The History of the World tournament this year saw the introduction of the new Hasbro/Avalon-Hill edition of the game as the default version to be used in the tournament. While play of the Avalon Hill version was still available as a choice in the first round and the semi-finals, the announcement was made in advance that the finals would be played using the newer game. We had 52 players participate - a slight decline from the 56 of last year. Still, I think a respectable turnout for a game of this vintage that trequires a six-hour per round commitment.

No optional rules were used for either version of the game given my experience in previous tournaments that if players are allowed to choose which ones to play they opt to use none and take five minutes doing so.

The first round saw the players choosing to play five boards of six players each of the older edition and four boards (two of six players and a pair of five-players) of the newer version. With an attendance of 52 and my preference for making the first round count, I reduced the semi-final field to 18 from the traditional 36. The semi-finals consisted of two boards of the old and one of the new editions of the game. After six hours the finalists were Rolinda Collinson, Andrew Kutzy, Richard Fox, Harald Henning (the defending champion), Kevin Youells, and Jonas Borra (the 1999 champion). Jonas advanced as the top ranked alternate present at the start as another qualifier left to play in another final. We then paused briefly for food, to move the final out of the Maryland room and began the last round.

In Epoch 1, the only empires passed were between Rolinda who passed the Scythians to Harald, who was forced to pass the Shang back to her. Jonas played the Sumerians, along with the Hittites and Engineering. Kevin played Egypt with no events. Richard played the Minoans and no events. Andrew played Babylonia with no events. Rolinda played the Shang along with the Canaanites event. Harald closed out the epoch with the Aryans and no events. The score at the end of Epoch 1 was Jonas 12, Kevin and Rolinda 8, Harald 6, Richard 5 and Andrew 4.

Jonas went first in Epoch 2 with Assyria that he drew going last in the empire assignment phase and played the Phoenicians as an event. Richard played next with the Chou, a keeper, and Engineering. Playing third was Rolinda with the Vedic City States, another keeper, and Population Explosion. The Greek City States played by Andrew who drew first and kept, were next aided by Barbarians played out of Tibet. Kevin played Carthage, which he received from Harald, along with Famine (Middle East) and Civil War (China) events. Harald closed out the epoch with the Persians, passed from Kevin who chose not to pass them to Jonas, the leader after Epoch 1. Weapons and the play of Etruscan kingdom events augmented the Persians. The end of Epoch 2 saw the score stand at: Harald 36, Jonas 28, Kevin 25, and Richard, Rolinda and Andrew tied at 20. Rolinda's position seemed especially dire having been wiped entirely off the board.

Epoch 3 began with Kevin playing the Celts, forced pass from Harald drawing last, along with a Kingdom in Kush and Migrants (Australia). Andrew played the Mauryas, passed from Jonas, with the Mayas event. The Han played by Richard, who drew first and kept, went next along with a Disaster to reduce the number of monuments. Harald, who had the Hsiung-Nu passed to him by Andrew, also played a Civil War (North Africa) and further reduced the monuments with another Disaster. Rolinda drew and kept the Romans aided by Jihad and Migrants (North America). Jonas ended Epoch 3 with the Sassanids, received from Kevin, and another Disaster. Points kept Harald in the lead with 62, Kevin next with 52, Andrew had 48 and Jonas, Rolinda and Richard tied with 39. Despite only scoring 19 points with Romans, the tide was starting to turn in Rolinda's favor.

Epoch 4 opened with the first four players passing drawn empires: Jonas passing the T'ang to Richard who passed the Arabs to Rolinda who sent the Byzantines to Andrew who passed the Guptas to Jonas. Kevin drew and kept the Huns and Harald, drawing last, got the Khmers. Jonas' Guptas played Treachery in the Irrawady to clear a path to China. Kevin played Anglo-Saxons and Weapons along with his Huns. Andrew's Byzantines had Expert Troops (Mountains) and Weapons. In addition to the T'ang, Richard played a kingdom Tiahuanaco and Elite Troops. Rolinda's Arabs also possessed Weapons and Civil Service. Harald played last with the Khmers and a Civil War (Southern Europe). Harald still led in points with 83, Rolinda and Andrew were tied with 73, and Kevin had 72, Jonas 63 and Richard 58.

To start Epoch 5, Richard drew and kept the Holy Roman Empire, Jonas drew Seljuk Turks and passed to Harald, Kevin sent the Vikings to Jonas, Andrew kept the Franks, Rolinda passed the Sung to Kevin, and Harald was forced to pass the Chola to Rolinda. Andrew's Franks played Disaster and Astronomy (E Mediterranean) in order to get to the Middle East. Jonas playing the Vikings also had the Fujiwara minor empire. Richard's Holy Roman Empire used Expert Troops (Straits) and a Plague (starting in Eastern Anatolia). Rolinda's Chola played next along with Crusades. Kevin's Sung played Population Explosion. Harlad's Seljuk Turks, playing last, used a kingdom in Mali and Elite Troops. Rolinda moved into the lead with 111, Harald next at 103, Andrew 101, Kevin 94, Jonas 85 and Richard 79.

The only Empire passing in Epoch 6 was between Kevin and Andrew, as Kevin sent the Timurid Emirates to Andrew and received Portugal in return. Richard played first with Ming who had a Leader and the first of his two Reallocation cards. Andrew's Timurid Emirates were next with a Leader and Expert Troops (Forest). Harald's Inca/Aztec played with no events. Rolinda played her Ottoman Turks along with a kingdom Thailand and the Safavid minor Empire. Kevin's Portugal with Naval Power and Reallocation left a string of Forts through Southern and Northern Europe. Jonas played Spain with Black Death (India and Middle East) and Treachery. Points after Epoch 6 stood at: Rolinda 158, Harald 130, Jonas 121, Kevin 120, Andrew 116 and Richard 114.

Epoch 7 empire allocation saw Richard draw and keep the Manchu Dynasty, Andrew passed France to Kevin, Kevin passed Germany to Rolinda, Jonas passed Netherlands to Harald, Harald passed Britain to Andrew and Rolinda was forced to pass Russia to Jonas. Jonas' Russia played a kingdom in Zimbabwe and Siegecraft (there were lots of forts by this time). Richard's Manchu Dynasty played the second of his Reallocation cards (two late Chinese empires are not what you want to draw when you have Reallocation cards). Harald's Netherlands played Weapons and a Leader (great in combat, there just aren't that many of them). Kevin's France had Siegecraft (again those ever popular forts). Andrew played Britain and Reallocation (that's the combination people want). Rolinda ended with Germany playing Japan as a minor empire (I thought the game ended with WWI, not WWII). The others urged Rolinda to pass since she already had enough points to win, but she replied that she had not sat through a six-hour game not to finish it. Final points stood at: Rolinda 212, Harald 177 (wins tie-breaker fewer total armies), Jonas 177, Kevin 166, Andrew 154 and Richard 142.

Congratulations to our winner, Rolinda Collinson, and the other finalists who participated in our 12-hour History of the World marathon. Next year I think starting the semi-finals at 9AM and the finals at 6PM to give a three-hour break in between may be in order. I also hope that players will not perceive that this is a four-hour game and dropout at the four-hour mark to make another tournament. This is a five/six hour game and the two people who dropped out of a game in progress to play in another event were the one sour note sounded this year. Thanks to everybody who played and I hope to see you all and more next year.