Game Blotter

Wizards of the Coast has revoked Jared Boettcher’s Magic: The Gathering Rookie of the Year title after an investigation found that on multiple occasions he manipulated opponents’ decks while shuffling. Jared was also banned from official tournaments for 46 months.

MGA is suing Hasbro for stealing employees. MGA claims that Hasbro’s unfair business practices gave it an advantage in the competition for the license to produce dolls based on Disney’s Frozen movie.

At the behest of Games Workshop, the court has frozen the assets of Chapter House Studios, which was selling miniatures and parts compatible with the larger company’s Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000.

In a case that could have far-reaching implications for gambling in India (both in-person and online), the Supreme Court of the that country is considering an appeal by the Mahalakshmi Cultural Association over whether Rummy is a game of skill or chance, and whether wagering on the game is an appropriate factor in making that determination.

Police in Imphal, India are allegedly allowing gambling in street games of Lagao dice during Diwali in exchange for protection payments. One game under the watchful eye of police turned violent. When the organizers of the game refused to refund a man’s losses, the man’s friend pulled a gun and began shooting.

Burokratopoly, a protest board game that mocked political corruption in the former East Germany, is being republished as an educational tool.

At the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour Khans of Tarkir event in Honolulu, a participant from Hong Kong named his deck “Umbrella Revolution” after the political protests he was involved with at home. Official tournament coverage, however, refused to recognize that name.

Back in Hong Kong, Triad members (local organized crime) attempted to disrupt the protests. Police suspect that the Triads were concerned about business at their Mahjong parlors in the area.

Amid a growing scandal in Japan over the improper use of political funds, stories have come to light of lawmakers spending large sums of money in Mahjong parlors and offering large prizes in Mahjong tournaments.

A multilingual board game, Make a Move/Toma el Paso, is being used to educate unaccompanied immigrant minors in Miami about the legal options available to them. One of the professionals that uses the game explains that it is intentionally ambiguous and complicated, so as to simulate the experience of living in a shelter.

The Washington Way With Steve Southerland is a board game developed by the Florida Democratic Party to challenge the performance and policies of the incumbent Republican congressman. In reply, Southerland’s spokesman accused his opponent of being “more interested in playing games than finding solutions.”

In Lancashire, UK, a convicted pedophile is back in jail after being caught with a homemade child-abuse themed board game.

Despite the many great and honorable projects, Kickstarter remains a good source for stories of questionable game businesses. Ice Age Miniatures funded just this past June with an estimated fulfillment date of September. Not surprisingly, the project is behind schedule. Many backers question the honesty and intentions of the project owners. In fact, they’re questioning the identity of the project owners. The owner of Dragonwars of Trayth didn’t respond well at all to negative opinions posted by a blogger. He threatened legal action for slander and alleged copyright violation.

A man in Saskatchewan who operates an online card game and claims a trademark over the game’s name, Kaiser, is suing the developer of a card game mobile app, also called Kaiser. Card players in Saskatchewan find this strange, as they claim to have been playing the physical card game, Kaiser, for 60 years or more.

A Syracuse, New York man who was hosting a dice game in his driveway was arrested by police and charged with gambling, as well as possession and intent to sell cocaine.

In Newark, New Jersey, when police approached a street dice game, the players fled. One was seen tossing a handgun over a fence as he ran. So the police arrested him.

As a community-relations program, the New York City police department invited inner-city public school students to a Chess tournament.

Two men in Little Rock, Arkansas shot each other over a dice game.

When a group of men in Birmingham, Alabama mixed games of Dominoes and dice an argument erupted and one ended up dead. Another Dominoes player was killed in Selma.