Derek Bruff
@firstplayertoken.bsky.social
Host of First Player Token, a short podcast for folks who enjoy playing board games with family and friends, https://linktr.ee/firstplayertoken
Six-player Fit to Print! The real-time element makes for a lot of fun with cousins. We’ll have to cover this on the podcast soon.
November 30, 2025 at 6:49 AM
Six-player Fit to Print! The real-time element makes for a lot of fun with cousins. We’ll have to cover this on the podcast soon.
Some post-Thanksgiving Nidavellir! Played twice this weekend. Got a different rule wrong each time. I’m so used to Board Game Arena keeping track of things for me!
November 30, 2025 at 3:23 AM
Some post-Thanksgiving Nidavellir! Played twice this weekend. Got a different rule wrong each time. I’m so used to Board Game Arena keeping track of things for me!
We had a Clank in Space rematch and this time I edged out the nephew. He was one space away from safety (and a win on points) when the assassins took him out. As he quickly point out, this was my first win of the weekend.
November 28, 2025 at 8:19 PM
We had a Clank in Space rematch and this time I edged out the nephew. He was one space away from safety (and a win on points) when the assassins took him out. As he quickly point out, this was my first win of the weekend.
A very satisfying game of Root tonight! Each of us one turn away from winning, but I edged it out with the Woodland Alliance. Gotta love those 11-point turns near the end!
November 22, 2025 at 6:29 AM
A very satisfying game of Root tonight! Each of us one turn away from winning, but I edged it out with the Woodland Alliance. Gotta love those 11-point turns near the end!
“Posts with audio can get more reach.”
Only because you set up your dumb algorithms that way, Instagram.
Also no one I know uses Instagram with their volume turned on.
Only because you set up your dumb algorithms that way, Instagram.
Also no one I know uses Instagram with their volume turned on.
November 15, 2025 at 4:41 AM
“Posts with audio can get more reach.”
Only because you set up your dumb algorithms that way, Instagram.
Also no one I know uses Instagram with their volume turned on.
Only because you set up your dumb algorithms that way, Instagram.
Also no one I know uses Instagram with their volume turned on.
I played SETI last night! And, yes, it’s just as good as everyone says.
November 13, 2025 at 1:57 PM
I played SETI last night! And, yes, it’s just as good as everyone says.
New episode! We’re making movies and calling each other communists in Hollywood 1947 from Facade Games! With guest reviewer and future lawyer, the 12yo! Listen here: www.buzzsprout.com/2292265/epis...
November 10, 2025 at 10:38 PM
New episode! We’re making movies and calling each other communists in Hollywood 1947 from Facade Games! With guest reviewer and future lawyer, the 12yo! Listen here: www.buzzsprout.com/2292265/epis...
Well that was a fun 48 hours of gaming! Two trips to Tennessee Game Days and our regular monthly game night made for a nice set of new-to-me and old favorites.
November 9, 2025 at 3:33 AM
Well that was a fun 48 hours of gaming! Two trips to Tennessee Game Days and our regular monthly game night made for a nice set of new-to-me and old favorites.
Day 1 of Tennessee Game Days is in the books for me. Secret Origin, the new trick taker from Stonemaier; Galileo Galilei, full of stars and combos; Moon Colony Bloodbath, which I lost 0-1; and (not pictured) Duel for Cardia, my new favorite two-player game. A very good day of gaming!
November 7, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Day 1 of Tennessee Game Days is in the books for me. Secret Origin, the new trick taker from Stonemaier; Galileo Galilei, full of stars and combos; Moon Colony Bloodbath, which I lost 0-1; and (not pictured) Duel for Cardia, my new favorite two-player game. A very good day of gaming!
The year in gaming, however, is going very well. Thanks to the three-year-old (and me cutting back on purchases), I’ve hit an h-index of 7 already this year. I’m usually lucky to hit 7 by the last week of December!
November 1, 2025 at 6:45 PM
The year in gaming, however, is going very well. Thanks to the three-year-old (and me cutting back on purchases), I’ve hit an h-index of 7 already this year. I’m usually lucky to hit 7 by the last week of December!
A very slow October in gaming. Just too many things between kid activities and fall fun. But some quality plays at game night, a few games of Shallow Regrets yesterday, and (not pictured) the three-year-old’s first play of Sushi Go!
November 1, 2025 at 6:29 PM
A very slow October in gaming. Just too many things between kid activities and fall fun. But some quality plays at game night, a few games of Shallow Regrets yesterday, and (not pictured) the three-year-old’s first play of Sushi Go!
It’s spooky season! Thanks for the mug, @d20plusmodifier.bsky.social!
October 25, 2025 at 1:15 AM
It’s spooky season! Thanks for the mug, @d20plusmodifier.bsky.social!
I went all in on the new fan-designed bird cards for Wingspan! I’m very excited to try these out with Emily.
October 21, 2025 at 5:56 PM
I went all in on the new fan-designed bird cards for Wingspan! I’m very excited to try these out with Emily.
The new booster packs of fan-design bird cards for Wingspan are now on sale! Each of the six packs has 25 new bird cards from a region already covered by Wingspan and its expansions. Thanks for making these, @stonemaiergames.com !
store.stonemaiergames.com/collections/...
store.stonemaiergames.com/collections/...
October 15, 2025 at 2:37 PM
The new booster packs of fan-design bird cards for Wingspan are now on sale! Each of the six packs has 25 new bird cards from a region already covered by Wingspan and its expansions. Thanks for making these, @stonemaiergames.com !
store.stonemaiergames.com/collections/...
store.stonemaiergames.com/collections/...
New episode! The teenager and I start our 2025 Unmatched tournament to see which of our 16 most-played characters is our favorite Unmatched hero! It's Beowulf vs. the Winter Soldier! The Genie vs. Little Red! T-Rex vs. Dracula! And more! firstplayertoken.buzzsprout.com/2292265/epis...
October 4, 2025 at 1:48 PM
New episode! The teenager and I start our 2025 Unmatched tournament to see which of our 16 most-played characters is our favorite Unmatched hero! It's Beowulf vs. the Winter Soldier! The Genie vs. Little Red! T-Rex vs. Dracula! And more! firstplayertoken.buzzsprout.com/2292265/epis...
September 29, 2025 at 1:57 AM
Teaching three friends to play Root tonight. Wish me luck!
September 28, 2025 at 1:22 AM
Teaching three friends to play Root tonight. Wish me luck!
Back at it tonight! Too much treasure hunting and not enough ghost fightin’. We lost. :/
But—bonus—this is great practice for the little guy in recognizing letters.
But—bonus—this is great practice for the little guy in recognizing letters.
September 26, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Back at it tonight! Too much treasure hunting and not enough ghost fightin’. We lost. :/
But—bonus—this is great practice for the little guy in recognizing letters.
But—bonus—this is great practice for the little guy in recognizing letters.
“I’m ready to fight some ghost-es!”
We introduced the 3yo to Ghost Fightin’ Treasure Hunters tonight and he loved it! He put the ghost figures on his fingers and everything. And we won!
We introduced the 3yo to Ghost Fightin’ Treasure Hunters tonight and he loved it! He put the ghost figures on his fingers and everything. And we won!
September 24, 2025 at 1:03 AM
“I’m ready to fight some ghost-es!”
We introduced the 3yo to Ghost Fightin’ Treasure Hunters tonight and he loved it! He put the ghost figures on his fingers and everything. And we won!
We introduced the 3yo to Ghost Fightin’ Treasure Hunters tonight and he loved it! He put the ghost figures on his fingers and everything. And we won!
Emily and I play a lot of Wingspan, so last night we mixed it up with the Duet mode from Wingspan Asia. I really like this two-player variant.
September 23, 2025 at 3:40 AM
Emily and I play a lot of Wingspan, so last night we mixed it up with the Duet mode from Wingspan Asia. I really like this two-player variant.
We had a very tense game of Clank in Space last night. At one point it looked like we were all doomed, but everyone at least made it to the cargo bay to score points. The two players who were knocked out there and didn’t get the 20 point escape pods ended up in 1st and 2nd! Score: 75-73-70-65.
September 20, 2025 at 1:50 PM
We had a very tense game of Clank in Space last night. At one point it looked like we were all doomed, but everyone at least made it to the cargo bay to score points. The two players who were knocked out there and didn’t get the 20 point escape pods ended up in 1st and 2nd! Score: 75-73-70-65.
Maybe the worst hand in Flip 7 last night?
September 20, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Maybe the worst hand in Flip 7 last night?
And we got it to the table! Birthday boy privilege is getting to pick our evening activity. The kids got into it, and I kept adding songs namechecked in the game to our Spotify queue.
September 9, 2025 at 2:26 AM
And we got it to the table! Birthday boy privilege is getting to pick our evening activity. The kids got into it, and I kept adding songs namechecked in the game to our Spotify queue.
This just in! I Made You a Mixtape! Time to relive some early 90s glory days. 📼
September 8, 2025 at 10:09 PM
This just in! I Made You a Mixtape! Time to relive some early 90s glory days. 📼