Many of today's most commercially successful videogames, from Call of Duty to Company of Heroes, are war-themed titles that play out in what are framed as authentic real-world settings inspired by recent news headlines or drawn from history. While such games are marketed as authentic representations of war, they often provide a selective form of realism that eschews problematic, yet salient aspects of war. In addition, changes in the way Western states wage and frame actual wars makes contemporary conflicts increasingly resemble videogames when perceived from the vantage point of Western audiences. This interdisciplinary volume brings together scholars from games studies, media and cultural studies, politics and international relations, and related fields to examine the complex relationships between military-themed videogames and real-world conflict, and to consider how videogames might deal with history, memory, and conflict in alternative ways. It asks: What is the role of videogames in the formation and negotiation of cultural memory of past wars? How do game narratives and designs position the gaming subject in relation to history, war and militarism? And how far do critical, anti-war/peace games offer an alternative or challenge to mainstream commercial titles?

Level up your Game Master skills with these fun, interactive prompts and activities to help your worldbuilding from RPG expert James D'Amato. Make your next campaign truly unique with the help of this interactive guide to world building! From RPG expert James D'Amato comes a fun new guide that teaches beginner and experienced gamers alike how to build and create their own game elements for customizing existing adventures or creating new stories from scratch. The Ultimate RPG Game Master's Worldbuilding Guide includes dozens of activities for a wide range of genres from fantasy and sci-fi to horror and x-punk. This lively and interactive book helps Game Masters create dynamic destinations, powerful items, shadowy organizations, compelling villains, and more. Make the most of your gaming experience with these unique and personalized ideas for your gaming group's next adventures!

Mozaa is a colorful combination between domino and mosaic. It is the edge matching game that brings out the artist in you. The box contains sixy-four cards, which all have a unique color combination. Take a playing card from the stack and place it next to the cards on the table, in such a way that the colors on the edges match. The one who creates the most and largest color fields wins the game.

The family of board games by Christian Lacroix welcomes a new addition this season: Backgammon. The House offers its interpretation of this famous classic. Features: The set's hard case is decorated with the diamonds of the Mascarade pattern and the Fleurs Cannibales hybrid flowers. The embossed, varnished and hot-stamped details come together in a game that combines elegance and entertainment. The case folds out to reveal the game board, decorated in two-tone shading. The same pink and blue shading is also used on the 30 wooden checkers and dice.

Two great books from the Everyman Chess Library, French Classical by Byron Jacobs and French Winawer by Neil McDonald, brought together in one volume. In French Classical International Master Byron Jacobs offers a fresh look at the Classical variation of the French Defence, which has been popular for nearly a century and is championed by such fighting players as Victor Korchnoi and Alexander Morozevich. All of the important variations are considered in detail with particular emphasis on those which are most fashionable. A modern look at the highly fashionable French Winawer, which remains the sharpest variation of the French Defence. It leads to the kind of dynamic positions in which the better prepared and more aggressive player will invariably prevail. Leading expert Neil McDonald explains the strategy and tactics of this exciting opening in a clear and concise manner.

Adventure is just down the Yellow Brick Road... The award-winning author and illustrator of Neverland returns with another beautiful RPG setting book, in OZ: A Fantasy Role-Playing Game. While many have traveled with Dorothy Gale to the world of OZ, there is so much more to explore! But know this: there is more to the land and its inhabitants than the rumors might suggest. Appearances can be deceiving and like any good metal smith will tell you, the only way to tell a gold bar from a yellow brick is to hit it with a hammer. So begins Andrew Kolb's OZ: A Fantasy Role-Playing Game. While 5th Edition compatible like its predecessor, Neverland, OZ uses an urban setting pointcrawl instead of a hexcrawl, full of secrets to discover via underground trains and a monorail that loops around all four districts of OZ. With different neighborhoods to explore, factions to join, and questions to ask (what happened to The Slippers, anyway?) players can escape to the Emerald City for hours on end.

In chess the Spanish opening, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5, is so respected that many Black players immediately start to defend. Sabino Brunello shows that Black can fight right from the start. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.00 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 00 8.c3 d5 The Marshall Attack is sound and aggressive, so it is no surprise that it is favoured by the world's best. The theory is so complex that an expert guide is required, and Brunello is well suited to the task. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5 The Schliemann, with its reversed King's Gambit flair, has always been popular with club players, but grandmasters knew it was unsound. Then Teimour Radjabov started playing it successfully against the elite and sparked a revival. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.00 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 00 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 d5 The Gajewski variation is brand new. The position after White's tenth move had been reached a thousand times with 10...c5 universally played, before the Polish grandmaster Gajewski revealed that Black has a fascinating gambit at his disposal.

In the blasted, radiation-scorched, wastelands of the Earth's surface, towering mecha do battle, defending the interests of one of the few remaining arcology governments, providing security for wilderness outposts, or seeking out loot and supplies as a mercenary company. With detailed rules for designing and customizing your mecha, from size and propulsion type to payload and pilot skills, and a campaign system that allows pilots to gain experience and skills as they patrol the shattered Earth, Gamma Wolves is a fast-playing game of post-apocalyptic mecha warfare.

Eddie Kantar's various beginner books have sold hundreds of thousands of copies in ten different languages, not least because of his unique style and the humor that he introduces into the learning process. Modern Bridge Defense is intended to cover the basic concepts of bridge defense, and will undoubtedly be a standard teaching tool and reference work for the next quarter-century. The topics covered here (leads, signaling, second- and third-hand play, and discarding) are handled so thoroughly that even more advanced players will benefit from studying this book. Designed to be used by bridge teachers, or by students learning on their own, this book contains a host of features that help the student to grasp the material: clearly laid-out concepts, margin notes, practice hands, chapter-end quizzes, key-point summaries at regular intervals, and an index. It is intended to be read before the companion volume, Eddie Kantar Teaches Advanced Bridge Defense.

Fun indoor games for the whole family to enjoy. Switch off your screens, gather the family, open up 60 Classic Indoor Games and remember how simple it is to play and laugh together. Inside this wonderful little book are new, classic and beloved (but often-forgotten) family games that are perfect to keep the children from their screens or tearing the house down on rainy days. It's great for entertaining visiting grandparents and brilliant at getting everyone's imagination going! Create your own family traditions with classic games like Charades, Sardines and Are You There, Moriarty? as well as new favourites like Kangaroo Racing, Sprouts and Fish Flap. Includes everything you need to know to play over 60 classic games ordered alphabetically for quick and easy reference. Suitable for all ages, it's a lovely gift to pass on for future generations to enjoy.

The Sicilian Defence is the most popular reply to 1 e4. With 1...c5 Black comes out fighting, immediately challenging any sense of a "natural white advantage". Sicilian Defence players are often very well prepared theoretically and the tremendous dynamism of the Sicilian can often disturb their opponents. In this book, German FIDE master Jonas Hacker provides a complete repertoire for White when facing the Sicilian. The recommended systems are based on solid strategic considerations. The backbone of the repertoire is the line 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 f3!? This is a perfect line to throw Najdorf and Dragon players off their stride. White will (usually) follow up with c2-c4 and establish a useful space advantage. Many of the other recommended lines are also based around the space-gaining c2-c4 advance providing cohesion across the whole repertoire. In Opening Repertoire: Beating the Sicilian, Jonas Hacker guides the reader through the complexities of the Sicilian and carves out a repertoire for White. He examines all aspects of this highly complex opening and provides the reader with well-researched, fresh, and innovative analysis. Each annotated game has valuable lessons on how to play the opening and contains instructive commentary on typical middlegame plans. * A complete repertoire for White against the Sicilian. * A question and answer approach provides an excellent study method

This supplement brings a new dimension to games of Frostgrave, allowing players to lead expeditions into the wilderness north of the city, searching for undiscovered ruins and facing the perils of the Wildwoods. For years, spellcasters have flocked to the Frozen City, braving the perils of its ruins in the hunt for relics and forgotten magic. While the city still holds many such secrets, newly arrived wizards must delve deeper and fight harder to make their mark. A few turn from the city, seeking instead the remote settlements that surrounded ancient Felstad. Such expeditions are not without their own dangers, however - in the vast forests of the Wildwoods, death lurks in the empty cookpot and torn waterskin, in the cold of night and the looming storm, and in the teeth and claws of the beast behind the next tree... This supplement for Frostgrave: Fantasy Wargames in the Frozen City takes players beyond the ruins with rules for running expeditions in search of secret places and forgotten treasures in the dark Wildwoods. New soldiers and magic items may improve wizards' chances of survival, but dwindling supplies, the hostile environment, and terrifying new creatures will push them to their limits in a range of scenarios set in these deep, foreboding forests.

In December 2012 Magnus Carlsen won the prestigious London Chess Classic and in doing so he became the highest-rated chess player in the history of the game, beating Garry Kasparov's 13-year-old record. Carlsen followed up this performance with another phenomenal tournament win at Wijk aan Zee, pushing his peak rating to an astronomical 2872. He didn't lose a single game in either tournament. What is Carlsen's secret? How did an already world-class player succeed in reaching this unprecedented level where he was regularly beating the world's strongest grandmasters? In this book, International Master Colin Crouch provides answers to these questions. Crouch studies Carlsen's progress in recent years and demonstrates how he learned lessons from previous setbacks, turned weaknesses into strengths, losses into draws, and draws into wins. By doing so Carlsen was able to elevate his play to a stratospheric level, but any aspiring chess player can use similar methods to improve their game. *The story of Carlsen's record-breaking performances *In-depth analysis of Carlsen's games *Learn from the World's number one player

The Najdorf Sicilian is one of the most sharp, dynamic and popular openings that Black can play and is a firm favorite amongst the worlds elite players, including world number one Garry Kasparov. From very early on, Black unbalances the game to a reach a position in which one can play for the win without exceptional risk.
The soundness of the Najdorf has never been seriously doubted, but some players can be put off by the ever-spiraling amount of theory amassed on this great opening. In Play the Najdorf: Scheveningen Style, however, Grandmaster and openings expert John Emms condenses this mountain to produce a workable black repertoire against all of Whites possible options. Emms concentrates on lines where Black adopts a very early ..e7-e6, thus establishing the well-known Scheveningen pawn structure.
Play the Najdorf explains an opening championed by Garry Kasparov; is written by a renowned openings theoretician; covers all of Whites main replies.

* CARD PAIRING GAME: Includes 100 full-color printed cards to match 50 sets of great music + boozy beverage pairings * RECIPE BOOK: 88-page book provides information on the music and full instruction for 50 amazing cocktails * DISCOVER YOUR OWN PAIRINGS: Book includes space to create your own unique music and drink combinations * ENTERTAIN LIKE A PRO: This game works for solo play as well as groups of 2, 3, or more * INSPIRED BY BEST-SELLING BOOK: Game based on Booze & Vinyl, the original guide to pairing cocktails with excellent music

Based on Anna Faris's hit podcast Unqualified, Dealbreakers is an irreverent party game that explores what happens in a romantic relationship after that initial swipe right. Gather your friends, open your mind, and prepare to discover what you're really willing to accept from a romantic partner! Would you banish someone who bought off-brand cereal? What about a loud chewer? In this game players can be both sappy and silly as they explore what really counts as a dealbreaker in a new relationship with the help of Anna Faris -- who asks celebrities these very same questions on her top-rated podcast! Each round begins with a scenario card that sets the scene, and players must each select a "dealbreaker" card they believe will convince the round's leader to abandon the date. But even the dealbreakers that seem terrible on first blush might be excusable for the right person! As players explore these questions, they'll learn more than they ever thought about themselves, their friends, and, of course, how to avoid dating axe-murderers. This party game includes: * 30 date scenario cards + 5 bonus "wild card" scenarios * 300 deal breaker cards * 15 create-your-own deal breaker wild cards * Full-color, 32-page illustrated book with rules of game play and a personal essay from Anna Faris

Viktor Moskalenkos bestselling books The Flexible French (2008) and The Even More Flexible French (2015) were hailed by reviewers from all over the world as eye-opening, full of new ideas, easy to read, sparkling, and inspirational. Time has not stood still, and the popular French Defence has seen a lot of new developments, not in the last place thanks to Moskalenkos books. The Ukrainian grandmaster himself has kept playing and researching his beloved chess opening and decided to write a new book with countless improvements, alternatives, new ideas and fresh weapons that will delight and surprise the reader. As always, Moskalenkos analysis is high-level, yet his touch is light and fresh. In his own inimitable style, he whets the readers appetite and shares his love for the French with gusto. The wealth of original and dynamic options in every main line proves that the French continues to be a highly intriguing defence that is very much alive. The Fully-Fledged French is a typical Moskalenko book: practical, accessible, original, entertaining and inspiring.

When Bobby Fischer died in January 2008, he left behind a confounding legacy. Everyone knew the basics of his life: he began as a brilliant youngster, then became the pride of American chess, then took a sharp turn, struggling with paranoia and mental illness. But nobody truly understood him. What motivated him from such a young age, and what was the source of his remarkable intellect? How could a man so ambivalent about money and fame be so driven to succeed? What drew this man of Jewish descent to fulminate against Jews, and how was it that a mind so famously disciplined could unravel so completely? From his meteoric rise, to an utterly dominant prime, to his eventual descent into madness, the book draws upon hundreds of newly discovered documents and recordings, and numerous firsthand interviews conducted with those who knew Fischer best, to paint, for the very first time, a complete picture of one of the most enigmatic icons. This is the definitive account of a fascinating man and an extraordinary life, one that at last reconciles Fischer's deeply contradictory legacy and answers the question: 'Who was Bobby Fischer?'

The most fun you can have learning Texas Hold'em (and we ain't bluffin') Playing Texas Hold'em is about the most fun you can have with two cards in your hand. Navigating the slang, rules, and intricacies of the game can be challenging, though. With Texas Hold'em For Dummies, 2nd Edition, you'll learn the tricks you need to know to win your first online or in-person game. From ranking the various poker hands to applying betting strategies, this book helps you build the skills necessary to achieve poker room success. In Texas Hold'em For Dummies, you'll learn to: Improve your chances at casinos and in online poker rooms Participate in a poker tournament with confidence Bluff, bet, raise, and fold in the right way at the right times The perfect handbook for beginning poker players who want to play in-person or online, Texas Hold'em For Dummies is also an essential companion for more experienced players looking to brush up on the fundamentals and improve their skills.