Addicted to Blokus

One of the rules of blogging is to post frequently. I violated that rule to spend some quality time off with family and friends over the holidays. I hope you enjoyed some relaxing family times as well.

Before I get back to my mission to turn the world from brown to green, I wanted to mention a board game that my family got hooked on. It is a strategy game called Blokus (pronounced "block us"). It was a last minute Christmas purchase based on reading the list of international game awards on the box. Like all really great games, it has a very simple premise that just takes a few minutes to understand. Use up all your color of Tetris-like tiles first, allowing them to only touch corner to corner. They can touch other players colors in any manner. The raised gridded board keeps everything in place.

After the first game, you realize that this is a game that could have endless strategies for mastery as you learn to use all 21 of your shapes to their best advantage offensively and defensively. It is a game you hate to put away.

According to the official Blokus web site, the French inventor of the game, Bernard Tavitian holds a Master's degree in Mathematics from the University of Paris VI, an Engineering Degree from the prestigious Ecole Centrale in Paris, a Doctorate in Biophysics from the University of Paris VI and has held a post-doctoral position in the Department of Biochemistry at Yale University in the United States. Apparently, he is now a 46-year-old retiree living off the royalties.

Have fun in 2009 and may all your puzzle pieces drop into place!