YORKTON - We at The Meeple Guild are finding that promoting board game play is actually quite gratifying.
It is really great to see new faces at the Tuesday night gaming event at Yorkton Public Library and the Blood Bowl league starting at Tapp’s will be a blast.
So it was with more than a little interest I happened upon a post regarding World Chess Day, which is just a fun way to promote an already widely known game.
It got us thinking what other games have designated days, which might be an impetus for local Meeple Guild activities as the year progresses.
There were several, and details follow, but it was also interesting old and great games such as Go and the Mancala family are not among those found, and no game created this century is there either.
But, without further adieu here are the designated days – mark your calendar and join The Meeple Guild (Yorkton) Facebook page where local events will be posted for some of the offerings. (Information is gleaned from the Internet – much of it from the fun www.nationaltoday.com site.)
International Cribbage Day – Feb. 10
Cribbage is one of the oldest and most popular card games. Sir John Suckling invented the game in the early 17th Century, based on the old English game “noddy.” Although the exact date that cribbage was invented is lost to history, we celebrate National Cribbage Day on February 10, Suckling’s birthday. Millions of Americans of all ages enjoy playing cribbage at home with their families or with friends in bars and social clubs. The most common variant is played with two players, and the score is kept on a cribbage board with 121 holes and pegs. Since 2017, February 10 has been designated as International Cribbage Day.
Check out the Feb. 7, games night at YPL, it is likely a cribbage board will be on a table, and likely King’s Court Cribbage and Crib Cross too.
World Backgammon Day – March 21
The World Backgammon Association encourages people to gather, play, and organize tournaments or simply enjoy one of the oldest games in the world! Backgammon is a two-player game with fifteen pieces that move between twenty-four triangles according to the roll of two dice. Part of the table games family, its origins can be traced back to 5,000 years ago thanks to archeological discoveries found in Persia, or today's Iraq, including ancient dice made of human bones. Nowadays, backgammon is a common feature of coffeehouses in the Middle East, including Turkey, Iran, Lebanon, and Egypt.
National Scrabble Day - April 13
April 13 is the day Scrabble inventor Alfred Mosher Butts was born. He gave the world an iconic board game now played all over the world. Today, more than seven decades later, we live for “Triple Word Scores”! Not to mention, the strategic use of those mysterious blank tiles.
Now then, time to lift the lid on that game box, pick out your first seven letters, and begin! Don’t forget the Scrabble Dictionary. We don’t want any squabbles — which, by the way, happens to be a valuable Scrabble word (21 points)! It’s time to C-E-L-E-B-R-A-T-E one of the world’s most iconic board games.
Check out the April 11, games night at YPL, it is likely Scrabble will be on a table or two.
National Poker Day – April 19
Playing poker is a great way to spend time with your family without having to talk or go on a big outing. Nothing beats a slow-paced game of cards for unwinding while having fun. You can also spice things up by playing for higher stakes with friends. Put your skills to the ultimate test and get rewards for your expertise. Claim tournament prizes or simply enjoy bragging rights among your peers.
National Mahjong Day – April 30
Mahjong Day is said to be an opportunity to celebrate the game, and the enduring friendships and memories made, the spirit of togetherness, and to encourage giving back to the great game by paying it forward.
Mahjong promotes togetherness, friendly and spirited competition, friendships, and mutual respect.
Mahjong is becoming a regular favourite at YPL games night but will be highlight April 25 for sure.
National Solitaire Day – May 22
National Solitaire Day recognizes a card game that has been around for more than 200 years.
Also known as Klondike, the classic version of the game uses a standard deck of 52 playing cards. The object of the game is to clear the board by creating a stack of cards from low to high in each suit. If the player completes each suit, the player wins the game of Solitaire.
International Tabletop Day – June 3 (in 2023)
On the first Saturday in June, gamers unite for International Tabletop Day. Tabletop games have been played for years and they’ve evolved over the centuries. Battleship, for example, started on paper, and in the original, it included land areas and water. As time went on, it entered the third dimension as a vertical toy, and then went on to become one of the first computer games.
International Chess Day – July 20
International Chess Day is celebrated annually on 20 July, the day the International Chess Federation (FIDE) was founded, in 1924.
Hopefully a ‘Chess in the Park’ event will be held in Yorkton that week this year.
From Wikipedia, “the idea to celebrate this day as the international chess day was proposed by UNESCO, and it has been celebrated as such since 1966, after it was established by FIDE. FIDE, which has 181 chess federations as its members organizes chess events and competitions around the world on this day. As recently as 2013, the international chess day was celebrated in 178 countries, according to FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov. On 12 December, 2019, the UN General Assembly unanimously approved a resolution recognizing the day.”
The day is celebrated by many of the 605 million regular chess players around the world.
Gary Gygax Day – July 27
Gary Gygax Day is celebrated in honour of the co-creator who brought forth a fantasy game that still allures the world. It is also often called Dungeons & Dragons Day.
More than 30 years ago, Ernest Gary Gygax along with Dave Arneson introduced the world to fantasy table-top games, and we have been hooked ever since. It remains one of the most popular games having undergone many spin-offs and adaptations. Gygax is often called the ‘father of modern role-playing games.’
According to Hoyle Day -- August 29
On According to Hoyle Day Edmond Hoyle, who is best known for his definitive books on the rules and regulations of the popular board games and card games of his time is honoured.
Hoyle’s vast knowledge of game play and rules became the final word, with many people verifying a rule by saying the phrase “According to Hoyle…”
International Games Week – November 5-11
International Games Week, designated for every second week of November, is when communities worldwide can connect with their libraries through various types of games.
Did you know that when the first libraries were created 5,000 years ago, they marked the beginning of history? Libraries have evolved over the years as a repository of knowledge and information, from brick and mortar to living on the World Wide Web. Games played during this period range from trivia games and tabletop games (“Dungeons and Dragons”) to board games (chess) and video games (“Call of Duty”).
Of course games are celebrated every Tuesday at the YPL, so mark Nov. 7 as a special one.
Chess Shogi (Japanese) Day – November 17 (in Japan)
Chess Shogi (Japanese) Day, the day to promote shogi and cultural exchanges nation-wide in Japan. The Tokugawa Shogunate designated this day in the lunar calendar as a day for the annual tournament in 1716.
Shogi is played on a chess-like board written 9×9=81 boxes and starts with 20 pieces per each.
It developed ‘Chaturanga’, a game in ancient India.
National Play Monopoly Day November 19
The game of Monopoly was invented about 118 years ago, and National Play Monopoly Day recognizes Monopoly as a favorite pastime of millions of Americans. Although it has caused many friendships to crumble, the board game is known as one of the most popular worldwide.
National Dice Day -- December 4
Can you believe that dice have been around for over 5,000 years? Dice are popular all over the world and are available in many colors, shapes, materials, and forms. From “Monopoly” and “Snakes and Ladders” to your favorite roleplaying game, this ancient gaming tool is an integral part of many games.
It's almost a given some dice will roll at the Dec. 5, Games Night – maybe even some Yahtzee in recognition of the day.
National Card Playing Day -- December 28
In the 9th century, the Chinese began developing games using money and other paper objects. These early playing cards bear no resemblance to the sturdier European playing cards that emerged a few centuries later.
Card games spread around the world in a variety of shapes and styles. From the elaborate Mamluk designs of Egypt to the appearance of the first playing cards during the Early Renaissance in Europe, the decks were divided into four suits of coins, cups, swords, and sticks or batons.
It is from these four suits that today’s modern decks of playing cards developed. Theories range how the suits converted to hearts, spades, diamonds and clubs. One theory suggests the suits represent the different classes of the era – clergy, aristocracy, military, and peasantry.
In India, the ten suited card game of Ganjifa became popular during the Moghul period. Traditionally, artists hand-painted a stunning scene on each of the 120 cards in the deck.
A standard pack of cards may be used for playing a variety of card games, with varying elements of skill and chance, some of which are played for money. Some of the top card games include Spades, Poker, Solitaire, Spite and Malice, Hearts, Spoons, Gin Rummy, Ridge, Black Jack, and Texas Hold’em. Of course, there are thousands of card games, some of which are regional favorites.
