2007 01 Games

Games

Much of the world plays games to pass the precious time we have here on this earth. The variety is enormous. Computers have proliferated the concept of solitaire as well as being able to play games with anyone else in the world who has a computer. A search of the internet finds almost two billion entries for the word “games” and only eight hundred million for the word “sex”. I wonder why it is that we are so fascinated with spending so much time on games when there is so much else to be done in the world.

The variety of games seems endless. In interviewing friends I have found that some prefer the solitude of solitaire. Some prefer the anonymity the internet affords. Some enjoy the risk of loss or gain. Some use games for escape from reality. Some use it as an ego boost…keeping track of the number of wins. And some enjoy the mental jousting…the challenge of getting the better of an opponent.

There seems to be an innate desire in children to play games as they interact with others—children or adults. Sometimes those games are a prelude to taking on responsibility in life for the outcome of certain actions. For example, if a child cheats at a game and is caught, the reaction teaches an important lesson in fairness. If a certain card is played, that gives an advantage to an opponent, while if that card is held, it becomes a winning tactic. In making our way through life, games help us understand our position in the world and how to best take advantage of that position.

A family tradition we used to enjoy was the New Year’s eve gathering. Children would get out the Monopoly board since it allowed a slowly developing strategy to take us to the midnight approach of the New Year. We’d work hard at buying properties on the board, collecting rent, acting as banker and ultimately winning or losing the whole pot. We’d laugh, complain or boast about luck, watch for the breaking of rules and sometimes try to slip a roll in when it wasn’t our turn. Failure is a great lesson learned in games. Because it is only a game, the idea that a failure is not permanent gives rise to the notion that a failure in life is also not permanent. Most often failures can be followed with subsequent tries toward success.

Another tradition were the card games in the afternoons in the summertime. Friends would gather at one house or another and play “Hearts” or “I Doubt It”. It was intense, but the banter was lots of fun. Another card game we enjoyed was “Pit” where the object was to corner the market in a commodity such as corn or barley without being duped into getting the bear card in a trade. The bidding to exchange cards was furious and fast. The winner got the brief thrill of success which usually was quickly passed on to another player in the next round.

Poker is a game of skill and chance which has recently gotten a boost through televised tournaments. A good poker player can work the odds to his favor, but there is still an element of randomness which makes it exciting. There is also the psychology factor…reading the opponent’s bluff while putting at risk big stakes.

Bridge is a card game my wife and I have enjoyed with a special group of friends for over three decades. I have never taken bridge very seriously, but we have friends who play tournament (duplicate) bridge and always seem to know exactly where all the cards are. The knowledge of how to bid, when to play what cards, how to finesse the opponents to your advantage is beautiful to watch when it is done well. I keep trying to learn from our association with these good friends, but have a hard time remembering the strategies from game to game. They are most patient with my ineptitude and are willing to offer the “booby” prize to me with great regularity. For this group, the real game is the sharing of our lives with each other. We talk about trips, our children and their activities, romances, marriages, grandchildren and issues of the day. We enjoy getting together on a regular basis in spite of our different skill levels. The bridge game is partly an excuse to connect in an ongoing way with engaging people.

Games are sometimes associated with a certain place and time. For example, Scrabble is a game we play in the evenings at the cabin. That tradition was established by our parents who noted in the cover special plays with big scores. One of the fun aspects of that game is the memory of one time where our creative son had odd letters left at the end of the game and created a word, “UZIKPINCH.” He wrote it in the dictionary and declared it a legal play which won the game by hitting two triple word scores simultaneously. The dictionary definition is: Noun. A word used to win scrabble. It seems that every time we play, the subject of UZIKPINCH comes up which makes a nice family recollection.

Some games require a tremendous amount of practice and skill. Take the Olympic Games for example. Started in four Greek cities in 776 BCE they were played for a thousand years before they fizzled out. The modern Olympic games were revived internationally in 1896. In Nemea, one of the four original sites of the Olympiad, professor Stephen G Miller of the University of California, Berkeley has made his life work the excavation and study of the ancient stadium where these games were played. In 1996 he revived the contest in Nemea and our son E was able to attend, compete, and come away with a celery wreath as a winning competitor. In the modern Olympics, the level of competition is so fierce that issues of doping (cheating) become very important. So the authorities create rules to provide equity in competition.

Throughout history some people enjoy challenging the rules either for personal gain or a disregard for others. Rules are an interesting aspect of games. Societies develop rules to provide stability and an understanding in advance of what is acceptable and what is not acceptable. Penalties become an important part of playing. Two American sports, football and baseball are full of nuances in the rulebook. Football is a rough and tumble sport, but you cannot block from behind, grab the helmet, or “rough” the passer or kicker. In baseball, the tie goes to the runner, but it is legal to “steal” a base. In ice hockey, there is a penalty box. In soccer, a penalty kick.

Whatever the rules, games have become a lucrative business. Playoff challenges create huge interest among the public. It was recently reported in the national news that over a billion dollars are wagered in one athletic contest held early each year. The rules are just one way advertisers create controversy and interest. The endless discussion of who was right or wrong over a glass of beer adds color to our life experience. If the game is close, a single mistake by a referee can decide the winner. That of course fuels the need for more discussion and a subliminal replaying of the commercials associated with the play.

So games are useful in many ways. They relieve stress. They present challenges. They create opportunites for fame and fortune. I plan to continue to play games for a long time.

©Frank Bliss 2007 All rights reserved
January, 2007