Staying focused?

 This is not about ZoxSo.

  
Nor is it about what we're trying to do for the Universe.

Today I'm not going to write about ZoxSo or any other game.

In fact, today I'm simply going to mention that last week I signed up for a Twitter account for the first time; the first time ever.

And so, partly in honor of that occasion, this post will be very short; not as short as 140 characters mind you but extremely short anyway, especially considering the lengths of my previous posts on this blog.

But I'm working on that.

Anyway, it occurred to me that I have way too many "projects" going on these days, and at some point one must wonder whether it's possible to focus sufficiently well on any of them.

With that in mind, the other day I "tweeted" the following:

"Sometimes I think I have too many different projects going on at once. But then I just start another one to help take my mind off of that."

You think I'm kidding huh? I assure you that I'm not. Would you care for proof in the form of a list of my ongoing projects?

Sorry, that's classified.

Well whaddaya' want? I told you this would be short.

Ciao for now...

-- deMarcus

The First ZoxSo World Champion

IT'S OFFICIAL:  Congratulations to Anand Mehta!

On Saturday August 13th, Anand Mehta became the 2011 ZoxSo Open World Champion! Anand now goes on record as being the first person to win a ZoxSo World Championship Title.

This is particularly significant since, as I've noted quite often during the past few months leading up to this inaugural event, "How often does anyone get the chance to become the first recognized world champion of an ancient game?"

2011 ZoxSo World Champion Anand Mehta

Here's a run-down of the championship finale:

"On August 13th at the 2011 ZoxSo Open World Championship at Dragonflight, after a best 2-out-of-3 playoff match between Anand Mehta and Laura Sears, Anand emerged as the first ZoxSo World Champion!

 As his reward for victory in this first of its kind event, Anand Mehta was awarded the 2011 ZoxSo Open World Championship Title, and received the fabulous ZoxSo World Championship Trophy as well as gift certificates for merchandise from The Game Matrix and Uncle's Games, and a few other assorted prizes. Congratulations Anand!"

Laura Sears, who finished as clear runner-up in this premier event, had literally mowed down the field during the first leg of the modified Swiss tournament with a 4-0 score, and was positioned to run away with the 2011 World Championship Title when she beat Anand in the first game of their play-off match.

 However Anand, who had started the Championship slowly during the early part of the main event and then clawed his way back into contention with three wins in a row, rebounded in his play-off match with Laura by winning the second and third games to pull off a surprise come-from-behind victory! This first-and-second-among-equals result between Anand Mehta and Laura Sears sets the stage for an intense rivalry between these talented players for a long time to come.

As Laura has promised, "I'll definitely be back next year to play (read, seek revenge) in the 2012 ZoxSo World Championship Tournament!"

I must say that I for one was on "pins-and-needles" during the entire main tournament, and especially during the incredible nail-biter play-off-round match!

I cannot wait to see the next clash between these two great players, and I'm also curious to see who may emerge during future ZoxSo competitions to challenge their dominance.

Next-up: ZoxSo at PAX Prime which is taking place this coming weekend August 26 - 28th 2011 at the Washington State Convention center in Seattle, WA, where I and other "ZoxSo Masters" will be running ZoxSo demos all weekend for Uncle's Games. We will be free-floating demoers in the free-play areas throughout the table-top gaming areas, while Uncle's Games will be manning their game store booth in the Special Demo Area, Room 2A.

Look for us wearing "ZoxSo Master" T-Shirts at PAX this weekend, where we may hand you the following poem on a Golden Throne ticket, with the chance to enter a drawing and win a collectible ZoxSo prize:

"Find a ZoxSo Master!

To seek the Golden Throne...

It will mean a ZoxSo demo

& perchance a gift to own."

And as always, for more details about ZoxSo, The New Ancient Game
check out: www.ChessMate.com.

Ciao for now...

-- deMarcus

Keep your eyes on the Throne!

 So True, So True!

On the popular web site BoardGameGeek.com, one of the gamers (GGWithrow, who said that in general he liked ZoxSo and thought it was a good game), made this comment in his post on one of the ZoxSo threads:

"One of the elements of this game that I find distasteful is how difficult it is to keep an enemy Zing from reaching the golden throne once they are one or two spaces away from it."

I thought about this for a bit on and off, and then earlier this evening I pointed something out in reply:

"You make an excellent point, GGWithrow!

And in so doing, you've aimed a spotlight directly at the two most important things to keep in mind when playing a game of ZoxSo:  Keep your eyes on the Throne, and your opponent's Xing under lock and key!

Alright, alright... there is a third important thing to remember: Keep your own Xing as-snug-as-a-bug-in-a-rug -- if you can.

I can't tell you how many times I've overlooked critical tempii, tactics, and new ideas during placement, only to look up and see my opponent's Xing (pronounced ZING, by the way) stepping briskly towards the Throne, unstoppable, soon to be crowned the new Emperor.

But alas, the fault was mine because I did not place as well -- nor follow up as well -- as my opponent.

So I say, 'Long live the New Emperor (until next game, that is...)!'

Well then, I hope to see you all at the 2011 ZoxSo Open World Championship Tournament at the Dragonflight Game Convention next weekend (Saturday August 13th) in Bellevue, Washington at the Bellevue Hilton.

Come and see some exciting games, check out the convention, spectate a little... and maybe even play in the main ZoxSo event yourself."

And so here, I must bring something up that I have brought up several times since beginning to plan this, the first ZoxSo World Championship:

How often is it that a player gets the chance to become the first recognized world champion of an ancient game?

Until next time...

-- deMarcus

Check us out on Facebook at:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/ZoxSo-The-New-Ancient-Game/230610136962343

We play for Glory ...and a cool trophy!

The ZoxSo trophy is completed...

Here are several photos of the 2011 ZoxSo Open World Championship Trophy, taken outdoors by my friend Maury Longmire.

This trophy will be awarded to the ultimate winner of the 2011 ZoxSo Open World Championship Tournament on Saturday August 13th at the Dragonflight Game Convention in Bellevue Washington.

Thanks to Joe Ulman for the beautiful wood design and workmanship necessary to complete this trophy!


Check out this event on Facebook! We hope to see you all at the Championship!

And now I'll let the images speak for themselves.

-- deMarcus

 

 

2011 ZoxSo Open World Championship Update

ZoxSo® The New Ancient Game  &  Mindspan Labs  announce:

 
The 2011 ZoxSo Open World Championship Tournament

Saturday August 13th in Bellevue, Washington at the Dragonflight Game Convention, at the Bellevue Hilton.

See: www.dragonflight.org  for the complete ZoxSo schedule.

• FIRST PLACE PRIZES INCLUDE:  The fabulous ZoxSo World Championship trophy; the title of 2011 ZoxSo World Champion; gift cards from stores, The Game Matrix & Uncle’s Games; and a signed Deluxe ZoxSo set.
• Gift card prizes will be awarded to the top-quarter of the field as well.
• Entry into this premier event is free with your paid convention registration.
• Spectators are welcome by registering for a free “Visitor” badge.
• Raven Mimura -- www.RavenMimura.com -- our amazing ZoxSo artist, will make a special appearance for “signing and schmoozing” on the day of the big event.
• ZoxSo rules are easy to learn, and there will be demos and Novice tournaments throughout Dragonflight to help you get better and to prepare for the main event.
• Come enjoy playing against others to hone your skills!
• It’s time to get ready!
• More info at: http://www.dragonflight.org/

Check out ZoxSo, The New Ancient Game on FACEBOOK

INQUIRIES TO: david@mindspanlabs.com

ZoxSo is a registered trademark of David Weinstock.
Copyright 2005 – 2011: David Weinstock; All Rights Reserved

The ZoxSo World Championship Trophy

The trophy base is completed! 

Well, the 2011 ZoxSo Open World Championship trophy is very near to completion...

... I picked up the completed wood base assembly from my friend Joe Ulman today, and I must say that he has completely outdone himself.  What an incredibly talented craftsman Joe is!

Check out the following pictures while I summarize them:

The ZoxSo World Championship Trophy nearing completion.

Shown in the above image is the entire wood structure of the trophy, sans ornamentation. The lower base, center plaque platform, and upper platform level are all made of Santos Mahogany. 

The octagonal shaped columns are all made of Cherry, all of the dark base pedestals as well as the top tier octagon-shaped cap are made of Dark Indian Rosewood, and the railing and posts on the upper platform level are made of solid brass.

The finishing details that remain to be added, once I complete them, are: 

1) An engraved brass championship title plaque on the lower level, to be mounted in the center;

2) The hand-painted, metal-leafed, foiled, and resin coated ZoxSo orb ornament shown in my previous post, that will go atop the center column and octagonal Dark Rosewood cap;

3) Two handmade ornaments that will be mounted on small columns on the Rosewood pedestals that are on either side of the top tier column and ornament (not shown).

When finished, this very special trophy will stand approximately 28 inches tall, and will most likely weigh over twenty pounds.

I can barely contain my excitement to put the final touches on this trophy gem, and to share the final images with all of you!

I will be even more excited to award this handmade creation to the First Place Winner of the 2011 ZoxSo Open World Championship Tournament on Saturday, August 13th!

As a reminder, please remember to visit  www.Dragonflight.org  for the dates and times of all ZoxSo demos, beginner's tournaments, and the 2011 Open World Championship taking place at the Dragonflight Game Convention from the 12th through the 14th of August, 2011.

Until later... Ciao.

-- deMarcus

The 2011 ZoxSo Open World Championship

We're really moving along ...

Things are coming together for the 2011 ZoxSo Open World Championship Tournament, taking place on Saturday August 13th at the Bellevue Hilton during the Dragonflight Game Convention in Bellevue, Washington.

Here are some highlights: 

ZoxSo trophy's upper column and ornament

-- My friend Joe Ulman and I are building a cool (read, "really fabulous") World Championship Trophy for this event, and it is nearing completion.  Joe is doing all of the wood fabrication, while I am doing the added ornaments for the upper tier of the Trophy, as well as other elements.

-- Joe is an engineer by profession, and an absolutely amazing wood craftsman.  Without Joe's design and fabrication skills, the ZoxSo World Championship Trophy would be nothing like what it is currently shaping up to be.  To the right is an image of the upper portion, and what you can see is summarized by the following description of the work in progress of the top ornament and center column assembly:

-- The photo shows the unfinished, hand-painted, foiled, and leafed ZoxSo "orb" ornament, with brass fittings attached, and perched atop a dark Rosewood octagonal platform which is mounted on a Cherry wood column, on a square dark Rosewood pedestal.  This entire upper center assembly stands almost 14 inches tall, and will be mounted on the topmost portion of a large base and platform assembly with two lower columns and pedestals (using dark Rosewood, Cherry, Mahogany and solid brass), and with additional ornamentation along with a solid brass engraved World Championship plaque.  The entire height of the finished trophy will most likely be about 28 inches tall.

-- The completed ZoxSo 2011 Open World Championship Trophy will be on display during the Dragonflight Game Convention, so that potential victors may salivate over it, dream of winning it, and make plans to build an appropriate display venue for it at home.  Perhaps they'll want to add an entirely new wing onto the house:  A trophy gallery addition which will do justice to this magnificent testament of their ZoxSo mastery!

But I digress.
 

-- More about ZoxSo at Dragonflight:
Our amazing Artist for the ZoxSo board and piece images, Raven Mimura, will be making a special guest appearance for signing and "schmoozing" on the day of the main event (Saturday August 13th 2011), as well as hanging out here and there a little bit during the convention.

-- We would like to thank the organizers of the Dragonflight Game Convention, who have been doing everything they can to welcome us, and to accommodate us into their space and the convention schedule as smoothly and efficiently as absolutely possible.

-- And special thanks goes to Ralph Shelton, organizer and coordinator for Dragonflight Game Convention Events!

-- We're scheduling the main event and playoff on Saturday as follows:

ZoxSo Main Tournament: 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm
ZoxSo Championship Playoff: 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Any ZoxSo overtime play, awards, demos & open-play: 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

See   http://www.dragonflight.org/reg/Events.asp  for the times of all ZoxSo demos, beginner events, and the Open World Championship. 

* Entry into this special event is free with your paid convention registration. 

* First Place prizes will include:

•      The title of 2011 ZoxSo World Champion
•      The "fabulous" ZoxSo 2011 World Championship Trophy
•      Gift cards from The Game Matrix store
•      A signed, Deluxe ZoxSo set

* Note that prizes will be awarded to the top-quarter finishers of the field in the tournament.

* ZoxSo is a fast-paced mix of fierce placement and clash of forces for two players, ages 10 and up. To win in ZoxSo, you must either "Capture the Throne," or capture your opponent's “Xing” (Dragon-Crown Emperor).

* The games are quick, explosive, and totally decisive!

* The rules of ZoxSo are quite easy to pick up, and there will be demos and beginner tournaments during the Con to help you learn, and to help prepare you for the main event.

* Come to enjoy playing against others, and to revel in honing your ZoxSo skills! 

* It’s time to get ready! 

So once again, here's a free PDF download of the ZoxSo rules and placement strategy tips that will help you to bring out your inner ZoxSo Master!

* Also, check out the following web sites for future info about this premier event:

http://www.chessmate.com
http://mindspanlabs.blogspot.com/  ...and of course,
http://www.dragonflight.org/

Please send inquiries about ZoxSo to:  david@mindspanlabs.com

We hope to see you all there, and please stay tuned for more info!

Ciao for now...

-- deMarcus, 6.29.2011