G.Robin Smith Handout Links Norwescon 30 (2007) Games

Ancient Games:
G.Robin Smith. www.ben-franklin.org, ben@ben-franklin.org
I have put these links up at http://norwesconpanelsgrobin.blogspot.com/
Your one stop spot to go and link to, rather than typing in all the ones below☺

Broad Types: (Many cross back and forth) Search Terms:
Strategy, Skill, Physical, Luck, Solitaire, Team, Running, Animal, Hunting, Martial, Non-Competitive, Card, Dice, Gambling
Mind & Strategy – Even Sides vs. Unbalanced. Chess (Variants – Byzantine, oblong, standard. Fox & Geese. Riddles.
Skill – Stick & Rings, Darts, Bowles, Shoves…
Physical: Wrestling, Hunker Hauser,
Luck: Shut the Box, Skittles,

Links:
www.chessvariants.org/Gindex.html
www.waks.org/game-hist/
www.tradgames.org.uk/index.html
www.mastersgames.com/
http://www.larsdatter.com/toys.htm
Nice pictures of pieces and connections to other sites
http://games.rengeekcentral.com/tc4.html
Period Illuminations AND rules.
http://bryn-gwlad.ansteorra.org/children/fun.php
An SCA site but is seems very well linked.
www.show.me.uk/downloads/Medieval%20Board%20Games.PDF

Skittles

http://www.tradgames.org.uk/games/Table-Skittles.htm
Teaches adding with different combinations of numbers… sneaky for parents☺


This handout prepared with financial support from
Hardwick & Sons, Inc. Hard to find Hard-To-Find New & Used… almost EVERYTHING! www.eHardwicks.com

Fox and Geese

Center is the Fox Starting point. The top three tiers are the geese. The Fox starts and jumps into empty spots. http://www.osv.org/FoxGeese/
Just ONE of many sites that let you play on-line.
http://www.mastersgames.com/rules/fox-geese-rules.htm

Shove Groat:
Like Shuffleboard. Shove the penny into a line.
http://www.tradgames.org.uk/games/Shove-HaPenny.htm

Byzantine Chess:


http://www.tabula-rasa.info/JamesAdams/treasure_trove/byzChess/byzChess.htm
There are hundreds of variants on the theme of Chess.

Shut the Box: Number a piece of paper 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Roll Dice. Mark off each number that the dice add up to. Any numbers you can’t match add together and you get your score. Winner has the lowest score.
http://www.tradgames.org.uk/games/Shut-The-Box.htm
Teaches adding with different combinations of numbers… sneaky for teachers☺



9 Men’s Morris
(ONE On Line version: http://www3.sympatico.ca/pesullivan/merrelles/English.html
http://www.louisiana101.com/ideas_english_9man.html
3 parts. 1: Placing, 2) Moving, 3) Only three left, move anywhere.
Variations: Cut Throat vs. New Mill. Less and More “Men”

Goose
http://www.byzantios.net/modar/goosegame.pdf
http://www.vam.ac.uk/moc/collections/games/board_games/gameofgoose/index.html
http://www.jstor.org/view/00218715/ap020031/02a00080/0

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/03/Tablero_oca.jpg/623px-Tablero_oca.jpg
The youngest player goes first. Roll the dice and move your counter one square for each spot on the dice. Then it is the next player's turn unless one of these things happens: If you throw a 3 on your first turn you can move straight to square 26.
If your counter lands on a Goose square you can move again without throwing the dice. You move the number of spots of your original throw. For example throw a 4, land on a Goose, move four squares forward again.
If you land on the Bridge, square 6, miss a turn while you pay the toll.
If you land on the Inn, square 19, miss a turn while you stop for some tasty dinner.
If you land on the Well, square 31, make a wish and miss three turns. If another player passes you before your three turns are up you can start moving again on your next go.
If you land on the Labyrinth, square 42, you will get lost in the maze and have to move back to square 37.
If you land on the Prison, square 52, you will have to miss three turns while you are behind bars. If another player passes you before your three turns are up you can start moving again on your next go.
If you land on Dead, square 58, you have to go back to square 1 and start all over again!
Players may not share squares, so if your dice roll would land you on an occupied square you will have to stay where you are until it is your turn again.
To win you must reach square 63 exactly. If your dice roll is more than you need then you move in to square 63 and then bounce back out again, each spot on the dice is still one square in this move. If you land on any of the special squares while you are doing this then you must follow the normal instructions.
When you land on square 63 exactly you are the winner!
Riddles
1) At night they come without being fetched, and by day they are lost without being stolen.
2) I never was, am always to be, No one ever saw me, nor ever will. And yet I am the confidence of all to live and breathe on this terrestrial ball.
3) Runs over fields and woods all day. Under the bed at night sits not alone,
With long tongue hanging out, A-waiting for a bone.
4) Alive without breath, As cold as death;
Never thirsty, ever drinking, All in mail never clinking.
5) This, all things devours: Birds, beast, trees, flowers; Gnaws iron, bites steel; Grinds hard stones to meal; Slays king, ruins town, And beats high mountain down.
6) As light as a feather, but you can't hold it for ten minutes.
7) It goes up and down the stairs with out moving.
8) You can see nothing else when you look in my face. I will look you in the eye and I will never lie.
9) I am always hungry, I must always be fed. The finger I lick will soon turn red.
10) Three lives have I. Gentle enough to soothe the skin,
Light enough to caress the sky Hard enough to crack rocks.
11) Glittering points that downward thrust. Sparkling spears that never rust
12) I went into the woods and got it. I sat down to seek it.
I brought it home with me because I couldn't find it.
13) It has no weight, you can see it. If put in a barrel, it will make the barrel lighter?
14) Squeeze it and it cries tears as red as its flesh, But its heart is made of stone.
15) What gets wetter the more it dries?
16) All about, but cannot be seen, Can be captured, cannot be held. No throat, but can be heard.
17) The more there is the less you see.
18) They are Dark, and always on the run. Without the sun, would be none.
19) I have holes on the top and bottom. I have holes on my left and on my right.
And I have holes in the middle, yet I still hold water.
20) The more you take the more you leave behind.
21) What can run but never walks, Has a mouth but never talks,
Has a head but never weeps, Has a bed but never sleeps?
Runs smoother than any rhyme. Loves to fall but cannot climb!
22) You break it even if you name it!
23) You feed it, it lives, you give it something to drink, and it dies.
24) Voiceless it cries, Wingless it flutters, Toothless bites, Mouthless mutters.
25) If a man carried my burden, He would break his back. I am not rich. But leave silver in my track.
26) You must keep it after giving it.
27) My life can be measured in hours. I serve by being devoured.
Thin, I am quick. Fat, I am slow. Wind is my foe.
28) It cannot be seen, cannot be felt, Cannot be heard, and cannot be smelt. It lies behind stars and under
hills, and empty holes it fills. It comes first and follows after, Ends life, kills laughter.
29) A box without hinges, key, or lid. Yet golden treasure inside is hid.
30) I go around in circles, But always straight ahead. Never complain, No matter where I am led.
31) If you break me I do not stop working. If you touch me I may be snared,
If you lose me Nothing will matter.
32) Two horses, swiftest traveling, Harnessed in a pair, And Grazing ever in places Distant from them.
33) I pass before the sun and make no shadow.
Answers: 1-Stars, 2-Tomorrow, 3-Shoe, 4-Fish, 5-Time, 6-Breath, 7-Stair Runner, 8-Mirror, 9-Fire, 10-Water, 11-Icecicles, 12-Splinter, 13-Hole, 14-Cherry, 15-Towel, 16-Wind, 17-Darkness, 18-Shadows, 19-Sponge, 20-Steps, 21-River, 22-Silence, 23-Fire, 24-Wind, 25-Snail, 26-Your Word, 27-Candle, 28-Darkness, 29-Egg, 30-Wheels, 31-Heart, 32-Eyes, 33-Night.