Tech-savvy parents and kids are putting a new spin on family game night by gathering on the Internet rather than in the living room.
For many households, family game night is a time-honored tradition. Parents and kids set aside one night each week to spend quality time together while playing their favorite games. It's an opportunity to have fun, encourage family communication, and teach valuable skills such as sportsmanship.
Conventional wisdom holds that the best games for this sort of occasion are puzzle, trivia, card and board games. However, a new generation of parents is discovering that these classic games don't have to come in a cardboard box. Today's spectrum of online games offers new ways for parents to connect with their children while having a good time.
A New Generation of Games
Although it's often stereotyped as a solitary pursuit, online game play can be a highly social pastime. Communities have developed around the games - often with the encouragement of game developers who have launched their own social networks. In addition, casual games with enhanced in-game interaction now make communicating with - and competing against - family and friends a core component of the game itself. Whether mom or dad is on the road for business, the grandparents live in another town, or the kids are away at college, families are able to stay connected and have fun together in these online environments.
When everyone's gathered under the same roof, many parents are pulling up a chair and playing free online games alongside their children. Hours of entertainment can be had by taking turns playing and beating each others' high scores. And, at a time when the cost of most activities is going through the roof, the option to stay home and play classic puzzle, trivia, or strategy games at no cost is a big win for most households.
One revolutionary new game concept that's giving family togetherness an extra boost are casual games that can be shared on social networks, such as MySpace and Facebook, or via mobile platforms. No matter where they are on the Web or around the world, family members can now challenge each other to play a friendly game and compare top scores with the click of a mouse.
Bridging the Gap
Some parents are resistant to the idea of playing online games with their kids. Aren't online games just a waste of time? Do kids (especially teenagers) really enjoy playing the same games as their folks? The answers might surprise you. A June 2009 Nielsen report on teen media trends revealed that "[t]eens' favorite TV shows, top websites and genre preferences across media are mostly the same as those of their parents." Mom and dad may not be so out-of-touch after all.
"The puzzle, trivia and board games that we all grew up playing haven't been forgotten; they've just been adapted for the digital age," says Eric Lamendola, General Manager for Slingo, Inc., a leader in the casual games industry. "These days, the entire family can enjoy online versions of popular family-friendly games, as well as an exciting array of new game concepts."
Game night is still a great way to bring the family together-it's just that the medium has changed. Rather than looking at technology as a barrier to family unity, parents should look at online game play as a potential bonding experience. By sharing the games they love in a format that their kids enjoy, parents can bridge the age gap and ensure that their children stay engaged, interested and, above all, have fun. As an added bonus, by becoming an active participant in their kids' online activities instead of a mere observer, parents can better monitor their Internet use and take advantage of teachable moments.
In the end, the creation of a shared experience is what's most important to development of a healthy, happy family dynamic. Whether you're face-to-face or miles apart using mobile devices, the family that plays together stays together.
About Slingo
Slingo.com is a leading online destination for people who love to play games , win prizes and have fun. In fact, 1 out of every 20 people in the U.S. has played Slingo online. The Slingo website offers free, original online games, downloadable games, and contests with cash prizes, as well as a social-networking community for game players. For more information, please visit http://www.slingo.com/.
About the Author
R.L. Fielding has been a freelance writer for 10 years, offering her expertise and skills to a variety of major organizations in the education, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, financial services, and manufacturing industries.
Family Game Night Goes Digital by R.L. Fielding
Better Value in Board Games by David Trounce
For entertainment value, social interaction, skill development and just plain fun, few things beat the old-fashioned board game. Except, these days, board games aren't so old-fashioned.
There's something out there for everyone, whether you want quick-and-easy, deep strategy, games for one or two players, games for a roomful of people, games that allow you to show off your knowledge, games that rely mostly on luck. There are games with space themes, and games set in medieval times.
There are games based on popular movies. There are new versions of old favorites. "Games sales are way up," says Greg Jones, a game distribution rep for Fred Distribution, and a game aficionado of long standing.
"Board games are a better value than ever," he says, "and that's important in this economy.
For the price of taking the family to a movie, you can buy a game that offers an enriching social experience every time you play it.
A lot of today's board games sell in the $40-$70 range, although you can find some for less and some for more. "But these are games you can play multiple, multiple times," says Casey Sartain, owner of The Tutoring Toy Shoppe.
Strategies and actions may vary, he says, "but games are always good for building self-esteem, bringing families together, taking time out of your hectic life to have fun."
"Our sales of games is strong, in fact, thriving," says Matt Molen, vice president of marketing for SimplyFun, which sells games through in-home parties. "In times of uncertainly in other areas, people focus back on those things that are most important to them: security, community, faith and family.
Playing together as a family is not only fun, but it connects people and ties them closer together." "We get lot of people who say they have a tradition of playing a game every Sunday night," says Toni Hansen, owner of Claypoole Corner in Layton. "Or, people get together with friends and neighbors."
What she likes about games, she says, is that "every time you play, it's different. It's not like watching the same movie over and over."
Acknowledgment: Carma Wadley, Deseret News.
About the Author
David Trounce is the Owner & Proprietor of Games From Everywhere
Classic. Clever. Beautiful.
Learn Three Basic Steps To Win At Chess by John Skelly
These chess tips are more about understanding the game of chess and developing a firm position than about finding the best move. A good rule of thumb is to move your chess pieces to control the center of the chess board. This rule branches off into two parts: Control the center and Develop your piece.
It is pretty well known that it is important to control the center of the chess board, but not many people know why it is so important. The explanation to the importance of controlling the center area of the chess board is that this best allows you to move your trivial pieces while at the same time taking that very ability away from your opponent's pieces.
It is all about who controls mobility of your chess pieces and your opponent's pieces. The foundation of the center control of the chess board should be the bishop and the knight. The bishop and the knight make perfect pieces for control of the center because they have control over the most squares, which means your opponent has fewer squares to move to.
Developing your piece is important for the simple reason that pawns are not as valuable pieces because they can only move forward in one direction. This is why it isn't good to have a lot of pawn moves. They are vulnerable chess pieces because they are unable to retreat and have very poor mobility, and they are very limited when trying to adapt to an opponent's moves.
When you make a pawn move, the position of your piece is concrete and your only defense for it can be with minor pieces. Also, when you develop your chess pieces, you end up controlling more squares, thereby increasing your own mobility while decreasing your opponent's.
Another important move to understand and use is castling. When castling, a king and rook can move simultaneously, but only under the following conditions:
The king that will make the castling move has not yet moved.
The rook that will make the castling move has not yet moved.
The king is not in check.
The king cannot move over a square that is attacked by an opponent's piece during the castling move.
All squares between the rook and king before the castling move are empty.
The King and rook must occupy the same row.
In short, when castling, the king moves two squares towards the rook, and the rook moves over the king to the next square.
Castling in chess is a very good strategic move and although this is widely known, few know the reason for it. There are two reasons behind why you would want to castle your chess pieces. The first is that when you castle, you are engaging your rook into play and second is that you are placing your king into a safe position on the chess board. When you have both your bishop and your knight still on the back rank, which means you haven't castled, then your rooks are not engaged in play and have a limited mobility.
These are just 3 simple guide lines to follow that can help you greatly improve your chess game.
About the Author
John Skelly is owner of Quality-Chess.net, an online store at http://www.quality-chess.net, where you can browse a myriad of chess products including chess sets, chess boards, and chess pieces.
Try These Games for Improving Working Memory by Sean Davids
Did you know that one of the most effective means of improving working memory is to play games? Working memory is the more scientific term for what is often known as short term memory. Recently stored details such as names and phone numbers is stored in this area of the memory. Think about it as your brain's scratch pad. It is the opinion of the experts that working memory can store a total of seven bits of information at any one time.
A strong working memory is vital for things like literacy, numeracy, and solving problems. Making these skills better also improves your concentration and awareness. Many scientists are of the view that folks who play specific games make their working memory better. We will examine here a few of these games to improve memory.
Board games like chess might assist in making working memory better. The brain functions that are used to plan out your moves, which are crucial to mastering chess, require an understanding of relationships between various items of information. And this procedure occurs in the same area of your mind as the elements that control the storage of data for working memory.
Scrabble and other word games that require you to understand words and letters also exercise the working memory. Combining letters in different ways to form words and bringing them from long term memory into working memory can further assist your visual and spatial abilities, as this causes you to generate patterns in your brain.
Possibly the most famous game for making your memory better is simply called Memory, a card game that is also known as Concentration. Cards are arranged face down on the table, and then two of them are turned over a time. If the cards match, the player is allowed to keep them both. If it's not a match, the cards are put back, and the next individual takes a turn. Ultimately, the player collecting the most cards wins. Since more and more of the cards are turned over as the game goes on, attempting to remember where each card can be found is the key to gaining cards in the latter stages of the game.
Another card game utilized for an improved memory is bridge. Duplicate bridge is the type played in tournaments, and is more suited to this purpose than rubber bridge. The reason for this is that duplicate bridge requires you to remember bids, whereas rubber bridge involves more luck than skill.
Playing games to improve working memory can be as basic as just shutting your eyes and attempting to remember where specific objects are situated in a room. You can also ask another individual to write down a list of various items, show it to you, and then ask you to repeat back the items on it in the correct order. I'm sure you can dream up plenty of other games that are not only enjoyable but useful to your ability to recall things.
About the Author
Even if you haven't yet noticed any concerns with your memory, it's a good idea to start to learn memory improvement skills right now, early on, before problems in fact occur. Discover more by visiting the Improved Memory site.
The Rules to Cornhole by Chris Folmer
Here are a simple set of rules for the game of cornhole:
1. COURT LAYOUT
A) Cornhole / Bag Toss courts are to be 10ft wide X 45 ft long. Each court will consist of two cornhole boards, 8 bean bags, a pitchers box and foul lines.
B) Pitcher's Box - This section is where players will be throwing the cornhole bags from. Each box is to be 4 ft wide X 3 ft long.
C. Foul Line - These are imaginary lines from the cornhole to the opposite cornhole board.
2. PLAYING EQUIPMENT - CORNHOLE BOXES AND BAGS
A) A Cornhole Platform should be 48" X 24" and made of wood.
B) The hole for the board needs to be 6 inches in diameter and 1 ft from each side of the board.
C) The cornhole bags will be 6" X 6" and weigh between 14 and 16 ounces
3. THROWING DISTANCE
A) The distance between cornhole platforms will be 27 ft makeing the throwing distance roughly 30 ft.
4. PLAY OF THE GAME
A) The game of cornhole can be played with either 2 people or 4. Singles involve both participants playing from the same side. Doubles is played with partners standing on opposite sides.
B) How Cornhole is Scored.
(I) In the hole -- If the bean bag goes into the hole on the platform, 3 points are scored
(II) On the platform -- If the bean bag lands on the platform, but does not go in the hole, 1 point is scored
(III) Off the platform -- If the bag doesn't go into the hole or land on the platform, 0 points are scored
C) The throwing of the bags will be alternated until all 8 bags have been thrown. The scores of both teams will then be added up and the difference will be totalled up. The points of the lower scoring team will be deducted from the higher scoring team.
Please visit our site by clicking here to check out more information on the game of cornhole - bag toss.
About the Author
Cornhole Bagtoss has been selling bags across the world for the last several years. We carry bags, boards, and cornhole accessories.
Online Board Games: - They Are A Boon if you have A Single Child by swapnil
The good old days, when we all used to play games in a group are gone. In those days, the families used to have more than a single child does and it was a joy to play games such as monopoly and others. The joy was in the games as well as the group interaction. Today with many families opting for a single child, free online games are a boon for that child and the parents.
Imagine parents worrying about their child- who will play with our child? Will he/she never play group games on board that we enjoyed so much in our childhood? Will, my kid never know the joy of the board games? Please stop worrying about that. Computer is there as a friend to play game with your child. Yes, I agree that it may not be same as playing in a group of children, but we cannot have our cake and eat it too
A child needs to play board games. a child enjoys the imagery of games such as monopoly . The imagination works wonders for a young mind. Now do that with your computer. Look for a good gaming site that offers free online games. Download few free online games and play with your child in the beginning. Once you know which games are good for your child, guide him/her accordingly.
Let the child enjoy the pleasure of playing against the skill of the computer. Slowly raise the level of difficulty and let you child develop skills and have fun. These games will not only give him/her pleasure but also sharpen the intelligence. They will also save you from the guilt of not having any body to play with your child. Online games are surely a boon for families with single child.
Did you find this article useful? For more useful tips and hints, points to ponder and keep in mind, techniques, and insights pertaining to Internet Business, do please browse for more information at our websites. http://www.allhottips.com http://www.bookstoretoday.com
About the Author
My Name Is swapnil
Let Your Kids Play Indoor Board Games During Nasty Weather Conditions by David Jolan
Kids love to play and it is their right to play different types of games inside and outside their homes. We know how health-oriented you are and how much you pay attention to the physical activity of your child. But what do you do if you have bad weather conditions like rains or thunderstorms and your child is unable to go out and play. Do you make him sit and study all the while in such situations? Certainly not! The best way is to entertain them at home with the help of apt board games.
Playing indoors is something we all cherish. Remember the card games we used to play when schools used to declare sudden holidays? Today the kids need many more things besides the regular card games. For them, the toy manufacturers and their dealers are on their toes to make new toys of different colors and patterns. Also the online market has made the toy purchase lot easier. Also you get lot more varieties to explore and choose from.
Let's see what board games are ideal for your kids and why?
(1) Classic Bullseye Board Game 1st edition: Based on television's popular dart quiz, this game confronts you with hoards of questions and rewards you with Bully's star prize after going through varied rounds. No doubt it is a great entertainer and even elder family members can join the fun.
(2) Magic cube: It is an all-time favorite game among children and it can accentuate the cognitive and coordination abilities in kids. So, if your kids have attained 3 years of age, it's time to give them the magic cube to match the colors on it!
(3) Corx: If you want to enhance the eye-hand coordination in your kids aged 4 or more, you should try Corx game for them. There are playing pieces embedded in the game that you are supposed to toss on any hard and flat surface. If they bounce on their ends, you score points. You can call the game a replica of mini-martial art. You kids will love this game for sure.
(4) Family Guy- Talking Magic 8 Ball: if you are fan of this dysfunctional family, the Family Guy, this game is for you. Ask a question and have your answer magically! 20 custom griffin family phrases have been included in such games.
(5) Monopoly card game: For little older children from 8 years above, you can think of buying Monopoly Deal, a card game. This dynamic game of trading, acquisition, and dealing is a great way to spend a quality afternoon indoors!
After all, what your kids want is to spend a quality time and with these traditional and/or novel board games, you can give them just that. Moreover, for all the parents who keep cribbing about their children's indoor activities, here is an advice from child psychologists. The indoor board games and garden games bring out the coordination and concentration skills in your children. So, do not deprive them of these games. Instead try balancing their outdoor and indoor activities with the help of funny and educative kids' toys!
About the Author
For all types of board games and in general kids toys, go online and order without any hassles. The UK's leading toy shop kidstoys4u is ready to give you different games in cheapest possible rates. Visit kidstoys4u.co.uk today!
Christmas Gifts For Children? Find Out What Is Popular In 2009 by John Marshall
Believe it or not, the fall is already here. What this means to many is that Christmas is fast approaching and people will need to start figuring out what to get their kids. To help make this easier for you, we have put together a list of categories and top products in them to point out what will be popular in 2009.
Electronic Gadgets
Our first category on our list is electronic gadgets. The world is becoming more high tech by the day and this distinction is not lost on toy manufacturers who are making all kinds of toys that are geared towards interactivity with the computer. Popular choices to look at in 2009 include the Rubik's Touchcube, My Pal Scout, Leapfrog® Text and Learn, Vtech® Kidizoom Digital Camera, and Kidijamz Studio just to name a few. All these vary in how electronic they are, but all are sure to entertain your kids a great deal.
Board Games
Another category that is making a comeback in 2009 for Christmas gifts for children and everyone else is board games. The recessionary times led many toy manufacturers to make more board games this year. The results of their labor include the Giraffalaff Limbo Game, Bop It Game, Monopoly City Edition, Clue Secrets and Spies, and the Connect Four By Four. All these games offer kids a chance to play games most parents should be somewhat familiar with. However, don't be surprised to see many of these games tweaked with new technology. For example, Clue Secrets and Spies uses text messaging.
Stuffed Animals
Another category of gift ideas that is popular again in 2009 is stuffed animals. This category will always be a hit with young children because many kids are fascinated by animals. Popular choices in 2009 will include Lulu My Cuddlin Kitty Cat, Zambi the Baby Elephant, and Tumbles My Roll Over Pup. Each of these looks very life like and has many sounds and mannerisms that imitate real animals.
Fad Products
This category includes gift ideas that are made popular from famous product lines, television shows, or movies. Popular choices in 2009 will include the Elmo Tickle Hands toy, Dora Links Fashion Doll, Transformers movie 2 toys, and GI Joe movie toys. These will be popular because of the large marketing blitz behind them that will have kids talking a lot about these on the playgrounds.
All of the above categories should give you a good idea of what will be popular in 2009.
About the Author
For more information on where to find these gifts and other great gift ideas, click on the following links: Christmas Gifts For Children and Christmas Gifts For Children.
Toys and games - board games and jigsaws by Joe Denver
Adults and children love to play with new or classic toys and games at Christmas. Our children continue to play games throughout their childhood, so, this Christmas, why not continue to play games with your children throughout the year? It's good fun and will help them develop a healthy approach to game playing.
Traditional board games make wonderful presents so don't neglect them in favour of electronic toys and games. Monopoly, Trivial Pursuits and Scrabble are timeless, and older children will still play these games well into adulthood. Look out for special versions of these games. Anniversary editions usually comprise of deluxe box sets with good quality boards and playing pieces. They will become family heirlooms passed on to the next generation, along with many memories of family games nights.
Some popular games have junior editions, which are perfect for younger children. Junior scrabble is fantastic for young readers, helping to improve their spelling and increase vocabulary.
One of the most popular board games is chess. It's really enjoyable when you can find an opponent who will challenge you. A chess set is a good gift to give a child. It will encourage her to start playing and she can play with other family members and school friends.
If your children don't enjoy playing board games, buy a couple of jigsaws. Choose a topic they love. Disney princesses, Batman or Spiderman jigsaws are popular with children. Buy an age appropriate puzzle and make sure their first jigsaw has good sized pieces; they can progress to the harder puzzles when they have mastered the basics. Start off with a colourful and busy puzzle. A jigsaw which has fifty percent of the same colour pieces is not for a novice jigsaw user.
It's worth buying a variety of toys and games to ensure you'll have something suitable for everyone to play. Buy several games that can be played by all age groups and some that are age appropriate to your child, so she can play with friends, or join in with her peers on family occasions. You'll quickly determine which games will become family favourites and which games she'll want to store in her toy cupboard.
About the Author
More kids toys and games here
Have a Toy Game Hobby Night at Your House! by Pinkrashmi
Build family communication and togetherness by having a weekly toy game hobby night. It is so easy these days to let work, school, and the business of life rule the day, that we can easily lose touch with each other. If we get together one night each week for a toy game hobby night, we can rekindle those family ties.
Those families with small children will probably focus more on the toy aspect of the toy game hobby night. Take the time to get down on the floor and play with those youngsters. Cuddle those dollies and call yourself "grandma" or "grandpa." Push those trucks around and pretend right along with the kids. If your back can take it, let them take turns riding you like a horse while you crawl around and neigh. Every kid loves that!
On summer evenings, try toy game hobby night in the sand box at the park. Using an old mesh produce bag, collect a variety of suitable sand toys to take along. These toys include various containers, a few wheeled vehicles, toy garden tools, and cast-off kitchen utensils. In the sandbox with your kids, you can create towns with roads, castles, or just about anything.
Modeling dough is also a great activity for toy game hobby night. Collect some small cookie cutters and old jar lids (for pans) and create fancy cookies and desserts - inedible and calorie-free, of course! The kids can turn a large box on it's side for a counter and place the goodies on display to sell. Of course, you'll pretend to buy, eat, and enjoy!
Some fun games for family night include card games like Uno, board games like Candy Land or Life, and dominoes. When choosing games to play there are several things to consider. Is Scrabble, for instance, fun for everyone, or does all the spelling and thinking feel like work to some of the players? Does the game take forever to play, so that some players' attention spans play out? Does the game encourage merciless competition, like Monopoly, leaving losers feeling left out? It's important for kids to learn how to lose and still have fun. Don't "throw" the game, intentionally letting them win all the time, but don't mercilessly beat them every time either. Make it fun. If losing is a problem for some of the kids, check out some of the new cooperative games where everyone is on the same team.
Hobbies are also great to share as a family. Maybe your family would be interested in pursuing musical skills together. Families make great singing groups because their voices match well. If that's not for you, maybe you'd all enjoy fishing. Square dancing is fun for some families, while others enjoy playing badminton or other active games and sports. The important thing is to have fun together.
Having a toy game hobby night every week will help you stay close to your kids as they grow up. It will keep the bond of love fresh and the lines of communication open. Plan a toy game hobby night this week!
About the Author
Rashmi is a Internet Marketer. Click Here to know more about her
Five Christmas Gifts for Kids (Ages 5-7) by Richard Mas
As your children age, they enjoy Christmas gifts that will challenge and entertain their developing minds. In this article, we will look at great Christmas presents for kids between the ages of 5 and 7.
As you may know, I write a lot about gifts in the "edutainment" category. These are gifts that are both highly entertaining and use the mind at the same time. I believe that kids enjoy games that challenge their mind as well as bring a smile to their face. The first gift for these developing minds is Bananagrams.
Banagrams is a word game, one similar to scrabble, that can be enjoyed by the whole family. However, unlike Scrabble, there is no board required. You simply need a table, which makes it a perfect game to take on the road. In Bananagrams, you formulate words with the 144 large letter tiles provided. In fact, since it is such a great family game, I know many families who buy several Bananagrams so that they can have huge games. This game can be played by all those 7 years and up, including parents and grandparents.
Coming in at number 2 on our list of Christmas Gifts for kids is the Melissa & Doug Standing Easel, one of the Best Toys for Christmas 2009. This is an outstanding gift for all kids, especially within this age group. This is a time when children develop their artistic skills and the Melissa & Doug Easel set is the perfect tool for their development. It is a re-usable easel that the kids can enjoy time and again.
Nerf Dart Tag continues to be a huge bestseller with kids of this age group. Why? Well, you remember when you were a kid. It's always fun to throw things and shoot toy guns and play with your friends. Nerf Dart Tag allows kids to do all of these things safely. Sometimes, pure fun is the order of the day. And Nerf Dart Tag is just that!
I have always been a large fan of LEGO sets and now we have LEGO sets for the young ones. When you see a child with LEGO sets, they are always entertained and educated. LEGO sets develop your child's spatial recognition abilities and develop their young minds in the process. And, LEGO sets can grow with your children as there are many sets available. LEGO products are both fun and price competitive making them a good economical choice for the Christmas Season.
Finally, our fifth gift recommendation is one that may be new to you. It is called The Butterfly Garden. One thing that my kids love to do is go to the zoo. We visit the zoo at least 4 times a year and that is never enough. What if the zoo could come to you? We achieve this in small part with The Butterfly Garden.
The Butterfly Garden is a true Garden Habitat in which you get to see the metamorphosis of the caterpillar into a butterfly. This kit includes a mesh garden habitat which is collapsible and reusable. The kits also includes a mail-in voucher for five butterfly larvae. This gift is truly the gift of seeing the lives of animals take shape.
About the Author
View each of these gifts on the Christmas Gifts for Kids 2009 page at The Christmas Store Online, where you can find all of the Best Christmas Gifts for 2009. The author, Richard Mas, is a retail specialist and senior editor at The Christmas Store Online.
Backgammon Rules and Strategies by Gen Wright
Backgammon is a game that requires skill and a little bit of luck. In a way, it's a little bit like checkers, except that your next moves depend on the value of your dice roll. To win the game, you have to learn to manage your risks. This game is played with just three simple items - a game board, 30 checkers, and a pair of dice.
The game board is where the entire game takes place. On the board, there are 24 points, starting from 1 to 24. Each point is represented by a tall triangle. Two players play on opposite sites during the game. On each side, there is the home board, and the outer board.
The checkers are usually in black and white. So each player will choose a color. The goal of the game is simple - to enable all 15 checkers to reach the bearing (home) point. The first player that accomplishes this goal wins the game. However, the game is setup with some simple rules so that players can vary the way they play the game.
For instance, you cannot move a checker on to a point that has more than 1 checker from the opponent. You can only move the checker to a point that has got no other checkers, or a point that has your own checkers. If there is a checker from the opponent, there can only be a maximum of one. These rules enable a player to defend or attack certain points.
As your play, your opponent will try ways and means to prevent your checkers from reaching the bearing position. Of course, you will do likewise. This gives rise to several well known strategies such as an anchor game, an outfield point game, or a holding game.
You can create anchor points by having two or more checkers in the same point on the opponent's home board. Anchors can be strategically created for different purposes. You can use anchors to hold a position for defense or attack. Anchors are also particularly useful if you wish to prevent your opponent's checkers from reaching a position.
An outfield point is a point that is outside of the home boards. Such a point is less used for attacking but you have a better chance of stopping your opponent.
A holding game sometimes occurs accidentally. You see a holding game when both players have more than 2 anchors or outfield points on both halves of the board. In other words, there are no open points, and both players cannot create open points for fear of being hit. The game appears to be suspended. The holding game continues when a player clears a checker, or when someone rolls a double.
The backgammon game is like a race. When played strategically, you never know if you are going to win or lose. It may appear that you may be losing right from the start, but bear in mind that there are strategies for players to use who are behind in the game. For example, if you find yourself behind in the game, you can choose to adopt a blocking strategy.
Blocking means that you have as many points as possible with two or more of your checkers. Remember that any point with two or more checkers means that your opponent cannot occupy the point. If you have occupied these points one after another, it becomes very difficult for your opponent to advance. Hence, your blocking becomes more effective. You may then make plans to occupy open points to make progress for your own game.
About the Author
Learn more about History of Backgammon and Backgammon Game Rules.
Planning a Fun Family Game Night by Denise M Sanger
Having a regular family game night is a great way for the entire family to have fun together. It's also a great way to spend quality time together and actually helps kids with their socializing skills. To make Game Night a success at your house, here are some tips on how to get started:
- Agree on a night and time when everyone is available. Don't make the mistake of scheduling during your son's football practice or your daughter's piano lesson.
- Don't let anyone out of game night unless it is a really important occasion. If they start missing for every little thing that comes up, eventually there will be no one left to play!
- Decide as a family what games will be played. Vote on them and choose from several that you can switch between. If you take turns choosing which of the chosen games you will play, then keep a record of who chose last and whose turn it is every week.
- Choose games that are age appropriate for the whole family. You don't want to play Chutes and Ladders every week and the little ones can't keep up with more complicated games. Look for those marked "All Ages".
- Don't answer the phone. Have the machine pick up any calls to make sure you don't miss anything important. Otherwise, you will end up stopping to wait for conversations that interfere with your family's special time.
- Let your friends know and have your children do the same with their friends. Once they figure out what you are doing every Wednesday at 7pm, you will have fewer interruptions.
- Choose snacks for the family ahead of time so you can have them ready when game time starts.
- Choose how long game time will last (maybe an hour) so that you have time to complete games. You will probably find it much easier to keep your older children still than you will the younger ones for longer periods of time.
- Choose games that you can complete during one game night rather than having to pick back up in the same place the next week. By then, it will have lost its excitement.
- Get a comfy card table and chairs. This is especially important for little ones who have trouble playing on the dining room table and trying to reach the middle of a game board.
Family game night can be a wonderful experience for every family member. With a little planning and a commitment to stick with it, it will grow to be your kids' favorite tradition!
About the Author
Denise Sanger is the owner of NewCoolToysOnline.com which features a great selection of ride-on toys and battery powered ride on toys for kids of all ages. The company may be reached at 877/950-7665.
