Boardgame Players Association - World Boardgame Championships

SAMPLER SHOWCASE SCHEDULE: The ten games to be featured in the Monday-Tuesday Open Gaming Pre-Con have been determined and are listed at http://www.boardgamers.org/wbc/samplergames.htm with corresponding times for each demonstration. Participation in the Sampler Showcase which includes chances to win the various games being demonstrated in a participant raffle requires either Tribune level membership or separate Pre-Con admission.

WBC SEMINARS: WBC has long eschewed seminars in favor of tournaments but times are a changin’ with the added facilities at Lancaster Host. If you’d like to host a seminar in the future, we’d like to hear from you. Among the new attractions this year are a pair of GM meetings at 3 and 4 PM Tuesday before tournaments begin led by recent GMs of the Year John Coussis and Vince Meconi.

GM 101 Seminar Leaders

John Coussis	Vince Meconi

If you are running an event or have ever thought about doing so, drop in for the discussion. Also new is a trivia contest for teams that will be run three nights. Get all the details at http://www.boardgamers.org/wbc/seminars.htm … And if you’re bringing your kids be sure to make room on your schedule for the new parent/junior team competition in Crokinole on Saturday afternoon. No prior experience necessary—its just finger flickin’ fun a la shuffleboard.

WBC SOUVENIR T’s: This year’s convention shirts offer more choices than ever. You can opt for Kurt Miller’s WBC 2006 artwork or the popular one-, two- or three- game art combinations with accompanying WBC shield crests and your own motto up to 28 characters. You can also include the commemorative 2005 Centurion list and Award winners for the back or not as you please for no additional charge. Child sizes and women’s V neck styles are also available upon request. Be sure to order by July 20th for free delivery and show availability. Support the BPA, show your gaming colors and order a set of Team shirts for your squad from https://www.lostbattalion.com/wbc-42-wbc2006.aspx.

TEAM TOURNAMENT ENTRIES: The Happy Handicapper is chomping at the proverbial bit to post the opening odds for this year’s Team tournament. Submit your team entries on our pre-reg form or simply email doncon99@toad.net with your team name and list of four teammates with corresponding game choice. All team members must be pre-registered. No on-site registration or substitutions are allowed.

NEW VENDORS HALL: WBC will feature its largest vendors presence ever in 2006. To accommodate the demand from new vendors, BPA has purchased the necessary alterations to transform Ballroom A into a secure sales area. Open gaming will move into last year’s Vendor’s Area in the Wheatland state room. Check out our Vendors on the BPA Links page at http://www.boardgamers.org/bpalinks.htm.

WBC AUCTION PRE-REGISTRATION CLOSES SOON: Pre-registration of lots for the annual WBC game auction in Lancaster, PA, on Aug. 1 is filling
rapidly. (See the current list at http://www.boardgamers.org/wbc/auctionregisteredlots.htm.) Since lots are limited to the first 550 registered, Auction pre-registration is highly recommended as it is unlikely we will accept additional items on site which have not been pre-registered. Items must be delivered in person on Monday night, July 31st or the following Tuesday morning before noon by registered members. Check out the details at http://www.boardgamers.org/wbc/auction.htm now. A list of items made available for sale is updated there weekly. Note: Do NOT send Lot Forms with your pre-registration fee. Lot forms accompany the items when delivered to the Showroom—not before. You will receive your Badge # for your Lot forms AFTER sending your pre-reg fee and item description to BPA.

WBC AUCTION STORE ADDED: A “flea market” type store for the sale of additional lower priced items will be available during the WBC auction. Located to the right of the showroom with the Auction, buyers will be able to peruse items with a set price within view and earshot of the auction. The Auction Store allows us to increase the number of
items handled in less time while offering sellers a more efficient way to offer lower priced items at a reduced commission. Items in the Auction Store have a top price of $30 and cannot be pre-registered. See http://www.boardgamers.org/wbc/auctionstore.htm for details.

WBC LODGING UPDATE: At this time, Lancaster Host is sold out for WBC. However, cancellations do occur and the Host is acting as our Housing Agent for overflow reservations. Therefore, you should continue to call the Host at 717-299-5500 weekdays between 8 AM and 7 PM EST to book your stay and they will make your reservation in the nearest comparable hotel where we have established a roomblock with matching discounted rates. Not only will this get you the best deal in the most convenient lodging, but it will also credit the BPA with your stay and help keep our expenses (and therefore your future costs) down. Fortunately, there are many hotels within easy walking distance. If you have any problems with obtaining lodging, email doncon99@toad.net.

WBC PRE-REGISTRATION/RIDE/CARPOOL/ROOMMATE/TEAMMATE SERVICE: If you want to check your pre-registration status or look for a ride, carpooling from an airport, someone to share a room with, a particular Open Gaming itch you want to setup or just another member for your team, check out the WBC Prep page now on line at http://www.boardgamers.org/wbc/prereg.htm. It is updated weekly as information is received. If you’d like help with any of the above, just email your requests to doncon99@toad.net to be listed on the page. All we ask is that you notify us to remove your listing once your need is fulfilled. And if you misplaced your pre-reg form, you can download an abridged pdf version at the same page by clicking on the pre-register link.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2006 ELECTION: The candidates for the 2006 Board of Director’s election are shown below. Their statements and the ballot are listed in the 2006 WBC Yearbook & Program and on our Election Page at http://www.boardgamers.org/election.htm. We need your vote to validate our elections. Help keep costs down by voting. Please take a moment to cast your vote before the July 15 deadline.


Don Greenwood, MD	Andy Lewis, DE	Joel Tamburo, IL	Ken Whitesell, PA

WBC SCHEDULING AIDS: Steve Okonski has once again worked his magic and presented a host of convenient programming tools to help you plan your WBC week. Choose from among the Custom Scheduler, an All-in-One schedule, or several downloadable pdf pocket schedules. They can all be reached from the WBC Schedule Page at http://www.boardgamers.org/wbc/schedule.htm.

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PBeM NEWS:

Whether its the approach of WBC or simply exhaustion setting in, we have no news to report on the PBeM front. Anyone interested in running an email tournament is invited to inquire. BPA members who would like to see an email tournament for their favorite game are encouraged to step forward as the GM of 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.

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All BPA PBeM 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 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. Members are reminded they can upgrade their current memberships at any time by remitting the additional funds. See the BPA Terms page for details.

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SUBSCRIBE: If you have not yet subscribed to our new mailing list, please do so as we are unable to add you ourselves. To receive our free monthly newsletters you MUST rejoin the BPA mailing list by visiting http://lists.boardgamers.org/mailman/listinfo/bpamail to confirm your address and your desire to be on this list. Subscribing takes only a moment, ensures your privacy, and increases likelihood of receipt. The newsletter will continue to be posted in the WBC folder in the Conventions section of Consimworld and on the BPA web site but will otherwise be unavailable to those who do not join the list in this fashion. Here are previous newsletters: Nov. 2005, Dec. 2005, Jan. 2006, Feb. 2006, April 2006, May 2006.

Visit the BPA website at http://www.boardgamers.org

Don Greenwood