Boardgame Players Association Newsletter — August 2009
August 25, 2009

Hobby Service Award | WBC Attendance | Media | Board Election | EuroQuest | PBEM | Archives 

APPLEBAUM CITED FOR HOBBY SERVICE: Alan Applebaum became the 10th recipient of the BPA's Hobby Service Award. Alan was the BPA’s first Chairman of the Board and did yeoman’s work keeping the email meetings humming back when we weren’t so much on automatic pilot and controversy was more commonplace in the fledgling days of the organization. He also supported BPA financially both from his own pocket and with pro bono legal work from his lawfirm which enabled us to get our trademarks. His advice and calming manner during sometimes raucous Board meetings was invaluable and he was often the first to sacrifice his own position in favor of a workable compromise. He never took things personally, got upset, or had to have things his own way. Alan was a consumate professional whose absence from the 
Board has been dearly missed. However, he remains active in the hobby and those who play in the Victory in the Pacific or War At Sea tournaments benefit from his largesse every year while employing the chess clocks he  donated to those events. We owe much of our current success to his pioneering efforts. More details can be found at http://www.boardgamers.org/service.htm

Kevin WojtaszczykWBC ENJOYS RECORD ATTENDANCE: Despite the worst economy anyone could remember, WBC posted its best year ever with record attendance in 2009. Bruce Beard emerged as the new reigning championship streak master by holding serve to win his fifth straight 18XX title. He took over sole possession of the bragging rights for championship streaks when Steve Packwood (1776), Devin Flawd (Paydirt) and George Seary (Hammer of the Scots) failed to successfully defend their titles after strings of 6, 4 and 4 consecutive championships respectively.

At the other end of the title spectrum, 32 players won their first WBC championship and 105 earned their first BPA laurels. 14 won multiple titles, led by Kevin Wojtaszczyk who took three shields in Santa Fe Rails, Alhambra and War of the Ring. With the latter being a pre-con and not eligible for Consul laurels, it looks like a real horse race for Consul honors in 2009 with many legitimate contenders. Attendance was up for the convention as a whole and that was reflected in tournament participation as well with 17 events drawing triple-digit participation and the average attendance for the 151 events increasing 2.3 to 49.4, buoyed by 230 players for Dominion and 220 for Ticket to Ride. See a preliminary list of 2009's champions, to be followed in November by our detailed event report pages as only WBC does them.

MEDIA COVERAGE: This year's WBC drew considerable media coverage in comparison to years past. Numerous Newspaper and video coverages are listed at http://www.boardgamers.org/wbc/publicity.htm as well as the personal after action reports of dozens of members which were recorded on Boardgamegeek. Thanks for the shout out.

BOARD RE-ELECTED: The BPA membership returned the three incumbent members to new three-year terms on the Board of Directors by re-electing Don Greenwood, Andy Lewis and Ken Whitesell. Details can be found on line at http://www.boardgamers.org/board/electionresult.htm

EUROQUEST: The next BPA convention is the seventh version of EuroQuest to be held at the Holiday Inn in Timonium, MD on Nov. 12 - 15.


PBeM NEWS:

AMUN RE: Three PBeM tournaments ended just prior to WBC and were, thus, too late to be tabulated in the laurel totals reflected on WBC badges or included in the plaques awarded at this year's convention. Greg Thatcher's win in Amun Re reported in the July newsletter was one of them. The laurel totals from that event have now been updated at http://www.boardgamers.org/yearbook/amrpge.htm#pbem

The third BPA PBeM tournament is scheduled to kick off on Oct. 4. Check out the details at http://home.roadrunner.com/~kwojtasz/Amun-Re/amun-re2009.html

MONTY'S GAMBLE: Jim Eliason has upset reigning champ Tod Whitehurst - and thereby prevented the latter's third straight email title. Jim ruled supreme over a field of 24, and his lop-sided victory proved the difference in giving the Germans a 13-11 advantage over the Allies. Last year's event was evenly split between the two sides in this well balanced game. Other laurelists were Anthony Daw, Peter Phelps, Mark Gutfreund and Andrew Cummins who finished third through sixth respectively. Updated laurel totals and details of the final game are available at http://www.boardgamers.org/yearbook/mgmpge.htm#pbem

ADEL VERPFLICHTET: Curt Collins won the 2nd BPA PBeM tournament over a field of 38 following five swiss rounds, two semis, and a final. The other laurelists were Alex Bove, John Pack, Tom DeMarco, Keith Layton, and Anthony Daw who finished in that order. Additional details and updated laurel totals can be found at http://www.boardgamers.org/yearbook/advpge.htm#pbem.
You can see all the details at http://www.gameaholics.com/adv_tournament.htm including a link to a full series replay write-up on the final with comments from all of the finalists.  You can also get the scoop on the next tournament which begins Oct. 1 at http://www.gameaholics.com/adv_format.htm.

PATHS OF GLORY: Always one of the biggest BPA PBeM tournaments, GM Pete Reese offers the 5th rendition of the Historical Campaign Game with a November 1st start. Check it all out at http://www.wamconvention.com/POG%202009.html

BPA members who would like an email tournament for a particular game are encouraged to step forward to GM such an event. BPA does not run tournaments. Rather, we are an organization of gamers lending support to one another so such events can happen. No one cares as much about your hobby as you do. Get involved. See the requirements  to host a BPA email tournament at http://www.abovethefields.com/top_pbem/

All BPA tournaments require current BPA membership when the event starts. All multi-day paid attendees to WBC are current BPA members for the balance of that calendar year. Associate Calendar year memberships enabling play in all PBeM events starting in that year cost only $10 and earn discounts for pre-registered admission to all BPA gaming conferences. You need not keep your membership current in order to finish a PBeM event. Players may join the BPA throughout the year. You can upgrade your current membership at any time by remitting additional funds. See http://www.boardgamers.org/bpaterms.htm for details.

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Don Greenwood
WBC Convention Director

Boardgame Players Association Last updated 8/25/09 by kae.
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