EXPANDED BPA GAME LIBRARY: BPA thanks the publishers listed below for their 2010 support of the BPA Game Library, which will join new tables, storage, AV facilities, meal service, and a photo gallery to augment the 13,000 sq ft tiered dinner theatre of the Lancaster Showroom as the new Open Gaming focal point of WBC in 2010. The 2010 Library donors include Rio Game Games, Stratamax, Queen Games, Out of the Box, Valley Games, Lock 'N' Load, Z-Man Games, Clash of Arms, Worthington Games, Stronghold Games, Columbia Games and Days of Wonder.

WBC EVENTS PAST & PRESENT: David Dockter has compiled some interesting statistics on WBC events rendered in graph form. For those hankering a trip down memory lane, Kaarin has recently compiled a list of all the events ever run at WBC and Avaloncon with links to the results (where they exist). WBC 2010 is also now on line with a "host" of new features and attractions. In-depth previews of each of the 2010 WBC tournaments, including a record nine Pre-Cons—many with new formats—are now on line as only WBC does them.

The 2010 program containing the complete alphabetical and chronological schedule is now posted on line. Other scheduling aids are also provided to help you plan your WBC week. Choose from among the Custom Scheduler, an All-in-One schedule, or several downloadable pdf pocket schedules in color or black and white. In keeping with the family-friendly atmosphere of Lancaster Host, which is adjacent to Dutch Wonderland amusement park, WBC again offers a full schedule of Junior events.

TEAM TOURNAMENT: What do we do for an encore after the 104-team field of 2009? Will the record fall again? Will Nest of Spies be the prohibitive favorite again? The Happy Handicapper is sharpening his pencil and calculating the odds for the first six teams to enter: Reese's Pieces, Gang Greene, 3rd Gen Gamers, Polish Lancers, KoleszarLienzPlat, and Band of Fools. Where is your entry?

SANDMAN SALUTE: The craziness never stops at WBC. You'd expect a convention with the chutzpah to call itself the World Boardgaming Championships would be all about winning, right? So, who gets a special night dedicated to them? The guys who finish sixth, of course! Each year only a relative handful of events award six plaques—and the last of them, the sand-colored wood, has the distinction of being the rarest and hardest to obtain member of the set. Only 125 of these gems exist—and take heart—even the grand poobah of wood himself, Mr. Reiff, doesn't have one—since his usual bill of fare doesn't measure up in a "Manly Men" kind of way. So take heart, Sandmen, and come join us at the Good Spirits Oasis Thursday at 11 PM to toast the Sandmen and the awarding of the honorary Sandmen fez. Check us out at http://social.consimworld.com/group/wbcsandplaquers

AUCTION DEADLINE NEARS: With only six weeks left, there is still plenty of room in both the auction and auction store.  As of June 15th, there are 141 items registered for the auction store and 266 items submitted for the auction. Check out the auction page on the website for details on how to register your items for both the auction and the auction store. Items must be delivered in person on Monday night,  Aug. 2 or the following Tuesday morning before noon by registered members.  Our previous auctions have sold out via pre-registration so don't expect to bring items unregistered to the door.  Check out the details at http://www.boardgamers.org/wbc/auction.htm. Download your Lot Forms now. Don't procrastinate!  NEW this year: upon receipt of your submission, you will receive confirmation that your list was received. However, decisions on acceptance of lots will not be sent until July 1.  All submissions should be sent to wbcauction@boardgamers.org.

AUCTION STORE PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED FOR MONDAY DELIVERY:  NEW: Pre-registered Items with lot slips are to be delivered between 6 and 10 PM Monday. Auction Store items will NOT be accepted on Tuesday, Aug. 3.  Located in the same 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 MUST be pre-registered by July 26th. Don't be turned away for failure to pre-register items as a few scofflaws were last year. Unregistered items will not be accepted. You need not prepay any fees until you deliver your items to the Auction Store but the items MUST BE preregistered. Come prepared with your Auction Store Item forms pre-completed. After processing the submission, the Auction Store Administrator will provide Lot Numbers for the items. See http://www.boardgamers.org/wbc/auctionstore.htm for details and to download your Auction Store forms.

WBC 2010 PRE-REGISTRATION FORMS:  The current Pre-Reg form can be downloaded from  http://www.boardgamers.org/downloads/WBC10prereg.pdf and should be of interest even to current members for its information on the popular WBC game duffel bags and souvenir t-shirts. You can also check http://www.boardgamers.org/wbc/prereg.htm for your current registration status or to advertise for rides, roommates,  or Open Gaming opportunities. If you'd like help with any of the above, just email your requests to acd@boardgamers.org to be listed on the page. All we ask is  that you notify us to remove your listing once your need is fulfilled. A limited number of 2009/2010 Yearbooks will be available for $10 each while supplies last. See the pre-registration form for ordering information. Late joining Tribune members may also pick up a free copy at registration while supplies last.

WBC SOUVENIR T-SHIRTS & DUFFLE BAGS: WBC again features the original high quality, silk-screened shirts featuring the BPA logo. We will not be making shirts on site so if you'd like a souvenir shirt, you need to pre-order it for pickup at the show. See the pre-registration form for details. This year's color is  sand. Likewise, the supply of duffle bags is limited and will be sold on a first come, first served basis.

Retiring BPA Board Members Bruno Passacantando and Keith Levy.		BPA member Jay Fox was the Ticket to Ride North American Runner-up and competed in the Ticket to Ride World Championship on June 19 in Paris, France.

ONLY THREE WEEKS LEFT TO VOTE: An E-Ballot for the 2010 BoD election is available. This year's election promises some new faces as two incumbents are stepping down. Our thanks to Keith Levy and Bruno Passacantando for their years of service. Cast your vote before the July 15  deadline. Even if you're indifferent to the results, by law a required % of the membership must vote for a valid election. Failure to do so,  will require an additional election at more expense which ultimately is borne by the membership. While ballots can be caste by mail or email, true on-line voting for the ultimate in convenience is available at http://www.boardgamers.org/forms/BoardBallot.shtml

LANCASTER HOST SELLOUT: Although Lancaster Host is already sold out for Wednesday through Saturday of the upcoming WBC, cancellations do occur. While you can still reserve rooms at the Host for Pre-Cons, you will need to check out in mid-week. Not to worry—BPA also has group rates at the nearby Continental Inn across the street. The Continental offers bargain rates and free hot breakfasts when you ask for the World Boardgaming Championships group rate. However, do not delay. Our group rates and room block expires soon and when they're gone, they're gone. Lancaster area hotels often sellout during the tourist season. Reserve your room now. Get the details at http://www.boardgamers.org/hotellan.htm

WBC 2010 POSTER/FLYER:  Help spread the word. Download the current WBC poster or flyer featuring the artwork of Kurt Miller and post it at your next club meeting or ask your local gamestore to display it.

CHARLES ROBERTS AWARDS: The annual Game Design Awards announced and presented at WBC every year are now conducting their online voting through Sunday, July 18. You are encouraged to support your favorites.

REVAMPED SAMPLER SHOWCASE: Thanks to the globe trotting efforts of Tom McCorry, the Sampler Showcase is back as an introduction (not a pre-con) of the new full week of WBC. Sampler Showcase is an Open Gaming festival free to all paid WBC attendees featuring scheduled hands-on sessions for learning new games under the  direction of volunteer game mentors who will be on hand to teach 12 exciting new games. See the schedule on the WBC website.

TICKET TO RIDE WORLD CHAMPION: Patrick Deckers, the Benelux Champion, won the 1st TTR World Championship on June 19 in Paris, France, to win a fabulous journey on the Orient Express.  Jay Fox, the current WBC runner-up, also maintained second best status by being the North American runner-up and won a trip to Paris and one of the eight seats at the Championship.  Eric Miller, another WBC alumni, won the North American title to lead the American contingent.

COUNTER CULTURES: THE SECRET LIVES OF GAMES is a major exhibition of boardgames appearing at the San Diego Museum of Man, 1350 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101 from June through April 15, 2011.  It displays 170 traditional and proprietary table games from all places and times for the larger purpose of discovering their role in human societies. See the museum's website for more information.

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PBeM NEWS

STONE AGE:  The first online Stone Age event drew 23 players divided into five pools.  Each player had a minimum of three games logged to create a 12-player round robin tournament.  Five emerged with perfect pool records:  Eric Freeman at 4-0, and Raphael Lehhrer, Kevin Wojtaszczyk, Greg Thatcher, and Max Jamelli each at 3-0. Eric’s 4-0 record earned him the #1 seed even though Lehrer had the highest point per game average of 285.  The tournament was not decided by chalk though - only one higher seeded player won an opening round game, and only two of those who earned first round byes won their way into the semis.  The best two-of-three Final came down to top seed Eric Freeman and sixth-seeded Stefan Mecay.  Freeman suffered his first loss as Mecay was able to secure cards and buildings late to turn a two-point advantage late into a convincing 253-195 win.  Freeman bounced back in Game 2 with a 234-215 win to force a decisive rubber match.  In Game 3, Freeman was able to secure several multi-resource huts including a very fortuitous 1-7 hut to outscore Mecay late and earn a hard fought 214-201 victory to claim the title.  Other laurelists included Aran Warszawski, Haim Hochboim, Raphael Lehrer and Kevin Wojtaszczyk. Complete details and updated laurel totals are available at http://www.boardgamers.org/yearbook/stapge.htm#pbem

ANOTHER GUTERMUTH WINS PRO GOLF: If there is anything stranger than the attraction of Pro Golf at WBC, it is the good fortune of Ken Gutermuth who has managed to dominate the skill-challenged game since its inception. Obviously, luck is a dominant gene and has been successfully passed to the next generation as daughter Lisa has proved by holding up the family honor to take this first Email tournament for those with too much time on their hands over 33 other duffers on the eve of the real thing with WBC just a long drive and a chip shot away. Evil Empire fan Dennis Nicholson finished second with perennial Board candidate Josh Githens third. Another young lass with a favorable gene pool in the luck department, Nicole Reiff took fourth while Dave Stiffler and Rob Drozd grabbed 5th and 6th place laurels. Lisa also demonstrated an advantage of PBeM play as she participated in a lot of “night golf”.  She finished the first game between 12:40 and 1:55am, prompting the GM to remark to this college student, "Don't you have worse things to be doing after midnight on a Friday?" More details and updated laurel totals are available at http://www.boardgamers.org/yearbook/pgfpge.htm#pbemHERE I STAND SEMIS START: 33 preliminary games between 68 players were contested in the first three rounds of the tournament with the Ottomans winning eight, Hapsburgs six, English three, French six, Papacy three and Protestants seven. There were 28 different winners with four players scoring multiple wins led by Gary Quick who won all three of his games, while Justin Rice, Scott Bauer, and Larry Mull won twice. The semi-final round has five 6-player games manned by the 28 winners and two alternates with the highest accumulated VPs. See http://home.comcast.net/~ebeach/HISBPATourney2009.htm

VICTORY IN THE PACIFIC: The field of 28 has been whittled to four as the semi-finals get underway. The top seeds have never been perfect since the first round, but they continue to do well with 4th seed, Michael Ussery, winning in four turns as the IJN over Robert Drozd; and 5th seed, Jim Eliason, saw his USN best Bryan Eshleman also in four turns.  The top seed, Nick Markevich, had a very short bye.  The lone bottom seed to prevail, number seven Michael Day, defeated Ed Paule, 3rd seed, by 5.5 after eight turns of action (which, nonetheless, was played so quickly that it finished before either of the other two games with half the number of turns).  It was a good round to be named Michael!  Jim's game was memorable in that the USN lost fewer ships during the entire war than the actual United States lost at Pearl Harbor.  The dice were not kind to Bryan.  Nick faces Jim while the two Michael's play each other in the semi-finals... Fast and furious action can already be seen at http://www.gameaholics.com/vitp_bpa/vitp_bpa_single_elim_09.htm.

1960 REGISTRATION: The second BPA tournament for 1960: Making of the President is scheduled for a July 17, 2010, start. Get all the details at http://www.mrjamelli.info/maxgames/1960.html

ADEL VERPFLICHTET:  The semi-finals have ended.  The top ten have become the elite five.  Steve Cameron won both of his semi-finals by three spaces.  Raphael Lahrer and Bob Hamel each won a semi-final to advance as well.  The final two spots in the Final went to the best second place finishes:  Tom DeMarco (who finished second in both semi-finals and was five spaces over the line in his best finish) and Greg Thatcher (with a second and a third place finish).  Greg squeaked in over the other second place finisher, Marc Houde (who also finished four spaces over the line), by virtue of his nine-card set (vs. Marc's six).  Marc finishes the tournament in sixth place.  The early Final action has Bob Hamel sprinting to a quick lead while Tom and Greg, near the back, have built impressive collections.  Watch the action at http://www.gameaholics.com/adv_tournament.htm!

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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 are only $10. You need not keep your membership current to finish a PBeM event. You can upgrade your current membership at any time by remitting additional funds. See the BPA Terms page 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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If you are not already receiving our monthly email newsletters, please subscribe as directed below as we are unable to add you ourselves. To receive our free monthly newsletters you MUST join 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 our website but will otherwise be unavailable to those who do not join the list in this fashion. If already receiving the BPA News you need take no additional action.

Don Greenwood
WBC Convention Director