World Boardgaming Championships

Basic Information:

The World Boardgaming Championships, hosted by the Boardgame Players Association, is a great event for fans of wargames and designer games. The emphasis is very much on tournament play, although open gaming has grown in popularity in recent years.

Location:

The World Boardgaming Championships are held at the Lancaster Host Resort in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Dates:

The main convention takes place Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2010 to Sunday, Aug. 8, 2010. Separate pre-con events will take place before the main convention.

Future dates: Aug. 1-7, 2011; July 30-Aug. 5, 2012; July 29-Aug. 4, 2013; Aug. 4-10, 2014; and Aug. 3-9, 2015.

What You'll See:

The World Boardgaming Championships focuses on two styles of games: wargames and designer games (also known as German-style games or Euro-games). Open gaming and an exhibitor hall are available, but the real focus is on tournament play.

Cost:

The cost for 2009 was $20 to $70, depending how many days you registered for.

Accommodations:

The Lancaster Host is also a hotel, with special prices for WBC attendees. Several other hotels are available nearby, including Continental Inn and Red Roof Inn. Old Mill Stream Campground is located about half a mile away.

Parking:

There's plenty of parking available at the Lancaster Host, at no charge.

Web Site:

Boardgamers.org

More About the World Boardgaming Championships:

I have attended five World Boardgaming Championships (2005 through 2009), all at the Lancaster Host in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The organizers and volunteers do an incredible job of making sure that events run on time and as efficiently as possible.

If you're interested in tournament-based gaming, the WBC is the event for you. Many of the events are open to players with limited or no experience in the games being played, although some are recommended for expert players only.

There are also areas for open gaming, Rio Grande Games has an area where they show off their new and recent publications, game demos provide oppportunities to learn new games, and a vendor room allows players to buy their favorite games.