wizard card game

Wizard in Rhyme

2012-01-10T19:32:00.000-08:00

Wizard is a game that you must play
You can play it every single day.
Play with six, five, four, three, two not one.
You will find it is a lot of fun.
You win points if your bid is just right.
Your new score will soar just like a kite.
But if your bid is too high or low
Your score I'm afraid down will go.
Play in tournaments if that's your thing,
Or play just to see what luck may bring.
Play online or with good friends at home
You'll find such joy there's no need to roam.
Your bucks aren't buying a game my son
You are buying hours and hours of fun.

Wizard 102 Wizard and Jesters Part 2 of 2

2012-01-09T16:19:00.001-08:00

WIZARD 103 Wizards and Jesters Part 1 of 2

2012-01-09T16:08:00.000-08:00

WIZARD 102 Bidding, Bidding Coins and Scoring

2012-01-09T11:19:00.001-08:00

To enlarge picture click on You Tube logo.

Wizard Card Game 101 What is a TRICK and what is meant by TRUMP?

2012-01-07T10:19:00.000-08:00

NEW WIZARD GAME BOX: 2012

2011-11-30T06:35:00.001-08:00

Levels of Wizardry...Pins indicating Level

2011-11-19T11:58:00.000-08:00

EARTH Wizard.......AIR Wizard

WATER Wizard......FIRE Wizard

ARCH Wizard........ASTRAL Wizard

WIZARD JUNIOR: German Version

2011-11-05T07:27:00.000-07:00

Click on Pics to Enlarge:::::::::::Jester..Wizard..Back of card

The 4 suits: Butterfly, Snail, Mouse, Flower

Box front and Bidding coins

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY TOURNAMENT OCT. 1, 2011

2011-10-05T07:28:00.000-07:00

North America represented by Karl Anderson (3rd place finish) and Marilyn Vaillant (8th place finish)

Final Four.

1 - Beate Punz.......Austria
2 - Heiko Eckrich..Germany
3 - Karl Anderson.Canada
4 - Rainer Keller...Germany
The four winners are shown in the first picture. Karl is on the right.
There were 9 countries represented by 2 players each for a total of 18 participants.

Wizard Tournament in Disneyworld

2011-09-30T15:35:00.000-07:00

Wizard Tournament in Disneyworld

"Boardwalk Inn" September 23-24, 2011.

Master Point players display their Target T-shirts.

Three tied for second play a tie-breaker round.

Joe Andrews presents Winner's Trophy to Stephen Mills

Another Triump for WIZARD

2011-08-31T11:27:00.001-07:00

http://toysbulletin.com/2011/06/26/wizard-card-game---a-triumph-in-every-version.aspx

Introduction to WIZARD "German Version"

2011-08-29T12:12:00.001-07:00

German

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DYfFQ4piZ8

PRESS RELEASE

2011-08-29T11:59:00.001-07:00

PRESS RELEASE

EVERYONE’S GOING WILD OVER WIZARD®!

STAMFORD, CT— MAY 6, 2011—U.S. Games Systems, Inc. announces several exciting new developments for its award-winning Wizard Card Game, know as “the Ultimate Game ofTrump.” Wizard recently won a Dr. Toy Best Classic Toy Award and has been named a Games 100 Selection five times. Wizard Card game has become immensely popular around the world, with over ten million players worldwide.

The Wizard deck is similar to a regular deck of playing cards with the addition of Wizards and Jesters. Players try to win the exact number of tricks they bid. The rules are easy to learn - the strategy adds excitement and challenge!

U.S. Games Systems recently launched its Wizard Game Night Event program. U.S. Games Systems has put together a complete kit for game players and retailers to host Wizard Card Game Nights. Individuals who wish to organize a game night receive complimentary copies of the Wizard Card Game, bidding coins, score sheets, table set-up instructions, and $25 for prizes or snacks. Retailers who stock Wizard Card Game can also host special game events with materials supplied by U.S. Games Systems. Stuart Kaplan, chairman of U.S. Games Systems reports that the response so far has been overwhelming with hundreds of community centers, churches, schools, retirees, camp groups and individuals nationwide signing up to host Wizard Game Nights.Winners of these events will have the opportunity to participate in the Wizard National Tournament to be held in Orlando, Florida in September 2011.
There is also the International Wizard World Tournament being held in October in Budapest, Hungary.
Wizard has also branched out into the electronic forum with a Wizard Card Game app on iTunes, which is now available for select Apple devices including the iPod touch, iPhone, and iPad. Wizard Card Game is available in its original version, a Deluxe Edition, Wizard Junior, and Fantasy Wizard Card Game. Visitors to BEA 2011 are invited to come to U.S. Games Systems’ Booth # 2647 for fun, interactive demonstrations of Wizard Card Game. Find out why everyone’s going wild over Wizard.
U.S. Games Systems, Inc. of Stamford, CT has been publishing award-winning family game for over 30 years. They offer a colorful array of products that are attractively packaged and affordably priced. for more information contact:
Lynn Araujo
Director of Communications
U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
179 Ludlow Street,
Stamford, CT 06902
203.353.8400 EX322
lynn@usgamesinc.com

Wizard Medieval Deck: EARTH WIZARD

2011-08-10T07:11:00.000-07:00

CANADA's GAME, eh.

2011-07-23T11:37:00.000-07:00

What is Canada's Game?

http://www.wireservice.ca/index.php?module=News&func=display&sid=6051

Local Tournament in NEW ORLEANS

2011-07-10T12:37:00.000-07:00

Hosted by Michael Aucoin

Video Review of Wizard

2011-07-06T09:23:00.000-07:00

WIZARD REVIEW on VIDEO
The reviewer's final comments regarding Jesters is a little confusing but we'll take what we can get.

http://www.timetoplaymag.com/toys/2710/us-games-systems-inc/wizard-card-game/

German Magazine Article

2011-06-27T14:30:00.000-07:00

CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE

Letter from Germany

2011-06-27T14:22:00.000-07:00

Hi Ken,

how are you doing? I just wanted to give you an update on Wizard in Germany and our tournament taking part beginning of this months.

Our event themed our 15 years jubilee for wizard card game in Germany. Around 140 participants were coming to the championship from all over Germany.

Nearly 1.000 players have been participating during last weeks tournaments all over Germany. After six exciting hours our new champion was born: Heiko Eckrich. We are very happy about the tournament progress, since it was our biggest German Wizard Championship event ever. After the tournament we invited everyone celebrating our 15 years jubilee. As a surprise a well-known magician from German TV presented his legerdemain live on stage. All in all it was a great successful event and we are now looking forward to Budapest in October.

The People Speak

2011-06-11T07:32:00.000-07:00

Click on Pic to enlarge

WIZARD FLYER

2011-06-11T07:25:00.000-07:00

Click on pic to enlarge.

The WIZARD BOOK of FAME

2011-06-02T07:29:00.000-07:00

WIZARD BOOK of FAME

The WIZARD BOOK (HALL) OF FAME was established in 2006.
The prologue reads:
The Wizard Hall of Fame was established in 2006 to honor those who have been responsible for the success of the game and.or have achieved extraordinary success in playing the game of Wizard.

The inductees are:

2006
1. Ken Fisher: (wizard) Toronto, Ontario.
Created Wizard. First to attain Earth and Air Wizard status.
2. Keith Gill: (Mr. Wizard) Brockton, MA
Second person to attain rank of Air Wizard. Long-time enthusiast and supporter.
3. Victor Lawson: (victor1) Hershey, PA
Programmed Wizard for online play and provided ongoing support.
4. John Ciccarelli (fizzwiz1) Toronto, Ontario
Won the Top 10 title 10 times with streaks of 4 and 6 in a row.

2007
5. George Wellsbury (merlin) Pickering, Ontario.
First to attain rank of Water Wizard, first to overtake Wizard to rank No, 1 worldwide. Inaugural president if the Pickering Wizard Club.
6. Ken McCoy (abacus) Cambridge, Ontario
Ranked No. 3 worldwide in 2007. Inaugural president of the Cambridge Wizard Club.
7. Stuart Kaplan. Stamford, CT
President of U.S. Games Systems: provided the quality for which Wizard is known and the omgoing support needed to make Wizard an international success.

2008
8. Karla Pacheco (cargobeep) British Columbia, Canada
Karla is the most successful online player to date. She set records by winning the TOP 10 a total of 14 times to date and by winning 6 consecutive sessions. Currently ranked 3rd worldwide.
9. Doug Johnson (DougJ) Smith Falls, Ontario
Doug has contributed to Wizard by setting up Google Wizard, running online tournaments, making constructive suggestions and designing graphic interfaces. He currently ranks 63rd worldwide.
10. Marko Sapiano: (mactonight) Pickering, Ontario
Marko has acted in the capacity of an Administrator and has run a number of online tournaments. He serves as 1 of the 2 hosts for the Pickering Wizard Club meetings. Currently ranked 10th overall and has attained the status of Water Wizard with over 300 Master Points.
11. Joan Fisher (Mary Poppins) Toronto, Ontario
Joan's contribution to Wizard is beyond measure. Tolerance, generosoty, empathy, patience and understanding have been the hallmarks needed to fill the role of Wife-of-the-Wizard. Her efforts on behalf of Wizard from Day 1 are too numerous to list here. (Ranks No. 1 in my books...wizard)
12. AMIGO-SPIELE of Germany
The German licensee developed a unique fantasy deck and executed an outstanding marketing program to make Wizard a best-selling game in the German market.

2009
13. Vince Iannuzzi (trapizoid) Grimsby, Ontario
Vince completed back-to-back wins at the 2007 and 2008 annual Tournaments at the Sheraton in Niagara Falls, Ontario. He set a standard that will be difficult to equal, let alone surpass. Vince triumphed over a field of 80 in 2007 and a field of 100 in his 2008 repeat. Vince currently ranks 6th worldwide.
14. Richard Medley (wert) British Columbia, Canada.
Wert has affectionately been called Wizard's "Town Crier" for his prodigious announcements about upcoming tournaments, registration procedures, etc. He is ever-ready to assist players needing a helping hand. His devotion and commitment to the game is best exemplified by the record-setting 367 games that he played online during the month of October in 2007. Currently ranked 27th.

2010
15. JOE ANDREWS: Joe, a renowned card game expert and creator of the GRAND PRIX card tournaments has tirelessly and unselfishly helped to promote WIZARD. His article in GAMES magazine helped to raise the public awareness of WIZARD, Joe has helped in presenting Wizard Tournaments and continues to do so through his GRAND PRIX network.
16. GEORGE YONEKAWA: George has worked tirelessly to promote WIZARD in Japan. His active participation in hosting Wizard Tournaments throughout Japan, his website promotion and his involvement in and encouragement of international tournaments have all been powerful forces moving WIZARD forward

Wizard on i-pod

2011-03-10T12:02:00.000-08:00

Click on the above image to enlarge and read info.

Wizard on the i-pod ....99 cents

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wizard/id404368228?mt=8

WOW (World of Words)

2011-03-09T07:50:00.001-08:00

WOW is Ken Fisher's word game that is a follow-up to "Wizard";
A prototype of the packaging is shown below.

You might well ask, "Why another word game?".
WOW is not "just another word game". Most other word games, including "Scrabble" generate words no longer than 5-6 letters. Such a restriction eliminates a huge portion of the words in the English language. WOW provides for the inclusion of 3 and 4 letter words but emphasises the use of words of 5 letters or more, while words of 9 or more letters receive bonus points.
With WOW it's possible to generate words like "wheelbarrow" and "congratulations".
Is WOW educational? A resounding "YES" is the answer. To be successful players need to know how to use prefixes, suffixes and compound words. For example the word 'light' can be transformed into the compound word 'highlight' then further lengthened using a suffix into 'highlighted'. The ability to make such transformations is one mark of an educated person.
What is the target market for WOW? It's designed for players 10 and up. WOW can be played with as few as 2 players but can also accomodate groups of 8 or more. It's fast paced and everyone participates at the same time without waiting to take a turn.
Is WOW fun to play? This is the most important question and again we can answer in the affirmative. But, of course, the only way to find out is to play it.

Wizard and You

2011-03-04T07:11:00.000-08:00

Perhaps some of you are comparatively new to the Wizard online family of friends.
(That's an alliteration)
There's a wealth of information available to you at the Wizard site.
Also you can subscribe to the monthly Wizard Newsletter. The February (latest) issue can be read by clicking on this link.

http://www.wizardcards.com/viewthread.php?tid=1754

However, if you really want to get scads of information about the history of Wizard, current World Rankings, how Master Points are earned, and lots of other stuff, here's where you go:

Visit the Wizard site at http://www.wizardcards.com/ then enter the site and click on the "Bulletin Boards" box at the top of the screen. Then scroll down and click on "Wizard Guidebook". There's a good selection of topics there for you to explore. After you have explored the 'Guidebook' click on "Newsletter" and catch up on recent news. There's a plethora of other 'goodies' if you are curious enough to explore the site further. Even better, get involved by contributing to the Newsletter. C'mon jump in.

It's 2011

2011-01-30T16:19:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's 2011 and yes WIZARD is still here!

(Just not so active.)

DEJA VUE

2010-11-16T17:31:00.000-08:00

There's lots of stuff on the Wizard site at http://www.wizardcards.com/
but many people do not know how to find it.

For example there are a lot of pictures, slideshows, videos, etc. floating around that you may not know about. Below is a link to view the slideshows for both the 2007 and 2008 Wizard Tournaments that were held in Niagara Falls, Canada.

In order to view the show you must install the "Photodex Presenter" software on your PC. The URL is http://www.photodex.com/files/presenter/pxsetup.exe
Then visit: http://www.photodex.com/
Click on SHARING at the top of page.Then select "Browse for member". My username is: "wizardjester".
The title you want is : WORLD Wizard...When the title page comes up it will stay there until you click "Loop All" at the bottom of the title page. Wait for it to fully load or it may not run smoothly.

Feedback from Participants

2010-10-30T13:53:00.000-07:00

German Tournament Final results
All 4 players from TEAM NORTH AMERICA, Ken McCoy, Keith Gill, Mario Phenix and Marko Sapiano made it into the semi-finals.
Mario Phenix finished in first place after the initial round. Ken McCoy (Abacus) made it into the FInal 4 Round and finished 4th overall.
Congratulations to TEAM NORTH AMERICA!
Final Four
1. Josef Sigl (Germany)2. Janos Balogh (Hungary)3. Astrid Hiob (Germany)4. Ken McCoy (Canada)
*All 4 have been awarded Master Points

Feedback from Participants

German Tournament:Edited Feedback from Keith Gill (Mr. Wizard)
I'm pleased to say that the Germany trip provided my mother and I with enough ammo to write a book. I had just visited France and Italy with friends a few weeks back, so the opportunity to revisit Europe just 1 week later and get 1 more country under my belt was spectacular. We arrived in Munich Wednesday morning, stayed 2 nights, and then took a train to Frankfurt. There were fewer tourist attractions in Munich than in the other countries I visited, but the ones we did get to see gave us chills: Munich's Olympic Stadium and Dachau's concentration camp to name a few. The taxi drivers were FAR more friendly/helpful than those of Paris, Rome, and even Boston. Nearly everyone spoke English and were more than willing to help silly tourists. Finally, my mother and I went to Oktoberfest our last night in Munich... think of it as a gigantic fair with rides/food/games accompanied by 12 huge beer tents serving German beer. We ran into a minor issue of me blacking out, leaving my mother for 6 hours, and arriving back at the hotel with blood on my face, bruises all over my body, and a broken hand... and I have no recollection of anything. I'd love to just say I was drunk, but I did not drink anywhere near the amount I'm used to drinking... so either the alcohol content was double what their website claims it is (Paulaner is the name of the beer) or I was drugged (if this, then it was probably by accident as people jump up, down, and dance around... so beers may get swapped at Oktoberfest). I didn't think I was going to be able to shuffle/deal, but I was able to get through... made sure to shake hands with my left hand though!
The tournament was awesome. I didn't quite agree with certain aspects of the tournament, but I would rather have some world tournament with foreign rules than no world tournament at all. We got free breakfast, Amigo picked us up and brought us to the Castle, we were playing the game within 30 minutes of arriving (I'm glad there was no dilly-dallying), the tourney was over in a mere 4 or 5 hours (this was convenient for those of us that were knocked out earlier than we expected), the tour of the Castle was entertaining, but the dinner itself was head and shoulders the funniest part of the day/night. The entertainer was rather funny, but the real laughter was caused by the discussions/stories that Team North America were sharing with one another (as well as the Hungarians) at our table. My mother fit right in with our group, dirty jokes and all.
The Amigo-Spiel girls were great... and kept me entertained after I failed to advance haha. They were all very friendly, helpful, and went out of their way to make sure the guests were satisfied. The one girl who stayed at our hotel with us (Lydie) went so far as to come back down to the bar with us after we arrived back at the hotel after the tournament... it was obvious (to me, at least) that she just wanted to go up to her room and get to bed after a long day at work, but upon the insistence of a few of our group, she still came down with a smile on her face and hung out with the rowdy NA crowd for 2 hours!
Future tournaments:I know you've already had in-depth discussions about the cost and locations of future Wizard tournaments, so I won't bore you with that monotony, but with regard to the tournament procedure itself: the primary differences (of which you're already aware) between our NA tourney and the world tourney were as follows: limited to 20 players, no even bids, and only 1 game per semi-final and final rounds (as opposed to two). Maybe I'm biased, but I would not replace our current tournament with any of these aspects... I do not agree with any of them. You're familiar with the even bid argument as it has been beaten to death. The one plus to only having 20 players AND only playing 1 game per round was the swiftness of the overall tourney... BUT, I would MUCH rather have a more time-consuming tournament if it meant the best (or one of the best) players would win. Now it just so happened that everyone in the final table of the world tournament were solid players by my standards (though, let it be known, that I beat the winner of the tournament in a 3-player game in the first round haha)... but there were a lot of crappy players in that tournament. There was one country there whose home tourney consisted of like 24 players and almost all of them were new to the game... clearly diversity was more important than quality... and don't get me wrong, I get why they did it, and I don't necessarily disagree (let's popularize this game!), but it's just something to take into consideration... I much prefer 2 games per round (and more rounds) so that only the best will survive. The names on that North American trophy actually mean something, to me, at least. That said, this was the first real world tournament, so I honestly have no complaints with how the tourney was run... that's a daunting task to fly in 20 people from around the world to play a unified world tournament for the first time. I've covered most things, but this is easier discussed in person, so I'll leave it at that for now.

Feedback from Ken McCoy (Abacus): Edited
1. What was your overall assessment of the entire experience? Why?
My overall assessment of the whole affair was fantastic. I looked at it as a once in a lifetime opportunity and but did not know what to expect before I got there. It was quite interesting to wander about the city and have a look around. I found the locals to be quite friendly especially the younger people in Darmstadt, Once you spoke to them in English they would immediately start asking where you are from, If you are on holiday how you like Germany etc. The staff at the hotel were extremely friendly and helpful as well.
2. What was your overall assessment of the Tournament itself? Why?
Considering all the countries involved I can see how that caused logistical headaches. They seemed to handle them quite well. I though the Bastardising of some of the rules made it difficult as well as the 2 no shows from Greece made it difficult. The Ladies handled the situation as best and fairly as they could. The first hand of the Final table I dealt myself a Wizard then had to bid zero with it knowing full well I was starting off the game at Minus 10. Kind of silly but that was how the rule was written.
3. Comments on
(a) Arrangements prior to tripWas nice to be able to make the arrangements ourselves to allow for personal schedules and side trips before and after. After the Tourney I left for England and visited some relatives that I had not seen in 17 years. Glad that could be planned in, Went to see Lizzy as well in London but she was not home.(b) the trip itselfLong time on the plane of course but well worth it. Getting out of Germany turned into it's own little adventure. Had an eight hour wait for my flight. Discovered 8 hours at the airport is a hell of a lot longer than 12 hours at Burg Frankenstein. While I was waiting I met up with another player that was in the Tourney from Finland, I named him Niles after Dr Niles Crane as he is a dead ringer for him. Spent several hours hanging out with him and chatting. Very nice man. He logged onto our Wizard site to play under the name Niles of course. A half hour before my flight was about to depart it got shoved back 2 hours. When we finally got on the plane and were ready to go they had one more passenger than the Flight manifest said should be there. Big problem of course. Took awhile to find out who it was, Turned out to be me! Somehow they gave me my boarding pass but failed to put my name on the manifest. Some of the other passengers in humor of course said "it's the Damn Canadians fault" I got the last laugh though, When we landed in Manchester there were two lines, One for EU passport holders with a few hundred people in it and one for non EU passport holders with 2 people in it.
c) transfer to hotelBus leaves the airport every hour and of course I miss it by 5 minutes, Was ok though, after 7 hours cooped up in a plane was nice to walk around. Bus was where the info said it would be so, Piece of cake.
(d) The hotel Class hotel with Class staff. Only good things to say about that.
(e) Transfer to Burg FrankensteinDid not find the people scheduling the bus till about 15 minutes before it departed. Return bus would not start when we left to go home at 11:00 PM. Was kind of scary with sitting in the dark on a bus that would not start parked beside Burg Frankenstein. All the makings for the start of a 2nd rate horror film.
(f) Tournament organizationLadies had it all thought out and executed it well with the minor curves they were thrown
(g) post tournament dinner and activitiesEnjoyed that more than the tournament itself, Between every course a man would come out and entertain us with story, song and audience participation. Food was excellent and the entertainment was better.
4. Relationship with:(a) other Team NA membersKnew most of them of course so it was great. Was great to meet Mario and spend a day with him visiting Darmstadt.
(b) Other player participants All very friendly and played fairly and with Class.
(c) Amigo personnelDid a great job
5. Any particular memorable moment that stands out for you?
Being at the Final table of course and Knowing that I had friends there in my corner cheering for me.
6. The best of the entire experience?
Visiting another Country and being able to talk to very friendly people in another country.
The worst of the entire experience?Leaving, standing there waiting for the bus listening to my ipod. 1200 songs playing on random, what are the odds of "Leaving on a Jetplane" coming on. Damn I get so emotional with age.
7. Recommendations for future tournaments? Are there features we should:
(a) emulate? Post Dinner and entertainment.
(b) avoid?. Have a plan ‘B’ for no shows!

Marko’s Edited Feedback on Germany
I thought the whole trip was amazing with little room for improvement.Couple of things I didn't like:Hotel:1 - The hotel had no free wireless or internet connection.2 - it was right beside the Train station so you could hear trains going by all night :)Tournament1 - I didn't like the 4 player format at all.2 - I didn't like the no even bids at all - takes out the strategy and the skill of the game. If you can justify forcing the dealer to bid 1 with 2 jesters just because there were 2 bids made before the dealer, I'd like to hear it.3 - I didn't like that the semi-finals and the finals were 1 game eliminations.4 - Although it was great getting an international field in place (much like the Olympics) these were not the 20 best players. In two of my games I had 1 player that scratched 8 out of the 10 times. In the Semi finals one of the player scratched and instead of using their wizards to take another one to ensure that they weren't the only ones to scratch they allow other players to make their larger bids (I was one of the players with the larger bids and I was happy to see that they did that - but they shouldn't have and good players know not to let people get too far ahead of them).5 - I thought it was a shame that Stuart attended for such a short time.6 - I thought the crowding around of the final table as it approached the end was poor. I would have kept the crowd back and allow those playing a chance to compete without a crowd hovering around them.Castle Frankenstein.I thought they did a great job, the entertainment was fun, the food was great. I think the Scary tour/walking around outside learning about how people were tortured in the past was a little dull. It would have been better if they had their Halloween entertainment up and running but as it was, it didn't really hit home with anyone.Travelling to and from Hotel to tournamentThey had a bus, it took about 15-20 to get there. The bus stalled when we were going home, but the driver get it up and running so really there was no issue.Things I liked.HotelIt was a nice hotel, friendly staff, clean, overall a nice place to stay at.Tournament:I thought it was well organized and well planned.I thought they adjusted nicely to the absence of 2 players.Although I did complain that I didn't like the one game and done for the semi-finals and finals, it did make the tournament go rather quickly.Again I complained that it wasn't the best of the best, but playing with new players and seeing the growth of the games to places it might not have reached without this tournament was refreshing.I have no memorable moments at all :) Nothing good or bad sticks out in my mindRelationships - I was not at all surprised that the 4 of us got along well together. I think Elaine said it best when she said that we are all like family. We know each other and although we have our differences at time, we respect and appreciate what we do have in common.

Edited version of feedback from Mario Phenix
My Tournament ExperienceBy MarioWITHOUT PREJUDICEThe most extraordinary experience for me was to be with the 20 “best” players in the world of Wizard.The tournament allowed us to get to know some of the other “fans” of Wizard. It also gave us a chance to meet people with whom we play online. It shows that people in person have nothing to do with those we play online I was finally happy to meet “Mac”, the bad guy. LOL.The organization of the trip to Darmstadt was very smooth. The information received before we left was very appropriate and relevant. Some people have taken our best interests at heart. Dinner before the “D” day was a good idea and food was very good.What to say about the tournament organization by Amigo Spiele? The location was very appropriate for this kind of tournament. The evening and the meal were pleasant. We were only missing the victory.My relationship with other members of “Team N.A” and their families was very pleasant. Special thanks to Keith’s mother for entertaining us. I certainly gave the impression of being a “weird” and distant person, but this was due to language. God, I regret not listening during my English lessons when I was younger.The “highest moment for me was when the Amigo Spiele staff called the names of players who qualified for the semi-finals and I finished 1st in the group of 20 participants. What a feeling and what a relief!. I felt that only bad luck could possibly beat me for the games yet to come.. Disappointments were few for me. The first was not having access to the rules of the tournament before it began. (No even bids). The second was the time allotted to play a game (45 min.) Moreover, I believe that in the future the rules should be dictated verbally and not published on a sheet of paper on a table.Before my online victory, several people around me were sceptical that I could win the prize and travel, but now all want to participate in this type of tournament. It was an excellent way for me to promote the game, WIZARD.Suggestions for the Future: Rules known by all participants in advance. A minimum amount should be paid by players of a regional tournament (Canada / USA) in order to pay some costs for an International tournament.

German Pic

2010-10-25T11:32:00.001-07:00

German Pics

2010-10-25T11:23:00.001-07:00

More Pics sent to us from Amigo of Germany

2010-10-25T11:01:00.000-07:00

The Trophies

First Pics from German Wizard Championships 2010

2010-10-06T11:08:00.000-07:00

Hotel Bouncers? (abacus & mactonight)

Stuart Kaplan & Bobbie Bensaid at table left. (U.S. Games Systems)

Three above pics courtesy of mactonight

Team North America: Marko, Mario, Ken & Keith

Tournament in session

Ken (abacus) & Keith (Mr. Wizard)

Burg Frankenstein

Trophies and Medallions

Final Placement:

1st. Germany

2nd. Hungary

3rd. Germany

4th. Canada: Ken McCoy (Abacus)

* Pics Courtesy of Mario Phenix

World Wizard Championship 2010

2010-10-02T16:19:00.000-07:00

Burg Frankenstein: Germany

All 4 players from TEAM NORTH AMERICA, Ken McCoy, Keith Gill, Mario Phenix and Marko Sapiano made it into the semi-finals. Mario Phenix finished in first place after the initial round. Ken McCoy (Abacus) made it into the FInal 4 Round and finished 4th overall.Congratulations to TEAM NORTH AMERICA!

Final Four
1. Josef Sigl (Germany)
2. Janos Balogh (Hungary)
3. Astrid Hiob (Germany)
4. Ken McCoy (Canada)

Details of Oct.2,2010. Championships

2010-09-27T10:36:00.000-07:00

Indianapolis Champion

Wizard World Championship: 2nd October 2010

1. Intro
Wizard World Championship
Date: Saturday, 2nd October 2010
Beginning: 12:00 Location: Burg Frankenstein
Restaurant und Event GmbH 64367 Mühltal Hessen
Parking area: In front of the restaurant
Saturday Agenda:
11:30 Bus departure to Burg Frankenstein
Meeting point: Maritim Rhein-Main Hotel Darmstadt
12:00 -12:30 Greeting and Introduction
12:30 Beginning of the competition at 5 tables
Around 18.00 Consecration of the Wizard World Champion 2010/Award Ceremony
18:30 – 19:30 Scary tour at Burg Frankenstein
19:30 – 22:45 Dinner
Around 23:00 Bus departure to the Hotel Maritim Rhein-Main
Sunday
Around 9:00 Breakfast with AMIGO at the Hotel Maritim Rhein-Main
(AMIGO table). The exact meeting time will be confirmed during the evening before.

2. Maps and transportation to Burg Frankenstein
Burg Frankenstein is located on the top of the hill Landenberg, 370m up in the region Odenwald. You can drive directly to Burg Frankenstein by car or use the bus shuttle from the hotel Maritim Rhein-Main in Darmstadt.

3. Your stay
Your hotel: Rhein-Main Hotel Darmstadt
Maps & Transportation
The Maritim Rhein-Main Hotel is located near the main railway station and the A5 and A67 motorways. The shuttle to Frankfurt Airport runs every 30 minutes during the day and leaves directly from the hotel. The Darmstadt town centre features an attractive pedestrianised shopping centre and is located just a few tram stops away. Sites such as the Mathildenhöhe, Hundertwasser House, Messel Pit fossil site (UNESCO World Natural Heritage site) and the Hessian Landesmuseum are also located nearby.

4. Catering
During the competition, you can order snacks and drinks at your own expense at
the restaurant at Burg Frankenstein. In the evening, Amigo invites you to a very special event. We will start with a scary tour at Burg Frankenstein and continue with a spectacular dinner,where we will enjoy the evening all together. Wait and see!

5. Msc
The bus shuttle to the hotel Maritim Rhein-Main will start at around 23:00. On Sunday, we invite all the participants to a breakfast with the Amigo team at the hotel. We have reserved an “Amigo-table” from 09:00. We will confirm the exact meeting time the evening before.

6. Wizard Champion
Wizard, a game that has been in the AMIGO range since 1996, is pleased to gather more and more enthusiastic players. With the introduction of national and international championships 3 years ago, a tournament world has been created which allows every player to compete with the best champions from all over the world.
This year, the international Wizard Championship takes place for the first time in Germany. Coming from 10 countries, the Wizard Champions together with the Vice- Champion will confront one another at Burg Frankenstein.
In August last year, the former German Wizard Champion Matthias Dasssinger and the Vice-Champion Alexander Gräwe competed against the international wizards at the Gen Con in Indianapolis. The winner of the International Wizard Championship 2009 was James DeOreo.
We look forward to experience a fair and exciting competition this year in Germany.

7. Burg Frankenstein
The romantic ruins of Burg Frankenstein are one of the most famous point of interest in the Rhine region. They are particularly well-known throughout Germany thanks to the annual Halloween Festival. The history of Burg Frankenstein began in the 12th century (firstdocumented in 1252) and is strongly related to legend and poetry. The legend says that Mary Shelley was inspired by the Burg to imagine her scary novel Frankenstein. Did she really see the Burg? This is still arguable. But the Burg is open every year to all the fright fans. More than 15.000 visitors surge to Burg Frankenstein to get the creeps and get frightened. For more information, visit www.frankensteinhalloween. de.

Mac's moment Presents - Mr. Wizard 2010 Wizfest Champ

2010-08-23T12:18:00.000-07:00

It’s time for another Mac’s Moment. I asked Mr. Wizard if he could tell me about his road to victory. His feelings about winning and the likes, instead, he sent me the below.

(read to the tune of Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the USA”)

I hopped off the plane in Toronto with a dream and a wizard deck
Welcome to the land of Wizard stars, whoa am I going to fit in?
Jumped into the first round, here I am for the third time
Look to my right, and I see Ken Mccoy, the slime

This is all so crazy, everyone seems so amazing
My tummy’s turning and I’m feelin kinda anxious
Too much pressure and I’m nervous
That’s when I start to get some good cards

And the wizards start to smack
And the wizards start to smack
And the wizards start to smack

So I put my hands up, I won the game
The competition fly away
I’m nodding my head like Yeah
Jumpin off chairs like Yeah!

So I put my hands up, I won the next round
And Now I’m gonna be okay
Yeah, There’s a party in the USA!
Yeah, There’s a party in the USA!

Get to the semi finals
Everybody’s lookin at me now
Like “who’s that kid with the cool hair”
He totally looks like Macgyver.

So hard with my Aunts not around me
But Mccoy is on my table with me
All I see are wizard pros
When I’m done I’m going to a strip show

My tummy’s turning and I’m feelin kinda anxious
Too much pressure and I’m nervous
But then I get a few wizards and I make it

And I’m off to the final round
And I’m off to the final round
And I’m off to the final round.

So I put my hands up, I won the game
The competition fly away
I’m nodding my head like Yeah
Jumpin off chairs like Yeah!

So I put my hands up, I won the next round
And Now I’m gonna be okay
Yeah, There’s a party in the USA!
Yeah, There’s a party in the USA!

Canada loses again, what a disgrace
I play my final card and take it all
Feel like rubbing it in Cargo face
MR. WIZARD IS THE CHAMP

So I put my hands up, I won the game
The competition fly away
I’m nodding my head like Yeah
Jumpin off chairs like Yeah!

So I put my hands up, I won it all
And Now I am truly the best
Yeah, There’s a party in the USA!
Yeah, There’s a party in the USA!

Mr. Wizard – Just for the record – Canada 4 USA 3
Mactonight – But the three USA victories are all your family – your brother won, your aunt won and now you.
Mr. Wizard – So what’s your point? How many have you and Cargo won?
Mactonight – I’ve made the finals once.
Mr. Wizard – HA!
Mactonight – Congratulation MR. Wizard, see you in Germany
Mr. Wizard – Are you really Perfect10?
Mactonight – Sure!

Join me next month when Brian W takes over and submits his own unique version of the Moments.

Once Upon a Time

2010-08-20T18:11:00.000-07:00

Once Upon A Time

A long time ago, when the famous “Wizard Academy” in Stonehenge was still active, every apprentice was required to train his magical skills with various exercises. One of these exercises was a card game called “Wizard” which was designed to develop and progress the ability of premonition. Over the course of the millennia all knowledge of the training procedures of the “Wizard Academy” were lost and forgotten.
However the game was rediscovered when the renowned German archaeologist Dr. Harold Eitel unearthed an ancient scroll deep within the vaults beneath the monoliths of Stonehenge. The scroll described the cards used in the game of “Wizard”. Although the deeper meaning and arcane implications of the cards remain unclear the fundamental features of the cards themselves are similar to those described in the ancient scroll.

Pics: WizFest 2010

2010-08-14T07:53:00.000-07:00

PICS of WizardFest 2010 in Toronto:Thanks to aniram, karmkarma and Frostie.

2010-08-13T11:22:00.000-07:00

GAMES magazine article by Joe Andrews

2010-07-25T10:53:00.000-07:00

Games Magazine

To read the article click on it to enlarge.

Stamford Tournament

2010-07-25T10:34:00.000-07:00

To read the article click on the picture once or twice. (to enlarge)

WIZARD in JAPAN & Germany

2010-07-23T10:03:00.000-07:00

WIZARD in JAPAN & GERMANY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YIwi1wp9bM&feature=channel

http://www.gp-inc.jp/index.html

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DYfFQ4piZ8

http://www.amigo-spiele.de/download/rule/106900_Rule_GB.pdf

Indianapolis Tournament 2009

2010-07-21T11:03:00.000-07:00

Here are 3 pics taken at Indy 2009 Tournament.
This event used the German Fantasy Deck for all games.
The top one shows the Final Six. The winner on the left(James De Oreo) is holding his trophy.Beside him is James Penn the runner-up.
The middle picture has Stuart Kaplan of "US GAMES SYSTEMS" congratulating the winner, James De Oreo.
The bottom pic shows the Indianapolis hotel atrium and lobby.

Try it. You'll like it!

2010-07-13T12:22:00.000-07:00

Try It – You’ll Like It!

“The proof of the pudding is in the eating”
“One’s man’s trash is another man’s treasure”
“Advice is cheap”

The point is you have to experience something yourself to find out if it is “your cup of tea”.
Nevertheless if a great majority of people enjoy something it is more likely that you will enjoy it too.
With this thought in mind a number of popular card games have been ranked. It is important to know who has done the ranking. The data used has been culled from the site called, “boardgamegeek.com”.
“BoardGameGeek” is a website that that reports on over 30,000 different games including card games and other tabletop games, as well as war games and video games. In addition to the game database, one of the key features is the statistical information obtained from player ratings. The site allows users to rate games on a 1–10 scale.

Ten card games have been selected and their overall rankings are indicated. Only 4 of the 10 games are commercial games that require special decks. The 4 commercial games are marked with an asterisk *.

Game Rank

Bridge 129
Cribbage 271
*Wizard 408
Spades 528
Euchre 635
Pinochle 753
Hearts 806
*Skip-Bo 6094
*UNO 6096
*Phase 10 6154

WIZARD…Try it! You’ll like it!

My version of Wizard Extreme

2010-06-12T08:25:00.001-07:00

Wizard Extreme (Revised July 26, 2010)

All the rules of WM apply with the following changes.

* Diamonds are always the Trump suit.

3 players: 6 hands.
4 players: Short game 4 hands. Long game: 8 hands.
5. players: 5 hands:
6. players: 6 hands:

Saboteur:

The dealer is always the Saboteur. (S)
The S does not bid.
The S tries to prevent other players from making their bids correctly.

Scoring

Points are awarded as in regular Wizard with the following exception.
The S gains 10 points for every down trick of the other players.
The S loses 10 points if all the other players make their bids correctly.

Wizard Extreme

2010-04-23T17:38:00.000-07:00

Amigo Spiele would like to introduce a new card game and call it "Wizard Extreme".
As you may know we have a game on the BETA program of the Wizard site that is called : "Wizard Maximus". However the German game is a far cry from any of our Wizard versions. Although it is a bidding game requiring you to predict how many tricks you are going to take it employs a 75 card deck with 5 color coded suits and 27 'seals' and 1'Saboteur'. It is quite complicated but requires a lot of strategy and skill. However it is the type of game that appeals to the sophisticated German gaming market. Our current dilemma is whether to grant them permission to use the name "Wizard Extreme" or not. Discussions are under way and we will keep you posted of further developments.

The Genesis of WIZARD

2010-04-09T12:33:00.000-07:00

How and when did Wizard get started?

History of the Game
The card game "Wizard" was created by Ken Fisher in 1984-85. At the time Ken was an ESL (English-as-a Second Language) teacher at East York Collegiate in Toronto, Canada. Along with his son, Scott and his wife Joan, he spent much of the summer months at their cottage in the "Haliburton Highlands" about 150 miles north of Toronto. Because there were no telephones and very limited television access, evenings were often spent reading or playing boardgames and card games. However there are few card games that are ideally suited for 3 players so Ken decided to refer to a book of card games in the hope of finding one. The game that seemed most suitable was called "Oh Hell". It is also known by a variety of other names such as "Oh Pshaw" or "Blackout". The origins of the game are obscure but it is said to have come from England. In any case it had become quite popular in New York card clubs during the 1930's. The book described the game as being suitable for 3 to 7 players and mentioned that it provided opportunity for skillful play. Ken decided to give it a go and along with his wife and son they gradually modified some of the rules as well as the scoring to improve the game. Neighbors often dropped by and joined in on the fun. The fact that the game could be played by 3-7 people and could be learned quickly suited the situation perfectly.
Although still active as a teacher Ken was not a novice to the games industry. He had earlier developed a series of quizzes that were published by "Dembner Press" in a book called "Super Quiz". This was prior to the trivia craze created by "Trivial Pursuit" the popular board game created by a group of Canadians from southern Ontario. In fact Ken had been contacted by one of the creators of "Trivial Pursuit" who had heard about his manuscript of quizzes and because they were still in the early stages of assembling their game wondered about the possibility of using some of the trivia questions. However Ken already had a contract with his publisher in New York City who quashed the idea of any further negotiations with the "Trivial Pursuit" creators. Ken later reflected that if he had joined the "Trivial Pursuit" venture he never would have created "Wizard". The incredible success of that trivia game would have made him comfortably wealthy and would have sapped his entrepreneurial drive. Be that as it may the "Super Quiz" venture became quite a success in its own right. It not only developed into a series of "Super Quiz" books but also spun off a series of 3 board games that sold over 100,000 units in Canada. In addition "The King Syndicate" in New York City adapted the "Super Quiz" books into a syndicated daily quiz column. Ken continues to write the daily quizzes which are carried by over 30 newspapers across North America including the "Sun" newspapers in Canada.
Ken's wife, Joan, suggested he should present their modified version of "Oh Hell" to a games company. However this was not feasible because the game consisted simply of a regular deck of 52 cards. Eventually Ken came up with the concept of adding 2 new suits to the regular deck to create a 60 card deck. His son Scott contributed by suggesting that the two new suits be called Wizards and Jesters to complement the other court characters of the face cards. The final touch was determining the abilities of the new suits. After some experimentation the Wizards were made the most powerful of all the cards and the Jesters the weakest. (Although certainly not the least useful.) It was further decided that the new cards would not be members of any of the 4 suits: clubs, diamonds, hearts or spades. The next few months were spent with further refinements to the rules until the package was complete.
It was now time to present the new "Wizard Card Game" to a games manufacturer. The natural choice was "Waddington Games of Canada" because they had marketed "Super Quiz" and that game had literally transformed them from near insolvency into a thriving company. Alas, despite Ken's earlier success the company passed on the opportunity to acquire the rights to "Wizard". It was explained that marketing a card game was a totally different proposition. Unlike board games, card games can take years to gain popularity and few succeed. It was simply not a good investment of time and money. Undaunted Ken approached other game manufactures but to no avail.
The Fisher family continued to play "Wizard" with a number of people and invariably received favorable comments about how much fun the game afforded. The game's popularity convinced Ken that it was a winner despite what the industry experts thought about it. He was aware that the same "experts" had rejected "Trivial Pursuit" for such reasons as, "Games don't come in square boxes". However to go-it-alone would be an expensive and risky venture. It was now 1986 and due to bad advice from lawyers and accountants along with the naiveté of a schoolteacher who lacked business savvy, Ken's financial situation was so poor that it became necessary to sell the family's beloved cottage and refinance the family house in order to pay a reassessment of taxes by "Revenue Canada". It was estimated that $50,000 would be required to market the game independently. Buoyed by the success of “Super Quiz” a number of investors came forward with the funds needed in exchange for 50% of the shares. Nearly all of the investors were either relatives or friends. In order to avoid immediate taxation on the $50,000 raised, the funds were given as an interest-free loan, which had to be paid back in full. The dilemma faced by many entrepreneurs wishing to bring a new product to market had to be faced. In order to get the unit price low enough to make the game marketable at least 10,000 units had to be purchased. The plan was for “Wizard” to be sold wholesale at $5 Canadian per game with a MSP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Price) of $10.

The contract to produce the first run of 10,000 games was granted to “Canada Playing Cards”. This company was chosen largely because of its close proximity to Toronto. The first production run was on June 6, 1986. The game was packaged in a black set-up box with “Wizard” written across the top. A yellow POP (Point of Purchase) container, which held 12 games, was also produced. (Ken still has a few of these original games, which he signs, and uses as prizes.)

Although Ken and his wife Joan were able to get the game into a few local game stores the vast quantity of games were sold at special events, especially during the Christmas season. Many weekends were spent in malls selling a game at a time to passing consumers. Many games were simply given away because it was found to be the best way of promoting the game. Games given away got people playing Wizard and resulted in purchases. Sales also began to pick up through word-of-mouth, and mail orders steadily increased as the game's popularity grew. However it wasn't long before problems began to appear, not only with card quality but also with cards missing from the deck. The next year followed a similar pattern; Wizard proved to have great public appeal but both quality control and marketing created huge headaches. Eventually “Canada Playing Cards” went into bankruptcy owing “Wizard Cards” a considerable sum of money. At this juncture Wizard had a small quantity of card games in inventory and limited funds. In 1991, needing a further infusion of cash Ken sold another 25% of the shares to new investors at triple the original price raising $75,000. At this point all of the original debt of $50,000 had been paid back to the initial investors but this new money was also in the form of a repayable loan. The new money was used to redesign the game and the packaging. The Wizards and Jesters currently in use were created at this time as was the familiar Wizard logo and blue box. By moving production of the cards to Hong Kong costs were significantly reduced although each order required a minimum of 40,000 units. While attending the 1994 “New York Toy Fair” the Fishers were approached at their display booth by Frank Martin, a well-known sales representative from California. He was familiar with Wizard and wanted to know if there was any interest in acquiring representation in the United States. He put Stuart Kaplan of U.S. Games Systems in touch with Ken and shortly thereafter U.S. Games of Stamford, Connecticut was granted world rights to market Wizard excluding Canada.
The Canadian rights were granted to "Canada Games" the country’s largest game company. In 1994 Canada Games sold over 25,000 games, over 34,000 in 1995 and by 1996 the total had reached 36,000 games. These figures were possible because of the marketing power of a major company that was able to get Wizard into the major outlets, Wal-Mart in particular. However in 1996 to everyone’s surprise “Canada Games” declared bankruptcy. The company that was manufacturing the Wizard cards for “Canada Games” (Carta Munde of Belgium) had 15,000 new decks in transit to Montreal and asked Stuart Kaplan (U.S.Games) if he was interested in buying them at a bargain price. However when Stuart saw the poor quality of the graphics he declined at any price and insisted that they be destroyed. This was simply another example of the importance his company places on quality.

Wizard then joined “Playtoy Industries” for distribution in Canada but after one year that company also declared bankruptcy. However by now all debts had been paid off and dividends had been declared for investors. In 1998 “The United States Playing Card Company” of Cincinnati wished to add a new card game to their line of cards. The company produces the prestigious “Bicycle” cards and “U.S. Games granted them the right to manufacture a version of “Wizard” which they would market through their outlets in the major chains. Unfortunately the version produced was fraught with faults. Two major errors in design doomed the project. The score pad was designed so that it could only be used for the 6-player game. Even worse was the fact that the Wizard cards were made part of the regular 4 suits which caused great confusion. The project was short-lived and ended by mutual consent. Also in 1998 “Amigo-Spiele” was granted a license to market Wizard in Germany. The company did a complete redesign of the cards putting an image of different characters on every card. The four familiar suits were also replaced and the deck itself is black rather than white. In 1999 Wizard then granted “U.S. Games Systems” the rights to market Wizard in Canada, effectively giving that company world rights to the game.
The positive side of putting all of Wizard’s eggs in one basket was that “U.S. Games Systems” with the acquisition of the Canadian market made serious commitments to making Wizard a success in the USA and elsewhere. The quality of the product far surpassed anything that had been marketed in Canada and Stuart Kaplan the president stood solidly behind the game, keeping Ken in the picture every step of the way. The “Deluxe Wizard” game was introduced with the new ‘bidding wheels’, which made the 2, alternate bidding systems more feasible and an advertising and promotion budget was established. Quality improvements and refinement of product has been an ongoing hallmark of “US Games Systems”.
Meanwhile Ken was interested in putting "Wizard" on the internet for online play. After much digging a deal was struck with "Pogo.com". "Pogo" agreed to program the game and for a $5000 US fee would have exclusive online rights to "Wizard" for a period of 5 years. Unfortunately "A&E" bought out "Pogo" and lost interest in the agreement. Nevertheless the $5000 US was retained by "Wizard". Ken then decided to bite the bullet and go it alone. He contracted “Roamerzone /Adventurous Network” to program “Wizard” and in 2002 the Wizard website at www.wizardcards.com introduced full-featured online play. The site provides all the nuances available in face-to-face play and makes the holding of regular online tournaments feasible. Players from all over the world have participated and new members join on a daily basis.
In 2003 “Modiano” of Trieste was granted a license to market “Wizard” in Italy. Unlike the German version the Italian cards are identical to the North American version. However the score pad is unique and the cards come in a plastic tray. In 2004 due to a failure by the Chinese manufacturer to maintain the required quality production of the Wizard cards was moved to Italy. Although this required a significant rise in the unit cost the quality is now the best ever.

“Wizard Tournaments” were introduced fairly early but it wasn’t until 1996 that a plan for awarding “Master Points” was established. The scheme was first put into place at a tournament hosted by Elessar Tetramariner in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Elessar and Ken Fisher wrote the initial tournament rules and conditions for awarding of “Master Points”. (For more information on 'tournaments' see the section headed "Tournaments" at the Wizard website.) In 2004 the first official annual “International Wizard Tournament” was hosted in Toronto, Canada. (The Ann Arbor tournament was the first Official Tournament in which official tournament rules were used and master points were awarded.) However “TOTO” (Toronto Tournament) was the first time that the event had been planned and hosted by "Wizard Cards" and "U.S.Games". The event also established the basis for future “International Tournaments” to be held at least once annually and introduced the official “Wizard Cup”. The name of the winner of each “International Wizard Tournament” will be engraved on the base of the trophy. The first name engraved on it was “Spiritgrove” (Terry Blocker) of Manitoba. Also in 2004 a new stand-alone display with blinking lights was introduced in the U.S. to spur sales in retail outlets and 1,000 free games were shipped to U.S. troops in Iraq.
In 2005 a third version of Wizard was added to the “Regular Wizard” and “Deluxe Wizard” games. A “Gift Wizard” edition featuring a rich embossed leather case and cards with a checkered design added an upscale version to the marketplace. In the same year “Wizard Bidding Coins” were introduced. The coins enable players to clearly see how many tricks other players have bid, how many tricks they have taken and how many tricks they still need to complete their contract.

* More recent additions include "Wizard Junior" and a "Medieval Wizard" deck with characters on each of the cards.

Toronto Wizard Tournament 2010

2010-03-31T20:38:00.000-07:00

Toronto Wizard Tournament 2010

Here it is March 31, 2010 and all 60 slots for the Toronto Tournament slated for July 30-31 are booked. A standby list has been started just in case a registered person later finds out for whatever reason that he/she can't attend.

This is the fastest completed registration to date...4 months in advance of the event.

That bodes well for Wizard.

Wizard Tournament in Toronto July 30-31

2010-03-22T17:54:00.000-07:00

The Wizard Tournament in Toronto offers the top 2 winners trips to Germany to represent North America in "The World Wizard Tournament" on October 2, 2010.
The field is open to a maximum of 60 players but there are currently 48 registered (March 27) so if you are interested do not tarry. Whether you win or lose (odds of 30-1 are excellent) you are guaranteed to have a great time.
Details are available at: http://www.wizardcards.com/viewthread.php?tid=767

May the Cards Be With You

HOW to Play WIZARD Site

2010-03-18T08:19:00.000-07:00

How To Play Wizard Site

http://www.ehow.com/how_2284959_play-wizard-card-game.html

Of course you can also visit the Wizard site at http://www.wizardcards.com/portal.php
and click on the "Getting Started" box in the upper right corner.

A selection of 25 REVIEWS

2010-03-17T11:16:00.001-07:00

25 Reviews Culled from the Internet

1 Chris Pizula(Pazcat) Play Wizard. You can't go wrong.

2 Stewart Tame(StewartTame) Very addictive trick-taking game. The more players, the better. Especially evil when everyone has only one card and two or more people have bid one ... I actually like the American edition better than the German. While the artwork on the German version is lovely, it makes the game harder to teach to non-gamers. Normal-looking playing cards make the game easier to learn. And, as my current group recently discovered, it's really hard to play the German version in a dimly-lit bar.

3 sharon p(jakoky) one of my favourite card games

4 Kostas Nikolaidis(kostas) Rated 9 out of 10. The Nine is for the fun factor and the way everyone who has played has gotten hooked into this simple trick taking game. Basically this is our favorite trick-taking game; but you MUST buy the German version for the art, it adds so much for the folks who are into fantasy. A must buy for me.

5 Angela Gaalema(hinj) Absolutely the best trick taking game I have ever encountered. Even though this is an american design, insist upon the german deck...it's worth it! This game went straight to my top 10 of all time.

6 Dave OConnor(daveo1234) Basically Oh Hell with the Wizard and the Jester in it. I'm just sorry I never knew this one in college! I could have spent all those hours playing Spades playing this instead. BTW, go get the German version - the cards have killer artwork on them!

7 Christopher Bartlett(cc_TheToph) Probably my favorite card game played with a non-traditional deck. I don't ever have to be convinced to play this one... love it at family parties.

8 Steve Czuba(sczuba) As a fan of trick games, the added cards add a nice dimension, and it's always to tense to see if you can 'make your bid.

9 Loopin' Loomie(tloomis) My favorite trick-taking game.

10 david mcchesney(yobink) This gets played a hell of a lot.

11 Tim Reddy(Shooter) Fun trick-taking game. Classic.

12 Chris Farrell(cfarrell) The Wizard and Jester cards do not exactly increase the skill element in Oh Hell generally, but this is still a fun game that, like classics like Liar's Dice/Call My Bluff and Can't Stop, is eminently accessible due to it's popular game roots and is fun for gamers. The best of the many Oh Hell knock-offs.

13. Bridgette Morehouse(biddy) Fun trump-taking card game.

14 Bonnie Delaney(BonnieD24)
As advertised, it is "the ultimate game of trump!"

15 Tom Utterback(noisycrow) The addition of the extra cards makes for a great game. Good for the "non-"gamers who like trick taking games (Hearts, etc.)

16 Joshua Miller(Glamorous Mucus) A distinct improvement on the already-enjoyable traditional game Oh Hell.

17 Dave Shapiro(qrux) This and Rook are the best of the trick taking games. Note: you have probably played this game under a different name.

18 Larry Winckles(LWinckles) This used to be our family's favorite game until we were introduced to the german style games. It is still a favorite to play when visiting Grandma and Grandpa at their summer cottage.

19 Tim Thomas(Socal Tim) Have owned it for years but have rarely played it for some reason. Finally played it again the other night and had a great time. It really does improve upon Oh Hell! Of course, the wizard cards are very powerful, but the jesters also give you added flexibility that comes in handy if you're in danger of being stuck taking an unwanted trick. I should probably add a bonus point for my wife liking it so much too.

20 Harold Jansen(DoctorJ) Good trick-taking card game.

21 Francois Petitclerc(faqtotum) I like trick-taking games, and this one's no exception.

22 michael d(musici) Great to take to bar or round friends house/flat. I enjoy this alot more than most card games that are suggested in these types of situations. The rules work nicely as a learning curve for beginners and you can play just a few rounds for fun or get into the full game.

23 David Arnott(Arnott) I like Oh Hell, and the extras added here are improvements. I just wish I could get more people interested in playing it. Oh, and the bidding wheels are the only way to go.

24 Patrick Groß(Captain Napalm) A really fun card game that's easy to learn but involves a decent amount of strategy.

25. A phenomenal 'new' classic card game Despite the arguments of some that this is not a revolutionary new game like Puerto Rico or Settlers, Wizard is the single finest 'traditional' card game in existence. I have to disregard some of the reviews which state it isn't on par with Eurogames on the market. While the colored map and strategy options and cool wooden bits may be missing, it's almost like saying Chess was never that great a game to begin with. Wizard takes classic card games and adds two beautiful new elements -- the Wizard and the Jester. By now from reviews and descriptions I'm sure you've seen that Wizards trump anything while Jesters will pass on any trick. The simple beauty of these two new cards add incredible depth, strategy decisions, tension and replayability to the game. I would say that Wizard is the single most requested game I own, and is played by a wider audience than any other game I own. Yes, Puerto Rico is incredible. Yes Settlers is awesome. But I have no other game that my parents, my in-laws, my niece and nephew, my aunts and uncles, my friends and neighbors all want to play over and over again. And that is saying a lot.

Wizard: Truly an INTERNATIONAL Game

2010-03-05T17:21:00.000-08:00

I have recently received copies of the Wizard decks being sold in additional foreign countries.
The list shows the name of the company now marketing Wizard and the language in which they are distributing it. The Wizard version is basically the German fantasy deck with rules, instructions and packaging in the relevant language.

Croftminster…….....English .....(Australia and New Zealand)
Dino………..……........Czech and Slovakian
Esdevium Games….English (England and Ireland)
Kadabra……………...Lithuanian
Laserplus/Igre……..Slovenian
Piatnik……………......Hungarian
Swan Panasia………Chinese, Malaysian, Indonesian and English
Zvezda…………….....Russian (Russia, Ukraine, Belorussia, Kazakhstan)
Kaiooa…………….......Greece

Wizard page in catalog 2010

2010-03-04T15:30:00.001-08:00

U.S. Games Catalog Cover 2010

2010-03-04T15:18:00.001-08:00

The Lithuanian Version

2010-03-04T13:15:00.001-08:00

Wizard Game in Lithuanian language>

Lithuanian Wizard

Italian Version of Wizard

2010-02-10T09:50:00.000-08:00

Commemorative Medallion & Pin

2010-02-10T07:54:00.001-08:00

Toronto 2004 commemorative pin

Medal presented to all attendees of the 2008
Wizard Tournament in Niagara Falls, Ontario.

The Wizard Book of Fame

2010-02-09T07:17:00.001-08:00

The WIZARD BOOK (HALL) OF FAME was established in 2006.The prologue reads:
The Wizard Hall of Fame was established in 2006 to honor those who have been responsible for the success of the game and/or have achieved extraordinary success in playing the game of Wizard.
For information about the current inductees visit the Wizard website abd do a search for "Wizard Book of Fame".

The Wizard Trophies

2010-02-08T12:39:00.001-08:00

(Top)Joan and Ken Fisher with the Wizard Trophy

(Middle) The Wizard Junior Trophy.

(Bottom) The base of the regular WIZARD Trophy is shown along with names of the winners of the first 4 Annual Tournaments. (2004-2005-2006-2007)

2009 Tournament

2010-02-07T16:17:00.001-08:00

2009 TOURNAMENT........................................Delta Hotel Toronto East

2010-02-06T07:20:00.000-08:00

Last Pics of Welcoming Reception

2010-02-05T12:20:00.000-08:00

Friday: Welcoming Reception (3)

2010-02-04T16:00:00.000-08:00

Welcoming Reception

2010-02-04T12:05:00.000-08:00

Wizard Games: Friday Evening Fun

Friday Evening's Welcoming Reception

2010-02-02T17:01:00.000-08:00

Top: Dave Charboneau (Kroegers) & Ken Fisher (Wizard)

Center: Howard & Mae Lougheed tend the bar.

Bottom

Karmakarma.........Mactonight............Mary Poppins
(Lesley Roper)...(Marko Sapiano).........(Joan Fisher)

Wizard Fest 2009

2010-02-02T15:42:00.000-08:00

Wizard Fest 2009 was held at the Delta Toronto East Hotel.
* Previous annual events can be viewed elsewhere via the Wizard site.
Both the 2007 and 2008 events at the Sheraton Fallsview Hotel in Niagara Falls, Ontario were made into slide-show disks. However no similar disk was made for the 2009 event. Consequently the pictures shown here are being viewed for the first time.

The first set of pictures simply shows the Hospitality room that was used for the Friday evening "Welcoming Reception".

More pictures will follow in future posts.

Wizard Variations

2010-02-01T16:36:00.000-08:00

There are dozens of varaiations of "Wizard". Several of them are described on the Wizard site at www.wizardcards.com. (Find them by looking under "Bulletin Boards") Many of them are excellent and you are encouraged to play with whatever variation "floats your boat". However for online play and live tournaments a definite standard had to be established.
The 2 basic options for online play are regular "Wizard" and "Wizard Junior".
You can also select to play a 'quick' game which abbreviates the number of hands dealt and results in a shorter game. In regular Wizard you also have the option of CR (Canadian Rule) on or off. If CR is "on" the dealer, if leading in score, cannot bid so as to make the bids even unless he does so by bidding zero.
A true variation is also available when playing regular "Wizard" online. You can select to play, "Wizard Maximus". In this variation only 5 hands are dealt. In each hand all 60 of the cards are dealt out. The trump suit for the 5 hands in sequence are, Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, Spades and No Trump.

Wizard Junior

2010-02-01T09:37:00.000-08:00

The cards shown are the cards in the Wizard Junior deck sold in retail stores.

The suits are Star, Moon, Planet and Sun.

The Wizard, Jester and back of the card are also illustrated.

Wizard Junior Graphics

2010-01-31T15:28:00.000-08:00

The back of the card and the Jester and the Wizard card graphics are shown .

There are 2 Wizards and 2 Jesters in the Wizard Junior deck.

WIZARD JUNIOR

2010-01-30T14:03:00.000-08:00

Wizard Junior

The 4 color-coded suits are shown .

The cards are numbered from 1-8 making 32 suited cards plus 2 Wizard and 2 Jesters for a total of 36 cards in the deck.

Wizard Junior is a simplified version of the regular Wizard Card Game.

History of Wizard Junior:

Why did Wizard Junior become a reality so late in the day? I never saw any need for a Junior version of Wizard because I always believed the game was simple enough in concept to be learned and played by players aged 7 and up. My experience with youngsters tells me that 7 year-olds can learn and play chess so they can certainly play Wizard. What then was the motivation for the introduction of the Junior version? The most frustrating part of our effort to market Wizard has been our failure to interest the Major USA chains...Wal-Mart, Target, Toys 'R Us, etc. There are many reasons for this which I will not attempt to explain here. The creation of Wizard Junior rests with one particular incident. One of the big US chains buyers said that "Wizard" was not a family game. It was too sophisticated for younger family members and suggested we needed something with bright colors, simple graphics with more family appeal. I never did agree with this analysis but if a simpler, friendlier, less expensive version of Wizard would get us into a major chain then I was prepared to give it to them. Hence Wizard Junior was created. "US Games System" and I did not agree on the graphics that were required to market the Junior Game. "US Games Systems" had the final say on this issue because they pay for the production run and market the game. If you have a copy of the Junior version you can compare the graphics with those used on the Wizard site and reach your own conclusion. Unfortunately the chain still did not take on the Junior version and sales have been slow. However, actual play of the Junior game by new, young players was very positive. I had always felt that we needed to offer young players of UNO a more sophisticated game as they matured and Wizard Junior introduces concepts such as TRICK and TRUMP in a simple yet enjoyable format. Consequently it was in an attempt to raise the public profile of the Junior version that it was programmed for online play. However for the online version I chose to use the graphics that I had preferred for the original retail version as the default cards. The Junior version is what it is. I see it as a valuable tool to introduce young players to new card-playing concepts that they have not experienced in card games such as FISH and UNO. I would expect that the time lag between learning Wizard Junior and graduating to the Regular version would be a short one.

German World Wizard Tournament

2010-01-23T07:23:00.000-08:00

Wizard World Championship

The World Wizard Tournament for 2010 will be held in Germany on October 2, 2010.

The event will be held at the Burg Frankenstein, near Darmstadt.

* Information on how to enter the tournaments which could win you a free trip to participate in the finals is available at: www.wizardcards.com or by e-mailing kfisher@bellnet.ca

2 of Spades

2010-01-22T12:32:00.000-08:00

Bampfylde Moore Carew

Bampfylde Moore Carew was an English rogue, vagabond and imposter, who claimed to be "King of the Beggars". Carew claimed to be a master of disguise. He masqueraded as a shipwrecked sailor (a popular way to claim alms), a clergyman, a rat-catcher and then as a woman whose daughter had been killed in a fire, (another staple of fraudulent beggars). He escaped being pressed to serve in the Navy by pricking his hands and face, and rubbing in bay salt and gunpowder, so as to simulate smallpox.

2 of Hearts

2010-01-22T12:30:00.000-08:00

Diogenes

Diogenes. a beggar who made his home in the streets of Athens, made a virtue of extreme poverty. He is said to have lived in a large tub, rather than a house, and to have walked through the streets carrying a lamp in the daytime, claiming to be looking for an honest man. He eventually settled in Corinth where he continued to pursue the Cynic ideal of self-sufficiency: a life which was natural and not dependent upon the luxuries of civilization. Believing that virtue was better revealed in action and not theory, his life was a relentless campaign to debunk the social values and institutions of what he saw as a corrupt society.

2 of Diamonds

2010-01-22T12:27:00.000-08:00

Lazarus

In the Gospel of Luke 16:19–31, Jesus tells of one Lazarus, a beggar who lay outside the gate of a rich man, who dressed in fine clothing and dined sumptuously every day, but gave nothing to Lazarus. Both men died, and the beggar received his reward in the Hereafter, in Abraham's bosom at the everlasting banquet, while the rich man craved a drop of water from Lazarus' finger to cool his tongue, as he was tormented with fire.

The Hermit (Beggar)

2010-01-22T12:21:00.000-08:00

2 of Clubs
Nell Trent

Little Nell is the main character in “The Old Curiosity Shop”. She lives with her ailing grandfather in a run down London antiques shop, unaware that her grandfather has a ruinous gambling addiction that has left them nearly penniless. Her grandfather suffers a breakdown that leaves him bereft of his wits, and Nell takes him away to the Midlands of England, to live as beggars.She gradually becomes weaker throughout the journey, and although she finds a home with the help of the schoolmaster, she does not recover and dies before her friends in London find her.

3 of Spades

2010-01-22T11:29:00.001-08:00

Joss Fritz

In the early 1500’s, there emerged a new peasant leader named Joss Fritz. He led three separate German rebellions, each of which were quite large and threatening. One of the reasons he was able to gain such a large following was because he appropriated the bundschuh symbolism of the previous generation. The peasant shoe (Bundschuh = tied shoe) the peasants displayed on their flag symbolized the rising and advance of the peasants.

3 of Hearts

2010-01-22T10:16:00.000-08:00

Rasputin

Rasputin (Grigori Efimovich), a Russian peasant, claimed to hold mystical powers capable of curing every illness. Nicholas and Alexandra allowed Rasputin entry into the imperial apartments. As she sought to keep her ailing son alive, Alexandra fell under the spell of the pernicious monk. Mystical or not, Rasputin's presence transported the young Tsarevich Alexis into a stupor which stopped his profuse bleedings.

3 of Diamonds

2010-01-22T10:10:00.000-08:00

Sakura Sogoro

Sakura Sogoro was a famous Japanese peasant martyr of the mid-seventeenth century who became the archetype of self-sacrifice on behalf of the community. During the Tokugawa period his story was told in nursery rhymes, songs, stories, and plays. Sogoroy emerged as the patron saint of protest.

The Peasant

2010-01-22T10:07:00.001-08:00

3 of Clubs

Wat Tyler

Wat Tyler was the leader of the Peasants' Revolt of 1381, the first great popular rebellion in English history; his leadership proved one of the chief factors in the success of protest against the harsh taxation of the poorer classes. Tyler led the rebels in the capture of Canterbury; the Savoy palace, London Bridge and the Tower of London. Although King Richard II promised concessions Tyler's men refused to disarm and disband. They met with Richard at Smithfield, where Tyler presented more radical demands, which included the confiscation of all church lands. Fighting broke out in the course of the negotiations, and Tyler was badly wounded. His followers carried him to St. Bartholomew's Hospital, from which he was later dragged away and beheaded. After Tyler's death the government quickly reasserted its authority and ended the rebellion.

4 of Spades

2010-01-21T12:43:00.000-08:00

James Small

James Small, in the Scottish ‘Borders’, scientifically developed the plow. He focused on the wooden moldboard profile that he later produced in cast iron. The principles of plow making that Small incorporated into his ‘Swing’ or ‘Chain Plough’ by 1765 were key to the ‘Agricultural Revolution’ and by the 1780s were widely adopted in Europe and North America.

4 of Hearts

2010-01-21T12:41:00.000-08:00

Thomas Tusser

Thomas Tusser was an English poet and farmer, best known for his instructional poem “Five Hundred Points of Good Husbandry”, and for the oft-repeated proverb, "A fool and his money are soon parted." Tusser includes a homely mix of instructions and observations about farming and country customs which offer a fascinating insight into life in England at the time.

4 of Diamonds

2010-01-21T12:38:00.000-08:00

Johnny Appleseed

Johnny Appleseed, born John Chapman, was an American pioneer nurseryman who introduced apple trees to large parts of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. He became an American legend while still alive, largely because of his kind and generous ways, his great leadership in conservation, and the symbolic importance he attributed to apples.

The Farmer

2010-01-21T12:34:00.000-08:00

4 of Clubs
Jethro Tull

Jethro Tull was one of the first scientific farmers. He realized that the usual way of sowing seeds by scattering them on the ground was wasteful. Many seeds did not take root. The seed drill, which he invented in 1701, allowed the farmers to sow seeds in well-spaced rows at specific depths. When his invention was used, a larger share of the seed germinated. As a result, crop yields increased even more.

2010-01-21T10:53:00.000-08:00

Domitian

Domitian was a Roman emperor who was particularly devoted to archery. There are many who have more than once seen him slay a hundred wild beasts of different kinds on his Alban estate, and purposely kill some of them with two successive shots in such a way that the arrows gave the effect of horns. Sometimes he would have a slave stand at a distance and hold out the palm of his right hand for a mark, with the fingers spread; then he directed his arrows with such accuracy that they passed harmlessly between the fingers.

5 of Hearts

2010-01-21T10:51:00.000-08:00

Tametomo

Tametomo was a famous samurai warrior known as a powerful archer and it is said that he once sunk an entire Taira ship with a single arrow by puncturing its hull below the waterline. It is also added in many legends that his left arm was about 6 in. longer than his right, enabling a longer draw of the arrow, and more powerful shots.

5 of Diamonds

2010-01-21T10:47:00.001-08:00

William Tell

William Tell was known as an expert marksman with the crossbow. Hermann Gessler, the newly appointed Austrian mayor of Altdorf, raised a pole in the village's central square, hung his hat on top of it, and demanded that all the local townsfolk bow before the hat. When Tell passed by the hat without bowing to it, he was arrested. He received the punishment of being forced to shoot an apple off the head of his son, Walter, or else both would be executed. Tell had been promised freedom if he successfully shot the apple. On 18 November 1307, Tell split the fruit with a single bolt from his crossbow.

The Archer

2010-01-21T10:36:00.000-08:00

5 of Clubs

Robin Hood

Robin Hood is a hero in English folklore, a highly skilled archer, marksman, swordsman, and outlaw. In particular, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor," assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Robin and many of his men wore Lincoln green clothes.

6 of Spades

2010-01-21T09:28:00.000-08:00

Celebrimbor

Celebrimbor is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. His name means "silver fist" or "Hand of silver". In Tolkien's stories, Celebrimbor plays an important role as the maker of the Rings of Power. Under the guidance of the Dark Lord Sauron, Celebrimbor led the smiths of Eregion in making 19 Great rings for the Elves, though seven would later be given to the Dwarves and nine to Men. But secretly, without Sauron's knowledge, Celebrimbor created the 3 Rings of the Elves, the greatest and fairest of the Rings of Power. These rings were thus free of Sauron's corrupting influence. Celebrimbor named the rings Vilya, Narya, and Nenya after the principal Middle-earth elements of air, fire, and water, respectively.

6 of Hearts

2010-01-21T09:26:00.001-08:00

Masamune

Masamune is widely recognized as Japan's greatest swordsmith. As no exact dates are known for Masamune's life, he has reached an almost legendary status. It is generally agreed that he made most of his swords in the late 13th and early 14th centuries, 1288–1328. He created swords, known as tachi in Japanese and daggers called tantō, in the Soshu tradition

6 of Diamonds

2010-01-21T09:20:00.000-08:00

William "Will" Turner, Jr.

Will Turner is a blacksmith character in, “Pirates of the Caribbean”. Will is a blacksmith's apprentice working in Port Royal. He is in love with the governor's daughter, Elizabeth Swann although he is a member of a lower social class. Will is an exceptional swordsman, although he lacks actual combat experience compared to other duelists. Although mild mannered, Will is brave, as seen when he confronts Captain Jack Sparrow in a sword fight.

The Blacksmith:

2010-01-21T09:17:00.000-08:00

6 of Clubs
WIELAND

Wieland, the famous smith of Scandinavian fable, is known as,“the divine blacksmith”. He and Amilias had a contest of skill in their handicraft. Wieland's sword cleft his rival down to the thighs; but so sharp was the sword, that Amilias was not aware of the cut till he attempted to stir, when he divided into two pieces. This sword was named Balmung. Wieland made 2 famous swords: “Flamberge”, for Maugis; and “Balmung”, for Siegfried.

7 of Spades

2010-01-21T08:08:00.000-08:00

William Caxton

William Caxton was an English merchant, diplomat, writer and printer. As far as is known, he was the first English person to work as a printer and the first to introduce a printing press into England. He was also the first English retailer of printed books (his London contemporaries were all Dutch, German or French).

7 of Hearts

2010-01-21T07:56:00.000-08:00

Niccolo de' Conti

Niccolò de' Conti was a Venetian merchant and explorer,who traveled to India and Southeast Asia, and possibly to Southern China, during the early 15th century. After the return of the Polos, there is no record of Italian traders returning from China until the return of Niccolò de' Conti by sea in 1439. Niccolò departed from Venice about 1419 and established himself in Damascus, Syria, where he studied Arabic. Over a period of 25 years, he traveled as a Muslim merchant to numerous places in Asia. His familiarity with the languages and cultures of the Islamic world allowed him to travel to many places, on board ships owned by Islamic merchants.

7 of Diamonds

2010-01-21T07:50:00.000-08:00

Antonio: The Merchant of Venice

Antonio is the title character in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. When Bassanio asks him for money to impress Portia, Antonio wants to give it to him but cannot because all of his money is tied up in goods that are being transported by ship to ports where they will be sold. Out of kindness to Bassanio, he agrees to secure any loan Bassanio might get in the marketplace. Bassanio requests that loan from Shylock, a moneylender with whom Antonio is not on the best of terms.

The Merchant:

2010-01-21T07:47:00.000-08:00

Marco Polo : 7 of Clubs

Marco Polo was a merchant from the Venetian Republic who wrote “Il Milione”, which introduced Europeans to Central Asia and China. He learned about trading whilst his father and uncle, Niccolo and Maffeo, travelled through Asia and met Kublai Khan. In 1269, they returned to Venice to meet Marco for the first time. The three of them embarked on an epic journey to Asia, returning after 24 years to find Venice at war with Genoa; Marco was imprisoned, and dictated his stories to a cellmate. He was released in 1299, became a wealthy merchant, married and had 3 children. He died in 1324, and was buried in San Lorenzo.

The 8 of Spades

2010-01-20T16:30:00.001-08:00

John Milton

His masterpiece, “Paradise Lost” is considered by some to be the greatest English-language epic poem. He also wrote English and Italian sonnets and political pamphlets. On becoming totally blind he worked through secretaries.

8 of Hearts

2010-01-20T15:36:00.000-08:00

William Wordsworth

A leader of the English Romantic movement, known for his worship of nature and humanitarianism. Wordsworth's magnum opus is generally considered to be “The Prelude”, a semiautobiographical poem of his early years which the poet revised and expanded a number of times. Wordsworth was England's Poet Laureate from 1843 until his death in 1850.

2010-01-20T15:30:00.000-08:00

8 of Diamonds

Robert Burns

Scottish poet best known for his descriptive, humorous, playful poems in conversational rhythms about rural Scotland, including, “Auld Lang Syne, “Comin’ Thru the Rye” and, “Flow Gently Sweet Afton”.

The BARD

2010-01-20T15:26:00.000-08:00

The Eight of Clubs

The Bard
Shakespeare
Considered the greatest writer in the English language. Wrote comedies, histories, tragedies as well as 154 sonnets and 2 heroic narratives. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon".

9 of Spades

2010-01-20T12:43:00.000-08:00

Rousseau

Jean Jacques Rousseau in his political thought went beyond economic liberalism to recognize the role of the general will of the people. His philosophy of education with its freely accepted “contract” between teacher and pupils inspired modern educational theory. He is known as the father of romantic sensibility in his longing for closeness with nature.

9 of Hearts

2010-01-20T12:41:00.000-08:00

Buddha

Buddha was an Indian philosopher who renounced his wealthy heritage to lead an ascetic life. He taught for 45 years and founded monastic orders. His teachings offered a prescription to cure suffering. He considered everything to be impermanent and preached rigorous disciplines for overcoming dependency. His Buddhist movement played a central role in the entire Eastern world.