This issue sees Abstract Games slightly expanded from the previous issue. We have managed to return to Lines of Action, Kyoto Shogi, Hex and (at last) Bashne from previous issues, and a small, regular feature on Grand Chess has been introduced. The articles on Philosopher's Football and Epaminondas are stand-alone features with no plans to give them more coverage in the near future-we had to slow down the rate of introduction of serialized articles to ease the pressure on space. Due to popular demand we may be starting a small, regular feature on Chu Shogi in the next issue. Twixt had to be postponed, but should make a reappearance in Issue 4. Surprisingly many people have expressed interest in a strategic four-rank Mancala-we are hot on the trail of Bao, and should have some excellent material for the next issue. By the next issue also we hope to broaden our perspective a little and include more information about people-game inventors-in addition to their creations.
In a previous issue I had said of David Parlett's Oxford History of Board Games, "Game books like this come along just once in a generation." Quite rightly I was pulled up for my dreadful Anglo-centrism, and it was pointed out to me that there are, of course, many good game books of a similar type to Parlett's that have been published in recent years in languages other than English. A review of two excellent books which are published in French is included in this issue. I suspect that most English speakers know a little French, making these books quite accessible with the aid of a dictionary.
A specialized journal such as this may survive, and in a small way thrive, in he relatively tiny market provided by abstract games enthusiasts. On a larger, more commercial scale, however, with significant costs, it becomes increasingly difficult to make a go of it. This was illustrated recently when The Fourth Mind Sports Olympiad, to be held in London in August this year, was almost canceled when a major sponsor pulled out. Luckily director David Levy was able to secure alternate financing at the last minute.
Clearly it is very difficult to run a commercially successful event based on non-standard abstract games. It is well known, in addition, that new abstract games have a very low probability of achieving commercial success. Nevertheless, year in year out new abstract games are published-many of them, in a triumph of the human spirit, put out by single-game companies established by inventors fired with enthusiasm for their creations. The two games reviewed in this issue, Plateau and Chebache, fall into this category.
There are probably a number of aspiring game inventors among our readership. Together with Erik Arneson's excellent About.com website at http://boardgames.about.com/games/boardgames and The Strategy Gaming Society we will be organizing a game inventing competition. We will be looking for two-player abstract games; the playing area will be limited to the standard 8x8 Chess board; and the pieces must consist of easily available items such as checkers, Chess pawns, or Poker chips. It will be very interesting to see what variety of original games are devised from these simple, basic elements. The winner will receive a plaque and lots of kudos. In addition, the winning games will be presented to some of the game publishers. Full rules for this competition will be given in the next issue.
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Kerry Handscomb
