Voting for the top twenty spaces on the World Edition Monopoly board is now closed, but Hasbro won’t tell us what the results are until voting for the wildcard spaces are also finished. I suspect that they will be using this time to ensure that they suffer no further political fallout after the results are revealed.

Two wildcard spaces are now up for grabs, with Taipei, Gdynia, Szczecin, Quebec, and Winnipeg leading the pack. Gdynia? Szczecin?? I can only assume that if a city already occupying one of the higher-priced twenty spaces also ends up being voted to one of the top wildcard spots it will be skipped. Voting closes Mar 9.

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Ian Wilkinson is intent on introducing Chess to all Jamaicans. To this end, he has set up a new foundation, “Magnificent Chess”. He has taught over 2,000 people so far through his company.

Growing up poor, Ian and his brothers have all done well, but he still recalls the troubles and trials of poverty in the inner cities. He is convinced that a Chess culture will help keep kids away from gang culture.

(source and information)

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Over on ConsimWorld, game designer and artist Mark Simonitch (Ardennes ‘44, Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage, Successors, Ukraine ‘43, and others) is organizing a tour of Ardennes, Belgium for wargamers. Battle of the Bulge Tour: A Band of Gamers will take place October 12-18, 2008. There is space for 8 people at a cost of $1,200 excluding airfare.

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