Not really news, I think. From the Guardian:

A new study reconfirms that board games which require counting (such as Snakes and Ladders) boost math skills at early ages. Games without numerical spaces, such as Candyland, do not.

By my calculation, that means that starting your kids on ASL could achieve an even bigger improvement, right?

(source)

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Dark Angel star Jessica Alba is a known board game fan. In the past, we’ve heard about her love for Charades, Pictionary, Monopoly, and Jenga. (source, source)

Her latest blog entry indicates that she’s now into Apples to Apples. A step in the right direction. Anyone want to send her a copy of Ticket to Ride?

(source)

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Gizmodo recently reported on BrickArms, a company that custom builds Lego minifigs and minifig weapons. Available are weapons from WWII through the modern era, as well as science fiction arms.

Now, cool as that is, what I’d really like to do is pair that with a set up for BrikWars, the third-party system for Lego wargaming.

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Days of Wonder, publisher of modern family-oriented board games, has surpassed 11 million games played through its online service. The company began offering online play in December 2002, but the popularity of this option really surged after the launch of Ticket to Ride online in October 2004. The big 10 million mark was hit just this past January, putting the rate at about 5 million per year.

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MSNBC lists the top five card game scenes in movies.

Their list:

• The Cincinnati Kid
• Rounders
• Casino Royale
• California Split
• One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

What’s your favorite card game scene from a movie?

(source)

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