GMs HOG ENLIGHTENMENT HONORS: The two respective hosts for the 12th version of Enlightenment at the newly renovated Holiday Inn in Timonium, MD, on March 20-22 hogged the limelight by winning their own tournaments. Ken Gutermuth and Bill Crenshaw each held sway in four rounds of Age of Renaissance and Manifest Destiny respectively despite the best efforts of a field of 30 diehard competitors in three days of dedicated play.

Meanwhile, Manifest Destiny designer Bill Crenshaw came from behind with a pair of last to first finishes in the final two rounds to become the only three-game winner in claiming that tournament over two-game winner Peter Staab. Pete ended only $5 short of winning the final game and the tournament. Tom Browne took third place laurles and joined Arthur Field (in sixth) as the only two players to earn laurels in both events. Stefan Mecay took time out from his Twilight Struggle dominations to branch out and claim fourth. Ewan McNay grabbed the
fifth place laurels.

Detailed accounts of both tournaments can be found at http://www.boardgamers.org/specific/aor09.htm and updated laurel totals are posted on their respective event AAR pages at http://www.boardgamers.org/yearbook/aorpge.htm and http://www.boardgamers.org/yearbook/mfdpge.htm.

ORPHAN LIST FINALIZED: We thank our members for being proactive. WBC will again host 150 tournaments plus Juniors events, seminars and an auction. The number of GM volunteers has never been greater and as a consequence we have less GMs pulling double duty and some of our regulars are even getting a well deserved break. The final Orphan List of requested event times for WBC 2009 is now posted at http://www.boardgamers.org/wbc/orphans.htm. While this is not the official schedule which will emerge next month, it is close and changes should be relatively minor. Two Trial events (Diplomacy and Vinci) were dropped due to lack of GM commitment and replaced by alternates. WBC 2009 is now closed to new events.

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PBeM NEWS:

MECAY TRIUMPHS IN POG: The "sharks" were well represented among the 89-player turnout with most of the top rated players cruising through the initial rounds of what would be a 196-game, three-year marathon.  An interesting addition from past tourney's was a 6-member "Italian" contingent who did quite well with three of the six making it to the 4th round (at which point the field had been reduced to nine players).  A new innovation this time permitted all players to continue to the second round in either the lower or upper division.  Thus, regardless of how poor one's record was in the first round, these players could continue without any detriment in the lower division (although some chose not to). Consequently, we still had 74 playing in Round 2.  Three from the lower division advanced to Round 3 together with 18 from the higher echelon.

In the Final Stefan Mecay got the CP and fell back to the Rhine and crushed the Russians.  In the other medal game between Reese and Byrd the same thing was attempted but the CP fell 1 short of victory for a draw. Following Stefan in the Laurels totals were: Chris Byrd, Peter Reese, Rob Hassard, Mauro Gasbarrini, and Marvin Birnbaum. More details, including news of the next PBeM tournament and current laurels totals are posted at http://www.boardgamers.org/yearbook/pogpge.htm

DRUEDING WINS SHIFTING SANDS: The initial Shifting Sands tournament has completed after 15 months with Tom Drueding defeating Scott Burns' Axis forces in the final game by capturing Tripoli in early '42.  The field of 35 had an international flavor with two Brits and two Italians joining a pair of Yanks in the laurels column. Finishing third through sixth were Ettore Cossuta, Sergio Montagner, Nick Frydas and Dennis Nicholson. Details of the Final and current laurels totals are posted at http://www.boardgamers.org/yearbook/SHSpge.htm. A new event gets underway May 1st. See http://home.mindspring.com/~drueding/shiftingsands/ and enter by emailing drueding@mindspring.com.

DRAGAN WINS VICTORY IN THE PACIFIC: The final match between Joe Dragan (15th Seed) and Ed Paule (23rd Seed) raged through all eight turns before the outcome was known.  Unlike most of the games, the higher seed prevailed as the Allies.  In fact, between the two, Joe was the only one to chalk up a previous win as the Allies during the 42-player tournament. Get all of the details from http://www.gameaholics.com/vitp_bpa/vitp_bpa_single_elim_07.htm.  Others earning laurels were 3) Larry Meyers, 4) Nathan Zietlow, 5) Michael Day, and 6) Robert Drozd.  More details and the current VIP laurels totals are posted at http://www.boardgamers.org/yearbook/vippge.htm - The next BPA single-elimination VITP tournament will begin September 15th.  Get more information at http://www.gameaholics.com/vitp_format/vitp_bpa_format.htm.

PLAY BY WEB 1960:  2009 is a Presidential Election year of historic proportions!  Thanks to Christian Leonhard and Jason Matthews - the designers of 1960: The Making of the President, and GameTableOnline, the Boardgame Players Association is proud to announce its inaugural 1960:MotP tournament.  Registration is open and the tournament will begin on May 1, 2009.  Max Jamelli will serve as GM for this Play-by-Web event.  Further information regarding the game, tournament and entry can be found at http://www.geocities.com/maxjamelli1

GETTYSBURG: Entrants are now being accepted for the third BPA PBeM Championship for Gettysburg ‘88.  The only requirements are BPA Membership at Associate level or higher and a working internet address.  To register, contact GM Vince Meconi at vmeconi@verizon.net. Entry deadline is May 1. A tournament website has been established at http://www.wargameacademy.org/G88/2009-PBEM/index.html.  The site currently contains the complete event format and the rules and terrain clarifications, and later will record the tournament brackets.  A few of the format highlights are: 1) single elimination, 2) seeded pairings based on AREA ratings, 3) 4 months per round (equates to five days per turn if the game went all the way to the end), 4) bidding for sides, and 5) the default scenario will be 6F, Scenario 5, the 3-day Battle of Gettysburg, using all optional rules except 10D, Extra Union Generals.

AGE OF RENAISSANCE: Just returned from the 12th Enlightenment mini-con, GM Greg Stripes announces enrollment for the 2009 PBeM tournament. Please sign up by April 29th with play beginning May 18th. For complete details and rules, see http://gregstripes.com/aor/

ADEL VERPFLICHTET: The fourth round is now complete with just two games still underway in the fifth and final preliminary round. George Seary and John Pack have set the high water mark by collecting 22 of 25 possible points in their five games.  However, at the moment, it looks like anyone with 18 or more points has an excellent chance of qualifying for the semi-finals.  Those with 19 points are Anthony Daw and Bob Menzel.  Those with 18 are Keith Layton, Curt Collins, and Mike Kaltman.  The current standings are all available athttp://www.gameaholics.com/adv_tournament.htm—check out the results as they roll in and the semis get underway!  Andy Latto, who hopes that 17 points will be enough, scored the biggest win of the tournament so far by finishing 12 spaces (of 13 possible) into the final table during his fourth game.  Aurora Pack, Alex Bove, Anthony Daw, Suzanne Tuch, and Jeff Finkeldey all finished over the line in their second game (the only time that’s happened in this tournament).  Defending champ Ken Gutermuth is on the bubble ... he is in the current Top 10 but can only qualify for the semi-finals if none of the nine players still playing passes his score of 16.

MARCH MADNESS: Has the ACC broken your heart or are your spirits soaring with the Big East's rising tide? As the real March Madness comes to its inevitable conclusion, so too do our PBeM warriors. GM
Bruce Monnin was the first person to reach the promised land of the Final Four as his 2004 Oklahoma State Cowboys pulled out a grudge match 63-62 victory over Keith Hunsinger’s 1984 Georgetown Hoyas.  In the top half of our bracket, Aran Warzawski's Cincinnati 2000 squad has an 11-point first half lead over Bruno Passacantando's Louisville'83 team. The winner will advance to the Final Four to face Monnin's Cowboys. Meanwhile, in the bottom half of the bracket, Marshall Collins' Texas '06 team has already defeated Derek Landel's Arizona '01 entry and will provide the opposition in the championship game. Follow the bracket for this year at http://www.nktelco.net/bdmonnin/mm-brack-2009.htm

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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.

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/

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Don Greenwood
WBC Convention Director