Being Prepared

[Patrick]

Maybe some of my long-ago Boy Scout training stayed with me; I don't
know. But for whatever reason, I like things compact and portable,
and I like to be ready for whatever I'm likely to end up doing. Games
are no exception.

If one carries a deck of cards (or any portable game or game-set)
around, he'll be ready for a spontaneous game, should the opportunity
arise. But if you're stuck waiting in an airport or someplace, and
you don't have the cards, you're limited to something like rock-
scissors-paper or twenty questions or charades. Fine games if you
like them, but they wouldn't be my choices.

Which brings up a key point: you don't want to carry around just any
old game; it ought to be one that you really like playing.

Portability is an obvious factor too, of course. Many games are such
that you might keep a copy in your car. But that doesn't help at
airports or other places where your car is unavailable. Better is a
game you can carry in a backpack, briefcase, or coat pocket. Then
it's right there with you when opportunity knocks.

Next is the question of how well known the game is or how easy it is
to teach. Because if it's not that well known, you're likely to have
to teach it to someone. So, it should be reasonably simple.

It should also be economical when it comes to time and space. It's
not enough to be able to carry the game with you; you have to be able
to set it up and play it wherever you are--in a coffee shop, on an
airplane's tray table, in a restaurant or pub, or anyplace. And you
want to be able to fit the game into a busy schedule, so it has to be
playable over a coffee break or during a lunch hour, for example.

If you might end up playing outdoors--at a picnic, on the beach, at a
campsite, on a backyard deck or patio--the game components should be
able to stand up to the environment. A little wind or humidity
shouldn't spoil the fun, and maybe you'd even want the game to
withstand rain, sand, and spilled drinks. Games like Hive and
dominoes are well suited for this. Most dice games as well--even
backgammon.

You might not want to be limited to playing with just one opponent.
Who knows when you may encounter two or three who want to play?
Ideally your game should be scalable to different size groups. (Here,
Army of Frogs has an advantage over Hive.)

If you're like me, you'll also want a solitaire option. I don't like
carrying something around with me that never gets used--unless it's
essential in an emergency (like a first-aid kit or a spare tire). So,
it'd annoy me to carry a deck of cards in my pocket all year long and
use it only once or twice. I've done that in the past with things
like pocket calendars, and I quickly got out of the habit of carrying
them. But a deck of cards can be used for solitaire (patience); and
if you'll use it for that, it's worth having in your pocket.

An advantage of a solitaire-friendly game is that it may attract
notice. Someone may come along and ask, "Can that game be played by
more than one?" Next thing you know, you're in a "real" game with
others.

And that brings up a final factor: attractiveness. If the game you
tote around and play solo is good-looking, others will take an
interest. Ordinary playing cards are just so-so, but a game with art
on the cards--like Magic, Race for the Galaxy, or Dominion--could have
some crowd appeal.

All of this, however, comes back to the very first point I made: it
has to be a game you really like. Unless you're just desperate to
attract attention and make acquaintances, there's no point playing a
game others might like if you don't care for it yourself.

If your favorite game is too big to carry or too complex to easily
teach, you're stuck looking for other means to enjoy it. It won't be
the kind of game you'll be ready to play anytime, anyplace; you'll
have to arrange a formal gathering.

But if you really like certain card, dice, or domino games--or some
other compact game--you have the advantage of being able to be ready
for a game at a moment's notice, anytime, anyplace.

Then the trick, besides just asking someone to play now and then, is
to make sure you're clear on the rules to the game. It helps if you
practice it regularly, because then you'll be familiar enough with it
to teach effectively. Nothing puts a damper on newfound fun like
dragging out a rulebook and saying, "Well, let's see if I can remind
myself how to play this." You ought to *own* the game you carry
around; playing it should be second nature to you. One of the best
things about the game to the new person across the table from you is
that it comes with a teacher--you--which means he doesn't have to read
any rules or puzzle out how the mechanics work. So, don't just carry
the game around; be sure to stay thoroughly brushed up on it.

Are there any games you take along with you everywhere? Any games
you're ready to play anytime the opportunity arises? Which ones? And
how does it work for you?

--pc

[Patrick]

For all my talk above, I can't honestly say I've walked the walk very
well myself. I did go through a phase, a few years ago, where I
carried a box of dominoes everywhere. And a couple times I did get a
game going at a coffee shop, and once on a plane flight. But that's
about as far as it went.

I do find, though, that luck+skill games (e.g., backgammon, cribbage,
dominoes) are by far the best for me, especially in the casual gaming
situations I've described. A game like chess or checkers (or even
nine men's morris or Hive) seems intimidating; the concentration it
requires seems to reduce the fun. The game has to be challenging, but
I like it when a randomizer takes the edge off competition.

The portable game-set I've conceived of (but haven't yet put together)
is a small folding cribbage board with a deck of cards, a box of
miniature dominoes, and five or six dice. With that in hand, I'm all
set if I meet a cribbage player (and there are many around). If not,
I usually suggest dominoes and use the cribbage board for scoring;
dominoes is an easy game to teach, and it's versatile. But if I'm
with someone who wants to have some gaming fun without having to think
much at all, I've got dice--and we can play something like Ship,
Captain, and Crew, again using the cribbage board for scoring.

That means I need to keep the rules for at least three games in my
head. No problem, as long as I play the games fairly regularly. But
in addition, I like to have backup games for special situations or for
variety.

Cribbage is good for two and can be played by three or four; but it's
not an easy game to teach. Sometimes I'll be with people who want to
play cards but don't know Cribbage. For times like those, I come
mentally equipped for Rummy--Gin Rummy for two, 500 Rum for more. And
I keep a third game in mind for times when I'm playing with kids or
when nobody wants to think too much--Crazy Eights; it's suitable for
various sized groups and can be learned in a jiffy.

All Fives (Five Up, Muggins, similar to Sniff) is my standard domino
game. But often I find myself playing with someone new to the game,
or someone who hasn't done anything with dominoes since he was a kid;
so I'll suggest starting with the Draw Game instead. I just recently
learned about Threes and Fives, so I'll keep that in mind in case I
need an "advanced game" someday.

I've never been much into dice games, and I don't care for Yahtzee
much--or any game which requires a special score sheet. Just learned
Ship, Captain, and Crew--a very simple game that works nicely and goes
with the cribbage board. I'm also remembering Boss Dice from many
years ago, when I'd play it in bars; it's just one of many variations
of Poker Dice (Liar's Dice being another). And a new-to-me game that
I've lately taken an interest in (but haven't had a chance to try yet)
is Ten Thousand (which, I understand, is the public-domain game that
underlies Farkle and Cosmic Wimpout).

[Sukunai]

Aaaaaabsolutely nothing beats the modern hand held electronic game toy
for this. Nothing, not a single non electronic game has a chance
beating them.
Sure they can run out of power, but, how likely are you to be in a
situation where you will be stuck for longer than 8 hours?

The only thing that trumps a hand held game toy, is a mini laptop, as
they have better screen sizes and are after all not just game toys.
But unless we are talking horrible expensive options like a Sony Vaio
(1200 bucks), you can't put it in a pocket.

Not that it's impossible to put a board game into a small space. Give
me enough reason and I can suggest the original Squad Leader release.
It's just one box eh. But it would be limited to situations where you
could sit at a table properly, and with the assumption you were going
to be there for at least a few hours, or starting is not worth the
effort.

Card games and travel games like Chess, well they used to be a good
idea, but hand held game toys can now play any game of note you can
likely think of.
The only think the hand helds don't seem to have licked yet, is online
gaming of more serious online games like World of Warcraft. But I am
assuming that is just a matter of time.