About Jeff

Gather around and I'll tell you a story ...


My gaming history is probably pretty similar to many other: I grew up playing many of the childhood game "classics" like Monopoly, Life, Clue, Uno, etc. It wasn't until the late 2000s that I was introduced to more serious games such as Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride, Ghost Stories, 7 Wonders, Small World, among others.

The first serious game I ever purchased was Eclipse. I played it with a group of gamer friends and was caught hook, line, and sinker. At first, I gravitated towards "epic" games, dripping with a rich setting; a those games large in size, scale, and time commitment. Back then, I favored the quality of a game's setting over everything else.

My current tastes lean more towards medium-weight games, especially those that blend European design with American storytelling. I've that both are equally important for great games. Though I still want my games to have a compelling narrative, or create a lasting memory ... experiences I'll be talking about for years after they happen.

Theme (NOT just a game's setting) is extremely important: I want the game to be evocative of what it is trying to represent; and immersive enough to suck me into the world it's (re)creating.

I have tried on several occasions to get into digital games, but was left both a cold and bored. The first issue is that they scratch neither the itch to play a board game nor the itch to play a video game, falling somewhere uncomfortably between the two. The second is that I don't game for the puzzle of it or to optimize strategy and tactics.

I now know that my favorite thing about the hobby is the social nature of it all. And I'm lucky enough to be married to someone who not only supports my gaming obsessions, but also shares it with me. There is just something about sitting down with a group of friends or loved ones, all with a common interest and purpose. And though I like to win, my main goal is to have a good time, and for all those around me to share in that good time.

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