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"The day we stop playing will be the day we stop learning." - William Glasser
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Summer is right around the corner...

And that means time for more games!

This year has moved so quickly, probably because of how many awesome games we've seen hit the shelves so far. We've also been involved in dozens of amazing activities in the last four months. Between board game battles, store championships, family game nights, and International Tabletop Day, it has been games 24/7. But the events are just starting: May is full of awesome events for the whole family, so read on friends!

April Recap

 

Kittens exploded with joy over International Tabletop Day


On Saturday, April 11, we hosted an event for International Tabletop Day. Originally started three years ago by Wil Wheaton and friends at Geek & Sundry, International Tabletop Day is a way for gamers to come together and celebrate the awesome hobby of board games, card games, and tabletop roleplaying.  

We held an enormous event all day Saturday, featuring family activities like carnival games and a special visit from local favorites Thinkfun (makers of Rush Hour and Gravity Maze) and NorthStar Games (makers of Say Anything and Happy Birthday!). The afternoon was also full of exciting activities including visits from local game designers Dave Chalker of Get Bit, Jason Matthews of Twilight Struggle, and Ben Rosset of Brew Crafters. Representatives from Steve Jackson Games and Looney Labs also stopped by, along with some designers of unpublished games. One of the most well received events of the day was a demo of the upcoming Exploding Kittens project by webcomic The Oatmeal. The evening wrapped up with some roleplaying games, including Forsooth! and Dungeons and Dragons, and the exciting drawing of over 25 raffle prizes, including a Ticket to Ride 10th Anniversary edition and Dead of Winter.  

 
          

          
 
Board Game Battle - King of Tokyo

The latest in an ongoing series of monthly tournaments, our King of Tokyo board game battle was a lot of fun. Featuring fast dice action, this family favorite made for an exciting afternoon. We would like to congratulate our champion Sarah Johnson, who was awarded a gift card as well as a special Space Penguin promo. Be sure to join us this month for the classic Carcassonne.  


 
 
Magic: the Gathering Dragons of Tarkir Game Day

Everyone's favorite collectible card game, now with 100% more dragons! The Dragons of Tarkir game day saw many exciting dragon themed decks. We would like to congratulate our winner, Will Rone, who walked away with an awesome playmat as well as a gift card. Be sure to check out our Eventbrite page and Facebook for some exciting new Magic: the Gathering events on Tuesday nights.


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Maury Elementary STEM Expo

In addition to all the fun in the store we also participated in some off-site activities, one of which was the Maury Elementary STEM Expo. We brought all sorts of math and science related games as well as some fun construction puzzles and had a really great time participating in such a fun event. 



 

German games night at the Goethe Institute

Our friends at the Goethe institute hosted a game night to celebrate the fun of German games. We taught some classics like Catan and Carcassonne, as well as some new favorites such as Camel Up and Cockroach Poker. It was a great time for everyone involved. 
 
The Labyrinth Blog
For even more awesome information about our new game selections, head over to the Labyrinth blog for detailed descriptions of our latest picks.

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here to be in the know!
Customer Loyalty Program!
Why not earn rewards for your shopping? Join Team Labyrinth and after every $250 you spend with us, you'll earn a 10% discount! It's easy: all we need is your name!

The 10% discounts are good on any one purchase (where a greater discount doesn't already apply) and they never expire!

Events Calendar



Star Wars: X-Wing Open Play
Each month, we have an event for the popular miniatures game, Star Wars: X-Wing. May's event is an open play day, where you can bring your fleets and practice against other enthusiasts. No RSVP necessary!
May 2, 11am-4pm

 
Kids' Magic: the Gathering
This is an event for anyone under the age of 15 looking to play the collectible card game, Magic! We will teach beginners how to play, and help more advanced players with strategy and deck building techniques needed to be more competitive! Cost is $10. Register via Eventbrite.
May 2, 5pm-7pm


Carcassonne Board Game Battle
Set in medieval France, players work to create the most successful fiefdom of cities, abbeys, roads and farms by strategically placing their meeples.  This is a tournament for the game and some experience is recommended, but not required. Entry is 5 dollars; prizes will be awarded to the top players! Register via Eventbrite.
May 3, 11am-3pm

Magic the Gathering: Conspiracy Draft 
Magic: the Gathering Conspiracy is a special, draft-centered multi-player set. 
Draft players will purchase 3 booster packs of Conspiracy, and will draft these packs in pods of 6 to 8 players. Players will then make 40-card decks, and will divide up into groups of 3 to 4, depending on how many were in their draft pod. Groups will then play one multi-player game. The winner of each game will get a play mat! Register via Eventbrite.
May 5, 6pm-9pm.

First Moves Game Club for Little Kids
Our “First Moves” classes are specifically designed to help young children learn the basic skills needed to play games. We play all sorts of great games designed to help dexterity and logic, math and language, and even social skills. Cost is $10. Register via Eventbrite.
May 9, 9:30am-10:30 am.


Arctic Race Game Lab
Help us create a brand new board game about survival and science at the top of the world!  Arctic sea ice is melting at an alarming rate. The changes are pushing scientists and Arctic communities to understand the effects on Arctic animals, plants and human ways of life so they can adapt--fast. You're invited to play a new board game based on this premise and help game experts take it to the next level. This event is FREE but seating is limited. Registration is REQUIRED and will be determined on a first-come, first-served basis. Recommended for ages 10 and up.

The GameLab is part of the Arctic Spring Festival, hosted by the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. This event will be held at the museum with the support of Labyrinth Games and Puzzles.
May 9, 2pm-4pm

Learn to Play Pokémon Class
The game of Pokémon is very strategic and improves math skills. This two-hour class is for children from 6 to 10 years old. Children must be able to read well enough to read the text on the Pokémon cards. Cost is $30, and includes a deck of Pokémon cards. Register via Eventbrite.
May 16, 5pm-7 pm.


Netrunner Tournament
This event is a tournament, recommended for those who already know how to play. There is a $5 entry fee, payable upon arrival. Cash is preferred! The entry fee goes towards prizes. Register via Eventbrite.
May 17, 11am - 6pm.


Kids' Night Out
Need an excuse for date night? We have a solution! For only $40 dollars, we will watch your elementary school aged child, dinner included! So, while you're out having a nice evening, they'll be having fun playing games, and even learning something while doing it! Recommended for ages 7-12. Register via Eventbrite.
May 23, 5pm-9 pm


Star Trek Attack Wing: A Matter of Honor OP
This is a tournament for the Star Trek Attack Wing Miniatures game. Some experience playing the game is recommended. Star Trek: Attack Wing is a tactical space combat miniatures game. This tournament is recommended for ages 12+. Entry fee is $5. Please bring cash. Register via Eventbrite.

May 24, 11am-4 pm

Kids' Tabletop Roleplaying Group
This is an event for kids ages 10+, who have a real interest in tabletop roleplaying games. We'll teach you the basic rules of a featured RPG game, and guide you through an adventure! We'll also talk about how to run your own game, and how to create characters, monsters, and worlds! Suggested for ages 10+. Cost is $10. Register via Eventbrite.
May 24, 4pm-9 pm

 

And coming soon...


Summer Games Club

From June 22-August 21 we will be hosting a game club for kids in 1st-5th grade from 3:30pm-5:30pm every weekday. And yes, this means we will be open on Mondays from 12pm-6pm. We are offering a special pick-up service from the Potomac School camp bus. See the registration form for more details.
 


 
Regular Weekly Events
 
And, don't forget our regular nightly events starting each week night at 6pm.

Tuesdays - Tuesday Night Magic! Leagues, fun events. Check our Facebook or Eventbrite for registration details.
Wednesdays - Roleplaying Games - check our Eventbrite page each week to see games that have open seats.
Thursdays - Board Game Night - No RSVP required.
Fridays - Friday Night Magic - Registration on Eventbrite is required. Registration opens at 1pm on the Friday of the event. 

Make sure to check out our Google event calendar for even more events. 
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May Highlight: The history of board games

From Senet to Catan, tracing how modern games came to be


Playing games has always been a part of human culture. As far back as ancient Egypt and Babylon people played games. Over the past few weeks we have been teaching a class on the history of games, and we decided to share the knowledge with you here.

Chapter 1: Senet and The Royal Game of Ur

The oldest game ever recorded hails from ancient Egypt, and is called Senet. With the oldest sets dating between 3500 and 3100 BC, Senet is a simple but fun game that involves pieces moving along a board with three rows. Two colors attempt to get all of their pieces off the end of the board before their opponent. Senet predates dice, and uses two sided sticks, one side white, and the other black, that determine how far pieces can move. 

Senet created the fundamental movement mechanics for modern board games, and was played by one of the world's most famous rulers, King Tut. Below is a picture of the board found in Tut's tomb.
 

 
The Royal Game of Ur was discovered in Iraq in the Royal Tombs of Ur, an ancient civilization contemporary with Egypt.  The Ur boards are believed to be from 2600 BC, about a thousand years after Senet.   

The Royal Game of Ur is a bit more complex than Senet, but still follows the same idea of reaching an end goal before one's opponent. Ur also incorporated four sided dice as the movement mechanic. A copy of Ur, known as Asseb in Egypt, was also found in King Tut's tomb. You could consider him the world's first board game fanatic! 

 
 



Chapter Two: Nine Men's Morris and Mancala

With possible origins in the Roman empire, Nine Men's Morris is a game more familiar in strategy to the modern familiars of Checkers or Chinese Checkers, and for a time was published on the back of most Checker boards as an alternate game known as Cowboy Checkers.  

In Nine Men's Morris, players alternate placing and moving pieces on a small grid, with a goal of capturing their opponents pieces, leaving them without possible moves. Differing from a game for royalty like Senet or Ur, Nine Men's Morris was considered the average person's board game, and has been found in many Roman homes and among the belongings of Roman soldiers. Below is a 13th century painting of soldiers playing Nine Men's Morris together.

 

In the continent of Africa, Mancala and its 800 variants have entertained both children and adults since the 7th century. Nearly every tribe and nation has its own variant of Mancala. In this game, players take turns moving beans, stones, seeds, or marbles in a circular motion around a board with hollowed out spaces, leaving pieces as they move. The goal of the game is to have the most pieces in one's territory when the game ends. 

The version of Mancala I grew up with originated in Ghana, and continued play until one player had captured the entire board. It was referred to as the marriage game, because if any two people sat down to play it, they would end up married by the time they finished. Below is a picture of a group of men in Zanzibar, playing the variant Bao.

 
 

Games like Nine Men's Morris and Mancala require players to think strategically and plan their upcoming moves instead of relying on luck. This helped lay the foundation for modern strategic games. 

Chapter Three: Backgammon and Chess

Games started to take their more modern forms in Europe and Asia around the 5th Century AD with Tabula, the earliest game identical to modern Backgammon, in the Byzantine Empire. Backgammon is still one of the most popular games in the world, seeing roots in most cultural centers. Backgammon is a healthy mix of luck from dice rolls and strategy of movement choice, something very popular in today's modern European style board games, like Settlers of Catan. 

 
 

Chess has roots in India dating as far back as the third century, but the game we know today has its origins in 15th century Italy and Spain. Chess combines the strategy of games like Nine Men's Morris and Mancala with the movement strategies of Senet and Ur. Chess is a major development in the strategy of board games. The set below is the Isle of Lewis set, one of the oldest complete chess sets ever found. 
 
 

Chapter Four: Monopoly and Catan

Fast forward to the 20th century and you will see an explosion in the development of board games. Take the family classic Monopoly for example, first patented in 1904, Monopoly was invented as a commentary of economic policy. Now known by many as the game that takes up the entire day, Monopoly introduced some very important ideas into the world of games, such as currency, development, and movement strategy. Below is an early prototype of Monopoly, known as the Landlord's Game.


 

 
The modern renaissance of board games struck with the release of the German title, The Settlers of Catan. The current most popular game in the world, Catan has sold millions of copies and has inspired countless other modern games about development and civilizations.  

Today, nearly a thousand games are published every year, with their roots going all the way back to Senet and Ur. 
Be sure to check out our website and our Facebook for the most current news and announcements about events and new games.  Until next time, keep gaming, and remember, play nice!
Copyright © 2015 Labyrinth Games & Puzzles, All rights reserved. 
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645 Pennsylvania Ave. SE
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