Risk

We have taught James some games, primarily card games, although he understood the main concepts behind the Star Wars Pocket model game. So I have decided that he is ready to learn how to play Risk.

I love Risk, some of my fondest childhood memories involve massive family games of Risk. With lots of deal making, table talk, more than a little ruthless diplomacy. Who can forget the immortal stands made in Quebec? Or Dave's infamous Yellow Horde?

Like most table top 'family' games it can be loads of fun, and it can also be brutal and no fun, depending on how it is played. I learned the good and the bad sides of sportmanship playing Risk with my family (the infamous flick of the finger to your last army when it is unceremoniously swept from the board, or the horrible imitations of the Chris Schenkel laugh). And I think it is time for James to learn. We have played some games of Uno (which can be particularly brutal) and I think I have taught James how to have fun even when you are being crushed.

And one of the side effects of playing Risk is learning geography. If someone is talking about a country and I am not sure where it is, all I need is to associate it with a region from Risk and voila, I can point to it on a map. And since geography is one of those things that kids seem to falter in nowadays I think it behooves me to give James a boost whenever I can. So that's my intellectual plan for the coming extended weekend: teach James to play. Now I know Daniel will want to play, and since he is only 3 he really isn't able to play I have a cunning idea. I will play myself, and play Daniel, letting him roll the dice when it is time. I think it will work, I have played enough solitaire games that I can be pretty honest about not taking advantage of the situation and hammering James.