January Grand Gaming Melee

Games rules can be complicated! Have you ever opened up a new game, turned to Figure 5.24 in the instructions, and been completely bewildered? Maybe you should have started with Figure 1.

Nonetheless, AARGGH encourages you to come to the Grand Gaming Melee, where seasoned players will unbewilder you (or perhaps rebewilder you with a different game)! There’ll be board games, dice games, card games, tile games, and just about every other kind of game ranging from beginner to exasperated-repeated-attempts-to-play level. You’re encouraged to bring some of your favorites and teach them to new players, but feel free to come without any and play the games others bring. If you see one you’d like to try, there’ll be someone eager to teach you.

As always, snacks are a necessary part of an all-day gaming event. Please bring something delicious to share. Pretzels, crackers, cookies, and fruit are popular choices. Some people bring a package of doughnuts or cupcakes; these are always popular and disappear quickly. Savory snacks like olives, vegetables with dip, or cheese appeal to players who don’t want to spend the entire day snacking on sweets. A few creative types may even bring something homemade; these contributions are even more appreciated. Bewildering foods or those with a cross-section greater than 1.8x0.4m may be poor choices. A refrigerator is available to store drinks and other items that should be kept chilled.

Official start time is 10:30am. You can come and go at any time, but your host appreciates anyone who arrives as early as 10:00am (the library’s opening time) to help with setup. Many hands make light work! Cleanup begins around 4:00pm (or whenever you decide that you can’t squeeze in one more game before the end of the event). Remember, whoever starts cleanup first gets the best choice of leftover snacks to take home!

As always, leave the room clean and tidy. Please observe these rules regarding cleanup at Beatley library:

• Please ensure that food scraps, crumbs, and bits of packaging are not strewn in the kitchen or auditorium. The library closes shortly after our event ends, so anything edible left on the floor or counters will attract vermin overnight. Night vermin are the worst!
• Please fold most of the tables and stack them under the coat rack – a few may remain where they were used – but DO NOT FOLD THE CHAIRS. Leave them out in any configuration that lets people walk around them easily. Many chairs are needed for programs the following day, so by folding them you only make more work for the organizers. On the other hand, more than a few tables left standing only impede the next day’s activities.