Games I’ve recently played: Planet Unknown is a great example of simple interlocking systems delivering more than the sum of its parts. I should be playing it more; give it a look. boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/25...

Games I’ve played recently: Pictures is so simple and yet surprisingly wonderful. Few other games ask the players to be so wildly imaginative as Pictures. Give it a look. boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/28...

I first discovered this many years ago, and it had a significant impact on me. It seems appropriate to share again - take a few minutes and give it a look. Trust me.

ncase.me/trust/

Games I’ve played recently: Rebirth is familiar if you have played lots of Knizia’s games, but also fresh and surprising; there is a lot of gameplay in choosing where to place your piece, even if you can’t choose the piece, so it’s easy to teach but deep to play boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/41...

Games I’ve played recently: Finspan is tight, with even simpler verbs of play than its siblings, but still a lot of interesting and difficult choices. Easier to teach, so more likely to get broader play, it’s a worthy addition to the Wingspan family. boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/43...

Games I’ve played recently: Harvest is a delightful game about farming that I actually really enjoy playing. With interesting choices, and just the right amount of indirect player interaction, it’s a game I look forward to playing more often. boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/39...

Games I’ve played recently: Taluva is gorgeous on the table, elegant in its rules, and invites more devious play than I first suspected. After not playing for a few years, it was good to pull out again. A great example of how abstraction and theme come together. boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/18...

Games I’ve recently played: LOK is more puzzle than game, but it’s an amazing puzzle and worth a look. The physical edition is a little book, inviting you to solve puzzles as you learn new rules over time. I haven’t enjoyed a puzzle this much in years. boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/39...

Games I’ve played recently: Trail Story delivered as an exploration of wandering the US in the 1930’s w/adventures, scares, and heartaches. We likely got a lot wrong in our first play through but still enjoyed it, as the narrative felt more meaningful than most boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/38...

Games I’ve played recently: Courtisans is fast to teach and play, looks good on the table, and offers a surprising amount of depth with just a bit of take-that; it’s one of those lighter games you want to play again and again, and worth checking out boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/40...

Games I’ve played recently: That’s Not a Hat shouldn’t work; silly fun mixed with a memory game is not my usual fair but the laughs and smiles were undeniable, even for my hard core euro and wargamer friends, a great quick game to lighten the mood at a great price boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/37...

Games I’ve recently played: Expeditions may look intimidating, given its size, art, and pedigree (following Scythe) but underneath it’s a tight deck builder with a strong sense of exploration across several dimensions. Fast turns and lots of replay; a keeper boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/37...

I knew her first through her poetry. But I came to learn how ‘poet’ was only part of who she was, then, at the same, it was core to her very being. Thank you Nikki Giovani for your life, your work, and your example.

Games I’ve recently played: Let’s Go! To Japan, though a bit slow the first time for us, by the second play it’s smooth and fast, simultaneous play means no down time, and reading the flavor text really pays off boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/36...

Games I’ve recently played: Bauer was one of the most surprising and satisfying Kickstarter games I’ve funded in the past couple of years; so much game packed into a single deck, with evocative art, fast play, and a theme that really comes through. boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/40...

Games I’ve played recently: River of Gold is beautiful on the table, with fast turns and so little down time, but lots of interesting decisions for players, and it doesn’t overstay its welcome. boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/39...

Games I’ve played recently: Things in Rings was delightful and surprising, finally a game involving Venn diagrams that was an actual hit with gaming and non-gaming folks at my table. It’s top of my list as a holiday gift this year.

boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/40...