April Grand Gaming Melee

We all know the look. The expression on the face of the victor, the one that silently says, “I completed my entire city in Machi Koro while you haven’t even opened your shopping mall.” Perhaps it indicates that someone just played a nine-letter word in Letter Tycoon that triggered a double-points bonus. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s the look of the fake artist at the conclusions of A Fake Artist Goes to New York when the other players admit that they never had a clue about his deception. In any case, it’s known as the Spontaneous Momentary Uppity Gruff Gameface (SMUGG). You probably don’t get to adopt this expression very often, but a victory at the Grand Gaming Melee may give you an opportunity!

As always, there’ll be board games, dice games, card games, tile games, and just about every other kind of game that can be played on a tabletop (or across several tabletops). You’re encouraged to bring some of your favorites and teach them to new players (please restrain your SMUGG when trouncing beginners), but feel free to come without any and play the games others bring. If you see one you’d like to try, there’ll be someone eager to teach you.

Please bring something delicious to share, or as acronymically-inclined players put it, Something Nice And Crunchy, Chewy, Sweet, or Savory (SNACCSS). Popular SNACCSS include bags of chips, pretzels, crackers, and cookies. Some people bring a package of doughnuts or cupcakes; these are always popular and disappear quickly. Tangy items like olives, vegetables with dip, or cheese appeal to players who don’t want to spend the entire day consuming sugar. A few creative types may even bring something homemade, which gives them SMUGG privileges even when they don’t win a game. A refrigerator is available to store drinks and other items that should be kept chilled.

Official start time is 10:30am. You can come and go at any time, but your host appreciates anyone who arrives as early as 10:00am (the library’s opening time) to help with setup. Many hands make light work! Cleanup begins around 4:00pm (or whenever you decide that you can’t squeeze in one more game before the end of the event). Remember, whoever starts cleanup first gets the best choice of leftover SNACCSS to take home!

As always, leave the room clean and tidy. Please observe these rules regarding cleanup at Beatley library:

• Please ensure that food scraps, crumbs, and bits of packaging are not strewn in the kitchen or auditorium. The library closes shortly after our event ends, so anything edible left on the floor or counters will attract vermin overnight. Night vermin are the worst!
• Please fold most of the tables and stack them under the coat rack – a few may remain where they were used – but DO NOT FOLD THE CHAIRS. Leave them out in any configuration that lets people walk around them easily. Many chairs are needed for programs the following day, so by folding them you only make more work for the organizers. On the other hand, more than a few tables left standing only impede the next day’s activities.