I see listed on the SdJ site, only two of them are even mentioned here on BGG. And of those two, only one (Scotland Yard) has ever been rated. I guess it wins by default.
 
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  • Posted Wed Feb 26, 2003 6:20 pm
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Todd Keinick
Canada
Medicine Hat
Alberta
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Finally played this game in 2003! I played with 4 first timers plus myself. It seemed too easy for Mr. X to escape. Might be better as a two player game. At least I only paid $1.99 for this game. (flea market find)
 
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  • Posted Thu Feb 27, 2003 6:13 am
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Marcel Sagel
Netherlands
Groningen
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Kilovolt,

In my experience, with 4 detectives Mr. X usually has a hard time (with 5 it's nearly impossible to win). Put it down to the learning curve.
By the way, the New York version (N.Y. Chase) has some slight modifications which make life for Mr. X very tough. I wonder if we are going to see more editions in different cities... maybe they could just release extra maps (just like Formula Dé).
 
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  • Posted Thu Feb 27, 2003 7:39 am
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Jim Paprocki
United States
Green Bay
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I played this a lot as a kid and we always thought it was touch and go for Mr. X with 5 detectives. I was shocked to see the new edition allows for less detectives. I've played it a few times again recently. In our group, with 5 detectives I give the detectives a slight edge. With 4 detectives it seems that Mr. X has a significant edge (maybe 2-1), able to break through the net of detectives time and again.

I'll argue that we see clever play for Mr. X., you'll argue that our detective play sucks. Whatever, 5 detectives has always felt right to me.
 
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  • Posted Wed Mar 9, 2005 6:35 pm
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6. Board Game: Railway Rivals [Average Rating:6.67 Overall Rank:1585]
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1984 by David Watts, Schmidt Spiele
 
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Randy Cox
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I think Metropolis would have been a better choice this time 'round. At least it was a runner-up.
 
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  • Posted Wed Feb 26, 2003 6:21 pm
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I disagree. Metropolis is very good, but descends into constant rough mathematics in trading, and rather obvious spoiling. Railway Rivals however, is fun, tricky, and a good family game. There is some spoiling, and a good dose of luck in the racing, but it plays out nicely and spawned loads more maps, and editions. The right game won.
 
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  • Posted Wed Feb 26, 2003 9:05 pm
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Randy Cox
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Dear, dear, Jon... I'll admit that Metropolis can get bogged down late (when people figure out all the possible deals, leaving the leader out of all negotiations), but that's the nature of a negotiation game. But Dampfross suffers from being, well, insufferably long. It takes forever to play an entire game. And it's awfully repetitive.
 
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  • Posted Thu Feb 27, 2003 1:49 pm
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Angela Kincaid
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I think this is a good time to point out that Dampfross and Railway Rivals, though fruit of the same tree, are quite different. Railway Rivals introduces cards to determine the race routes...and the game takes about 45 minutes.
 
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  • Posted Tue Aug 5, 2003 7:45 pm
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7. Board Game: Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective [Average Rating:7.23 Overall Rank:400]
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1985 by Gary Grady, Raymond Edwards, Suzanne Goldberg and Anthony Uruburu, 1st win for Franckh-Kosmos
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8. Board Game: Auf Achse [Average Rating:6.34 Overall Rank:1360]
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1987, 2nd win for Wolfgang Kramer, 1st win for F.X. Schmid
 
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ralf gutzeit
Canada
toronto
ontario
I hated this game and couldn't believe that Wolfgang Kramer designed it. It had some potential but it needs some serious tweeking before anyone over 12 should play it. You'd never see Kramer design anything this flawed again.
 
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  • Posted Wed Jun 29, 2005 7:35 pm
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Carsten â—„â–º Wesel
Germany
Pinneberg-Quellental
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db3000 wrote:
I hated this game and couldn't believe that Wolfgang Kramer designed it. It had some potential but it needs some serious tweeking before anyone over 12 should play it. You'd never see Kramer design anything this flawed again.
I have seen people playtesting an improved version of this game - maybe a reprint can make the game any better for you.
 
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  • Posted Mon Jun 25, 2007 9:54 pm
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9. Board Game: Barbarossa [Average Rating:6.49 Overall Rank:1109]
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1988, 1st win for Klaus Teuber, ASS
 
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Todd Keinick
Canada
Medicine Hat
Alberta
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A great 'beer and pretzle' game. Emphasis on the beer.
Nothing to do with WWII. You can keep guessing that a player has made a boot when in acuality it was a satellite. A lot of fun and a lot of laughs ensue. Not for a hardcore 'rule the world' at all costs type of gamer. A fabulous game for non-gamers to get their feet wet. I recommend using the word list that is included.
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  • Posted Thu Feb 27, 2003 6:54 am
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10. Board Game: Heimlich & Co. [Average Rating:6.42 Overall Rank:988]
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1986, 1st win for Wolfgang Kramer, 4th win for Ravensburger
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I like this game, but it beat out Code 777 and Greyhounds. Not in my book.
 
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  • Posted Wed Feb 26, 2003 6:22 pm
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Angela Kincaid
United States
Colorado Springs
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Definitely a bad call. I have yet to play Code 777, nay, yet to *see* it, but I know greyhounds is a better game.
 
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  • Posted Tue Aug 5, 2003 7:47 pm
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klausbh
Germany
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This game is widely misunderstood and underappreciated. See my article for details: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/geekforum.php3?action=viewthrea...
-Klaus
 
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  • Posted Thu May 12, 2005 9:06 pm
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11. Board Game: Café International [Average Rating:6.34 Overall Rank:1172]
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1989, by Rudi Hoffmann, Mattel
 
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12. Board Game: Hoity Toity [Average Rating:6.60 Overall Rank:654]
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1990, 2nd win for Klaus Teuber, 2nd win for F.X. Schmid
[DSP: Adel verpflichtet]
 
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Todd Keinick
Canada
Medicine Hat
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A good 20 min. game

Also works good with 2 players!!

Both options work!

Either all go to auction first then castle.

Or your choice; auction or castle.

Luck factor = 10%
strategy = 10%
tactics = 80%

Nice filler for an older game. It holds up over time.
 
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  • Posted Thu Feb 27, 2003 5:01 am
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13. Board Game: Wacky Wacky West [Average Rating:6.35 Overall Rank:1247]
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1991, 3rd win for Klaus Teuber, 1st win for Hans im Glück
[DSP: Labyrinth der Meister (Master Labyrinth)]
 
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And still in print after 12 years! Others have been re-issued over the years too, but Drunter has been on the shelves all the time. It seems such a simple game, but it is quite canny. A good mix of tile placement, voting and a good dollop of bluff.
 
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  • Posted Wed Feb 26, 2003 9:08 pm
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14. Board Game: Um Reifenbreite [Average Rating:6.94 Overall Rank:482]
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1992, by Rob Bontembal, 1st win for Jumbo
[DSP: Der Fliegende Holländer]
 
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Angela Kincaid
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I don't know what else was in contention, but Um Reifenbreite is definitely a wonderful game. It's colorful, amusing, has strategy...and of course, the luck of the dice.
 
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  • Posted Tue Aug 5, 2003 7:48 pm
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15. Board Game: Liar's Dice [Average Rating:6.99 Overall Rank:286]
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1993, by Richard Borg, 3rd win for F.X. Schmid
[DSP: Modern Art]
 
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Randy Cox
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Um, no. Though Liars Dice is a great, great game, Modern Art was also in the running this year.
 
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  • Posted Wed Feb 26, 2003 6:24 pm
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Konstantinos Nikolaidis
United States
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I love Liar's Dice/Bluff, made my own board as well. I do not see how it can be a game of the year, over Modern Art either. But it is easy to learn and play, and we still play it, unlike Modern Art. Modern Art gets played a few times a year.
 
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  • Posted Mon Jun 23, 2003 7:59 pm
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Andrés F. Pabón L.
Colombia
Bogotá
DC
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Plus, Liar's Dice is just a boxed edition of an already existing free game. How can that receive such a prize, and worse, over a great game like Modern Art? Unconceivable. I'd rather stick to DSP, thanks!
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  • Posted Sun Apr 11, 2004 7:43 pm
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ralf gutzeit
Canada
toronto
ontario
I'd vote for Modern Art without hesitation. Next.
 
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  • Posted Wed Jun 29, 2005 7:37 pm
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Walt
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FX Schmid's Bluff, which won the award, is not Liar's Dice--compare the rules of the latter in a Hoyle or other book of traditional games published before Bluff with Bluff's rules. After Bluff, several knock-offs of Bluff (and perhaps some authorized versions) were called Liar's Dice, confusing the issue. And BGG combining the games confuses the issue further.

The innovations of Bluff compared with the game from my Hoyle were:
1. Guessing the contents of the entire multiplayer pool of dice.
2. Gradually revealing dice and re-rolling the rest.
3. Scoring by losing dice.
4. Wild sides to dice.
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  • Posted Tue Jul 18, 2006 9:03 pm
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16. Board Game: Manhattan [Average Rating:6.71 Overall Rank:545]
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1994, by Andreas Seyfarth, 2nd win for Hans im Glück
[DSP: 6 nimmt (Take 6)]
 
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Randy Cox
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In retrospect, both Take it Easy and Was Sticht are better games than this one. Some would argue that KKK is even better (though I'd disagree). All three of those lost out to this champion.
 
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  • Posted Wed Feb 26, 2003 6:25 pm
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RUSH May 21st 2011
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Oh Randy, you are sooo wrong! Take It Easy is good, clever, but really just a solitaire game 4 times over. A neat solitaire game, and I'll happily play it any time, but better than Manhattan?
Was Sticht, way too hard for family gamers. KKK, lovely, but maybe too agressive for the family.
Manhattan? Sweet, very nice game. Clever mechanism, card driven, good mix of agression and opportunity, scoring track, rotating start and a smart simple scoring system. I looove this game, it is fab. Clear winner!
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  • Posted Wed Feb 26, 2003 9:37 pm
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Randy Cox
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I agree that Take it Easy is four (better yet, eight, with the larger version) player solitaire. But that aspect, along with the Bingo-style calling of common tiles makes it a perfect family game. I liked Manhattan, too, but it just doesn't hold up to the simplicity (after all, that's key for family games) of Take it Easy.
 
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  • Posted Thu Feb 27, 2003 1:47 pm
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Kristian Amundsen Østby
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Who wants family games?!?
I moved away from mom and dad when I was 19.. If I'd wanted to play games with them, I could just have stayed home. No, give me a decent strategy game instead! ???
 
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  • Posted Wed Mar 12, 2003 1:53 pm
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Doug Garrett
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I can say this for Manhattan - I purchased it about 6 months ago, brought it to the next Game Night and found myself teaching it to three new gamers. Two of them, a husband and wife, went home and immediately ordered the game online. Another group member calls it his 'favorite game.' It certainly has high status in our group.

Doug G.
 
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  • Posted Sat Mar 15, 2003 5:46 am
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Chris Shaffer
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Portland
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Who wants family games?!?

Those of us who like playing games with our families? I moved out of my parents' house when I was 18, but I still like playing games with my kids, eh?
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  • Posted Sun Nov 28, 2004 6:18 pm
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17. Board Game: The Settlers of Catan [Average Rating:7.51 Overall Rank:78]
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1995, 4th win for Klaus Teuber, 2nd win for Kosmos (or 1st if you don't count Franckh-Kosmos as separate)
[DSP: Die Siedler von Catan]
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Nat Saamanen
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Never heard of it
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  • Posted Tue Jun 24, 2003 5:03 pm
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Carsten â—„â–º Wesel
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Nat Saamanen wrote:
Never heard of it

Sure?
It's the game with the 2 dices and the hex-tiles you can mix.
Do you remember?
 
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  • Posted Mon Jun 25, 2007 10:00 pm
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18. Board Game: El Grande [Average Rating:7.89 Overall Rank:14]
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1996, 3rd win for Wolfgang Kramer, 1st win for Richard Ulrich, 3rd win for Hans im Glück
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I understand that I may be in a minority here, but I can't consider this the top game of 1996. It was a very good year for games, as Reibach & Co, Top Race, Sisimizi, and the game which should have won, Mu, were all in contention.
 
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  • Posted Wed Feb 26, 2003 6:27 pm
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Patrick Korner
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Coquitlam
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El Grande is far and away the best game of this year. Sorry, but Mu just isn't up to the same level, IMHO. But of course, you're welcome to your wrong opinion... j/k
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  • Posted Mon Mar 17, 2003 3:40 am
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Morgan Dontanville
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Yeah, what he said.
 
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  • Posted Tue Jun 24, 2003 6:25 am
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Adam Deverell
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I consider El Grande the greatest German game ever. If it hadn't won (after the Modern Art debacle) I would have totally given up on the SdJ. As it is, the only winners I consider good games are Settlers and El Grande. I bought Torres and Tikal on the strength of SdJ award and both are slightly disappointing.
 
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  • Posted Thu Jun 26, 2003 3:36 am
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Amazing game. The definitive area-control game, one of the few pure strategy games (no luck) out there. One of the top 3 games all-time in my opinion.
 
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  • Posted Fri Oct 29, 2004 1:30 am
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John Kerr
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I don't think you can call El Grande no luck, as anyone poised to play their 13 when the 'move the king to an adjacent territory' card comes out can attest.

I do believe it's the best game on this list, though!

 
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  • Posted Fri Mar 31, 2006 7:57 pm
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19. Board Game: The Mississippi Queen [Average Rating:6.43 Overall Rank:909]
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1997, by Werner Hodel, 1st win for Goldsieber
[DSP: Löwenherz]
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Randy Cox
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Mississippi Queen had a high "cuteness" factor, but it rates near the bottom, by BGG rankings, of all the contenders this particular year. The game which should have won is Showmanager.
 
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  • Posted Wed Feb 26, 2003 6:28 pm
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RUSH May 21st 2011
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I still support this game. I love Showmanager and rate it higher, but MQ has better selling points. The original board design of the wide, jigsaw tiles represents the winding river very nicely. The chance element of the die is good, if you're unluck, suddenly you're on the outside of a long bend. The mechanism is very simple and nicely done. The only fault is the fiddleness of moving the wheels round. And it would have been nice if the passengers fitted on the boat too, but that would make them too big.
What is so good about MQ, is that although players fall back when they slow to collect a passenger, the others must stop too and you can catch up. A good winner.
 
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  • Posted Wed Feb 26, 2003 9:42 pm
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Joel Baxter
United States
San Carlos
California
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Havn't played all of the other nominees from this year, so I can't comment on who should have won... but I will say that if you play MQ with the max number of people (and it's also good to sub in a few tiles from the Black Rose expansion) that it's a quite fine "family game". Great theme and bits, unique mechanisms, a reasonable amount of interaction, some real decisions to be made, and some randomness for suspense and to keep things competitive. My gaming group has enjoyed this as a light change of pace, a few times, and it's one of a small number of "German games" that I would want to inflict on new or non-gamers.

My only concern is that it seems like it would be more probable to have a runaway leader than one would wish... however, in reality this hasn't happened to us yet (one reason may be that the hazard tiles from the expansion do help to work against the leader).
 
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  • Posted Thu Feb 27, 2003 10:25 pm
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Jim Leesch
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Just played this one last night for the first time. (Got an OOP copy from a friend who _really_ likes me, I guess )

Having played Showmanager for the first time recently,as well, I must say that MQ is a stronger game. Less reliance on luck, and more ability to influence everyone at the table, not just your left-hand neighbor. And with all that, it's easier to teach and more accessible for kids.

Of course, Löwenherz is the best of all three, but not really a family game.
 
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  • Posted Sun May 15, 2005 8:39 pm
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20. Board Game: Elfenland [Average Rating:6.79 Overall Rank:433]
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1998, by Alan Moon, 1st win for Amigo
[DSP: Euphrat & Tigris]
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Randy Cox
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I like Elfenland, and Alan's a great guy. But how did Die Macher lose out to this one? I know, it's that whole "family game" syndrome, and in that regard, Elfenland really was the best of the year, since I don't see a lot of families sitting down to Die Macher.
 
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  • Posted Wed Feb 26, 2003 6:29 pm
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Kristian Amundsen Østby
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Why is it 'OK' that the SdJ has to be a 'family game'? I still prefer to play games for games sake - not for the family socializing aspects.. angry
 
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  • Posted Wed Mar 12, 2003 1:56 pm
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Al Johnson
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Randy, I have never played Die Macher so I cannot comment on whether it's a great game. In fact, if I played it I'd probably love it. The only problem for me is that I will never play it - 4 hours is simply too long for most game players. I would have to vote for Elfenland here.
 
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  • Posted Mon Mar 17, 2003 1:35 am
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Adam Deverell
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I forgot about this when I mentioned El Grande & Settlers as the only decent winners. Can't understand the negative press it gets - great combination of being family-friendly and a decent gamer's game. Never had a dud game, although would question its replayability. A worthy winner.
 
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  • Posted Thu Jun 26, 2003 3:39 am
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Jim Leesch
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Of course, SdJ is what it is. You can't fault them for picking the type of games they choose. Die Macher is much better, as is T&E, but neither of them are really what SdJ values: light-to-middle wieght, with engaging bits, a good dose of luck, and a high social factor.

That said, this is among the weaker SdJ candidates. It's too long for the type of game that it is. The Elfengold expansion makes it much more playable, but then it loses it's lightness, while still not appealing to most of my gamer friends.

And what's with the cylidrical pieces? Argh!
 
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  • Posted Sun May 15, 2005 8:44 pm
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21. Board Game: Tikal [Average Rating:7.40 Overall Rank:107]
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1999, 1st win for Michael Kiesling, 4th win for Wolfgang Kramer, 5th win for Ravensburger
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Randy Cox
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Possibly the greatest atrocity in all SdJ voting, ever. Tikal simiply sucks as a game. But even without tainting it with my personal opinion, there was a LOT of stiff competition this year. Union Pacific should have won (and is preferred by BGG members, too). And for me, Chinatown, Money, and Giganten are more fun to play. And almost any game beats Tikal on the "family-friendly game" front.

Kinda makes ya want to cry.
 
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  • Posted Wed Feb 26, 2003 6:37 pm
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As time marches on, Tikal is looking more and more like an anomaly in the SdJ record...
 
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  • Posted Sun May 15, 2005 10:13 pm
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ralf gutzeit
Canada
toronto
ontario
Tikal is a very good game. I'm not sure families would play alot of it. Gamers would. There are some difficult decisions and a fair bit of aggressive play involved. The follow up, Java was even less likely a choice as it's too difficult for most family style game players.
 
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  • Posted Wed Jun 29, 2005 7:44 pm
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I'd still like to know what Randy Cox finds so objectionable in it as he gives no reason for his blast. He doesn't say more in his rating either.
 
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  • Posted Thu Nov 17, 2005 12:35 am
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Randy Cox
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[q]I'd still like to know what Randy Cox finds so objectionable in it as he gives no reason for his blast. He doesn't say more in his rating either.[q]
OK. It's far, far too long and boring. Unless action point games are severely reined in, they move into the realm of analysis paralysis. And this game is king of AP. Add in the bidding element (I suggest playing the basic game, always) and you have intolerable dead time. A good example of the action point mechanism is Torres, and it too can bog down if you've got a true human calculator in your midst.

Basically, whenever you need to preface a strategy game with a line like "doesn't bog down if you have the right group of players..." you're in trouble. Tikal is in trouble.
 
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  • Posted Fri Mar 31, 2006 1:31 pm
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22. Board Game: Torres [Average Rating:7.24 Overall Rank:184]
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2000, 2nd win for Michael Kiesling, 5th win for Wolfgang Kramer, 6th win for Ravensburger
[DSP: Tadsch Mahal]
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Randy Cox
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This was a down year for candidates. My vote would have gone to Metro. Others might say Taj Mahal or even Web of Power. Few would probably jump on the Torres bandwagon.
 
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  • Posted Wed Feb 26, 2003 6:38 pm
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Adam Deverell
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Both Taj Mahal and Web of Power are FAR superior to Torres, a repetative and tedious abstract game, IMHO. (Abstract games that need action cards? Yuck). Taj Mahal has experienced a renaissance at our gaming club while Web of Power remains a top five favourite and does not deserve negative press it seems to get.
 
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  • Posted Thu Jun 26, 2003 3:42 am
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Konstantinos Nikolaidis
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I feel Taj Mahal should have won that year. The game just has so many card battles between players. Also we still play Taj on a pretty regular basis, I even play it online. So to me Taj is still fun. Metro and Torres have been played once each so far this year that I can remember. Dont get me wrong I love Torres and like Metro. I still think Taj should have won.
 
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  • Posted Mon Jul 21, 2003 3:20 pm
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Morgan Dontanville
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Well, as years pass Torres is now no longer near my top 10, but it still remains a favorite.
 
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  • Posted Mon Mar 20, 2006 8:56 am
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aristides mytaras
Greece
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one of the few games I've regretted buying.
 
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  • Posted Tue Sep 5, 2006 6:56 am
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23. Board Game: Carcassonne [Average Rating:7.46 Overall Rank:86]
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2001, by Klaus-Jürgen Wrede, 4th win for Hans im Glück
[DSP: Carcassonne]

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Randy Cox
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I can't say I regularly play any game from this year. Someone had to win.
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  • Posted Wed Feb 26, 2003 6:39 pm
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Doug Garrett
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We've played this one more times than any other game in our collection, primarily because my wife enjoys it so much and it's a great introductory game for new players. It hits the table at every one of our Game Nights because everyone knows it, likes it, and can play it quickly. Will I drop everything to play it? Maybe not, but its popularity and, therefore, its win is well deserved IMHO.

Doug G.
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  • Posted Sat Mar 15, 2003 5:52 am
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Morgan Dontanville
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It may not be a good game, but it sure is pretty.
 
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  • Posted Tue Jun 24, 2003 6:30 am
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Aron F.
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Champaign
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The game, as written is "Hand of 0. Draw 1, play 1".

I much prefer "Hand of 2. Play 1, draw 1".

The rules were published with option A instead of option B, just too make it more level for younger players. But, it's just a horrible game with those rules. And the scoring is far to complex for kids anyway.

With the rule modification, and with the expansions available, this is SdJ quality. With original rules, and no expansions, I don't know how this received the SdJ award.
 
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  • Posted Thu Aug 17, 2006 8:15 pm
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Chuck Parrott
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Winnabow
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To each their own, but I think this is by far one of the best introductions to euro/designer games out there. I haven't met a person that after playing wasn't wanting to play again and wanting to learn more about 'these German games'. Carc along with Settlers got me hooked.

Are there better games out there? Absolutely. But my girlfrind and I still play Carcassonne the Castle and The Discovery quite a lot, they just never seem to grow old.
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  • Posted Tue Mar 4, 2008 4:46 pm
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Laszlo Molnar
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While the "hand 2, draw 1, play 1" version is more 'gamer-friendly' I agree the original rules make Carcassonne (with Settlers of Catan and later Ticket to Ride) the Harry Potter of boardgames. An original and enjoyable game that makes lots of non-gamers turn to boardgames (as Harry Potter helped people start reading again).
 
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  • Posted Wed Sep 3, 2008 12:56 pm
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24. Board Game: Villa Paletti [Average Rating:6.54 Overall Rank:786]
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2002, by Bill Payne, Zoch
[DSP: Puerto Rico]

Nuernberg 2002: http://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist.php3?action=view&listid=63...
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Randy Cox
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While not as bad as the El Grande selection, it's really hard to argue that Puerto Rico (hailed by many as the best game ever) should have won.
 
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  • Posted Wed Feb 26, 2003 6:40 pm
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Walt
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While I own and like PR, I think it lost for some very good reasons. It is a very complex game, and operates in some very counter-intuitive ways, such as transported goods being all worth 1 VP while traded goods have variable prices. The rules do not include a good Gestalt of the game, leaving new players feeling lost; and while the rules while clear, they are very non-parallel leading to a huge list of commonly misplayed rules. While PR appears to be an economic simulation, it breaks a number of usual rules, for example, a large indigo or sugar factory is less efficient than a small one.

PR deserves a (retrospective) SdJ Complex Game award (like Caylus), but not the main award, in my opinion.
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  • Posted Tue Jul 18, 2006 9:17 pm
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Jay T Leone
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Puerto Rico should have definitely won, even though I hate it and it sucks. Still it should have won. And I guess I'm glad it didn't.
 
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  • Posted Thu Oct 26, 2006 10:06 pm
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Jay T Leone
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Now that I read about this game, I'm more inclinded to vote for Puerto Rico. This game is for infants! How could it win game of the year?
 
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  • Posted Mon Nov 13, 2006 8:09 pm
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Laszlo Molnar
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I just can't understand these comments. It's like when somebody says this and that artsy movie should have won the Oscar. Yes for film freaks that one might have been the best choice, but Oscar is about giving the statuette to a movie that is great, has lots of production values and isn't only accessible for some freaks but the main public too.
And it's the same with Spiel des Jahres. Now there is a prize for Best Complex Game (as Agricola has won this year) but the main prize is not for gamers' games that can be enjoyed only by gamers (sometimes I play with friends who are really not gamers; while they are not mentally retarded it was even hard for them to understand the rules of Ticket to Ride first - Puerto Rico is certainly not an entrance game at all).
 
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  • Posted Wed Sep 3, 2008 1:02 pm
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25. Board Game: Alhambra [Average Rating:7.05 Overall Rank:241]
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2003, by Dirk Henn, Queen

Essen 2002: http://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist.php3?action=view&listid=18...
Nuernberg 2003: http://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist.php3?action=view&listid=54...
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Ash Williams
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They should have appeased the masses and given Puerto Rico the SdJ 2003 by default.

In a year of weak contenders, this renamed reprint wins, and now we have a precedent. An enterprising soul will reprint Modern Art, but rename it and add a rule or two. SdJ winner guaranteed.
 
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  • Posted Wed Jul 2, 2003 4:19 am
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Scott A. Reed
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Deutscher Spiele Preis-

1. Amun-Re (R. Knizia / Hans im Glück Verlag)
2. Alhambra (D. Henn / Queen Games)
3. Clans (L. Colovini / Winning Moves)
 
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  • Posted Sun Apr 11, 2004 1:08 pm
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ralf gutzeit
Canada
toronto
ontario
An excellent family game that also appeals to gamers as a light opener/closer. Hard not to like Alhambra for Spiel des Jahres. I'm hoping that Palazzo really is "Alhambra on steriods".
 
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  • Posted Wed Jun 29, 2005 7:49 pm
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Scott A. Reed
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Children's Game
Schloss Schlotterstein (K. Haferkamp, M. Nikisch / HABA)

Best Rules
Der Palast von Alhambra (D. Henn / Queen Games)
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  • Posted Fri Sep 16, 2005 5:01 pm
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Randy Cox
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I like this one a lot. Still do. Good choice.
 
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  • Posted Fri Mar 31, 2006 1:36 pm
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Michel Yannakis
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The more I play, the more I hate it. Too long and luck dependent especially if played with more than 3 players.
Puerto Rico should have won the award. It's meatier than any of the SDJ winners but it's so fluid that familly still can play it.
 
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  • Posted Wed Oct 11, 2006 3:02 pm
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Randy Cox
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Nice list. As I'd expect, I find more of these to be games I'd play pretty much any time than I found with the Games Magazine Game of the Year list. Surprisingly, though, only 10 of these fall into that category, so there are still a lot of clinkers here. I wonder what people think is the very worst ever SdJ winner?
 
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  • Posted Tue Feb 25, 2003 7:58 pm
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Chaddyboy
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Ahh, now I know the secret! Where does one find this Elfengrass? Is it just the kind that grows in Elfenlawns?
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  • Posted Tue Jun 24, 2003 5:55 pm
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Ender Wiggins


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For more discussion, see also this GeekList:
Games that *should* have won Spiel des Jahres
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/geeklist.php3?action=view&listi...
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  • Posted Mon Oct 24, 2005 7:20 pm
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Thomas Smailus
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In reading some of the nit-picking comments about the Spiel des Jahres awards over time, one thing kept popping to mind:

People, SdJ is NOT about what YOUR favorite game is.

It is about what the jury thinks the best family game in Germany is.

It is thier award, they get to decide what the criteria are.

You need to remember, German culture is different from American culture, for example, and the games need to be family oriented, that is, a 10 year old needs to be able to play the game as well as a 30 year old. Thats what it takes.

The awards is not for 'the best game that came out anywhere for that year'.
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  • Posted Mon Sep 11, 2006 4:09 am
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Nathan Morse
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Powell
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With the advent of the BGG wiki, check out the Spiel des Jahres page, as well.
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  • Posted Wed Jan 24, 2007 4:24 am
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