Medieval Games Workshop – Oblong Chess

Medieval Games Bear's LairSimon Spalding and Bear’s Lair Games are offering a fourth Medieval Games Workshop, featuring the Persian chess variant “Oblong Chess”, on Sunday afternoon December 3.

The workshop is free, and is open to anyone and everyone.  Historical games are fun for historical reenactors, strategy game lovers, SCA members, Renaissance Festival performers, and anyone who enjoys a good game.

This is the fourth of a series of workshops in which instruction is offered in a “game of the month”, including free sheets of instructions, with the design for the gameboard on the back, so that participants can continue to play the games at home.

Simon brings gaming equipment to each meeting, and offers instruction in the featured “game of the month”.  This month’s game is Oblong Chess, a Medieval Chess variant that was played in Persia from circa 850 to circa 1400.  This version is a good introduction to Medieval Chess (in which Queens and Bishops have different moves than in the modern game) for chess players.  It is also a gentle introduction to the world of chess for those who have never played chess before.  The piece to be moved is determined by the throw of a die or pair of dice, which is a great equalizer of experts and novices.

The Oblong Chess workshop will be at 1pm on Sunday, December 3. Bear’s Lair Games is now located at 2680 Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd. in Berne Square, New Bern, NC 28562, telephone 252-635-5247.  On Sundays, The Bear’s Lair Games is open from 1pm to 6pm.

Submitted by: Simon Spalding