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Not All Olympians Wear Sports Gear
Missing the Olympics? Then you might be pleased to hear board games have an Olympics of their very own… The 2021 Mind Sports Olympiad is currently underway, running from Friday 13th August to Sunday 5th September.
It’s still not too late to register, registration is free and there’s a competition to suit nearly any board game collection.
There’s A Board Game Olympics?
There is. Perhaps now’s the time to get in training and become the Olympian you were always meant to be?
It’s not just board games either, there are events for Mental Calculation, Speed Reading, Creative Thinking, Logic Puzzles, all sorts. Personally, I’m giving my first events a go this year with the ambitious target of not coming last…
Aim high and dream big.
When Did This Come In?
This year is actually the 25th Mind Sports Olympiad.
(It began in 1997, to spare you the mental maths. Hopefully, that doesn’t ruin any event prep…)
Whilst not quite as long-running as the physical Olympics, board games are catching the runners up (and catching the runners-up up even faster!). Comfortingly, they’ll eventually overtake them too – the MSO is an annual event; not like those lazy, once-every-four-years physical Olympics.
What’s On Offer?
Much like the physical Olympics, the events on offer are expanding every year.
From old stalwarts like Chess, Backgammon, Go, Scrabble and Poker (most of which also offer several variants) to newer classics and contemporaries.
This year boasts over 100 different board game competitions!
To cherry-pick a few examples (readily available from your favourite board game store) there’re tournaments in Catan, Carcassone, Ticket to Ride, 7 Wonders, Terra Mystica, Hive, Splendor, Dominion, Twilight Struggle, Jaipur, Agricola – and that’s not even looking ahead to September.
Is It Really For Me?
Whether you’re chasing the pedestal or have humbler ambitions (please don’t let me be last), the MSO is a great way of promoting gaming. It’s also a window into the competitive scene.
There’s every chance you might discover something new to play at the MSO. Personally, I discovered Battle Sheep when scanning the events of a previous MSO and that goes down a storm with my local gaming group. Every week a new player requests it!
Even with cardboard, you can still test your mettle.
Find out more, here: https://mindsportsolympiad.com/