World Boardgaming Championships Open on Tuesday

The 2008 World Boardgaming Championships officially open this Tuesday, Aug. 5, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. (Some pre-con events begin tomorrow, Aug. 2.) The WBC, which runs through Sunday, Aug. 10, is a great event for fans of both wargames and designer games. The emphasis is very much on tournament play (with about 100 tournaments scheduled over the event's six days), although beginners are welcome in many of the tournaments and open gaming will also be available.

The WBC also has a series of seminars. Jason Matthews and I will lead a discussion about election games on Saturday, Aug. 9, at 3:00 p.m. Matthews, who co-designed the terrific 1960: The Making of the President (my pick as the best board game published in 2007), works for a Democratic U.S. senator; I work for a Republican state senator in Pennsylvania -- so, if nothing else, it should be a balanced discussion! If you go to WBC, please plan to stop by and say hello.