WIZARD in  2021

What can you look forward to in the year 2021?

1. The first enhanced version of "Wizard" in 35 years is anticipated. It has been created for players who seek a more challenging and strategic experience. The deck has been kept to 60 cards by eliminating the 'twos' from each suit and adding 4 special cards. 

2. Victor is programming Wizard apps for both Android and Apple devices.

3. Several enhancements have been suggested to improve the gaming experience on the Wizard site. 
We hope to add the best ideas to the site.

4. The World Tournament in Barcelona, Spain will be revived. Players from both the USA and Canada will be represented.

5. We anticipate an ever-increasing base of players including many from outside North America.

6. Under consideration is a live invitational tournament restricted to an elite group of the best players.

Tournament Summary for 2020 Players who have been in the final round of at least 3 tournaments or who have won at least 2 tournaments. Aniram..........USA....14T - 6 Finals - 0 wins blcross99.......CAN....12T - 4 Finals - 2 wins carlas963.......SPAIN..13 T - 4 Finals - 2 wins Debi..............CAN.....20 T - 4 Finals - 0 wins ELVELUS........SPAIN...6 T - 3 Finals - 0 wins epidendrum....USA.....10 T - 3 Finals - 0 wins JMB5779.........USA....14 T - 5 Finals -2 wins Mactonight......CAN ...16 T - 7 Finals - 2 wins magicgirl.........CAN....16 T - 5 Finals - 2 wins merlin.............CAN.....9 T - 3 Finals - 1 win mphenix..........CAN....16 T - 7 Finals - 1 win mumm0..........CAN ....19 T - 2 Finals -2 wins rosyroks..........USA....19 T - 4 Finals - 0 wins The_Wiz..........USA....16 T - 5 Finals - 0 wins tuokool...........USA.....9 T - 3 Finals - 0 wins verona............USA....18 T -5 Finals - 3 wins wert................CAN.....19 T - 5 Finals - 0 wins XAriesGirlX......N.Z......10 T - 6 Finals - 1 win Notes 1. Verona has the most wins with 3. 2. 18 players are listed: 8 CAN, 7 USA, 2 SPAIN, 1 NZ 3. Mummo has best record in finals. 2 for 2 4. XAriesGirlX has best record for reaching finals. 6 for 10 (60%)

 

SPECIAL TOURNAMENT JULY 30

SPECIAL TOURNAMENT  JULY 30...

Thirty-eight (38) active players participated in the July 30, 2020, GenCon Tournament.

There would have been even more but a number of players were hesitant to provide Credit Card data required for the $2 admission fee.
Nineteen (19) of the players had not participated in any earlier Wizard 2020 tournaments.
Kudos to aniram and verona!

Please add a location to your profile. Location need only be a country, i.e. Mexico, USA, Canada, New Zealand. Location is required for ANY tournament play.

TOURNAMENT RESULTS AUGUST 1, 2020.

Two-Game total points.

1. carles963.........480....$200 US

2. wihdt007..........480....$100 US

3. mphenix..........380.....$50 US

4. momo31..........370

5. rosyroks...........360

6. mactonight2.....340

 

Review of Wizard Cards Live app

Wizard Cards Live app

Click on Link

https://gameskeys.net/hidden-gems-top-card-games-to-play/

Wizard Review

Wizard Review


Click on link

Book of Fane

German Rules for Wizard

GERMAN Rules for Wizard

Boardgamegeek

Click on the link to visit WIZARD on Boardgamegeek

Wizard on Boardgamegeek

Marko Sapiano Interview

Mactonight (old interview)


Click on link below

Mactonight 

Stuart Kaplan Interview

An old video interview with Stuart Kaplan of "US Games Systems".


Start Kaplan Interview

Excerpt from a longer email.

Part of a longer email is copied below:

During my visit, Cyndee and Harold toured me around the Villages.  What an awesome place, where golf cart trails

allow access to the FIFTY plus golf courses, and the many Village restaurants and grocery stores. Live music
EVERY night at the Plazas and THOUSANDS of activities. Fun to learn about the 3 types of Village residents.
 The snowbirds, the snowflakes, and the frogs.   The snowbirds stay during the winter, the snowflakes come-and-go,
(may return home for the holidays or to enjoy the snow, coming and going as they please,) and the frogs are there
 until they CROAK !  Love the humor.

Tom, it is a testament to Wizard and to the hard work of The Villages Wizard Tournament Committee Members,
 that with over 3100 activities competing for Village resident time, you all have made The Villages Wizard
get-togethers an ongoing success.

https://www.thevillages.com/recreation/  

I love the social aspect of Wizard.  It is a great way to connect, and we all need more face-to-face time.

Now that our minds can't help but focus on "what is latest coronavirus update?," saga,  please consider spreading
 the word about playing wizard online to Village residents as an addition and/or as an alternative to face-to-face
 Wizard Cards fun.

The inventor of Wizard, Ken Fisher, has released a 2020 online web-based wizard game.  One can play wizard
on an iPad, a Mac, a Chromebook, or any Windows based PC.  Once one registers, you can find yourself
playing with anyone from anywhere in the world.  Fun having a Canadian, Greek or New Zealander,
or especially, the INVENTOR of Wizard Cards, player name WIZARD, on your table!  Anyone can host a game.

Tom, I would be delighted to help walk you through the online Wizard Cards site.  It is free to register and free to play.
 I live in Austin, TX and have family that lives in New York, Ohio, and Dallas, TX.  Frequently, we connect playing
Wizard online.  Yes, grandparents playing with their children and grandchildren across the nation.  Fun !!

BIDDING TIPS

Bidding Suggestions

Wizard Card Game 101

WIZARD CARD GAME Video Presentation

Wizard Card Game 101 Part 1

TRICKS & TRUMP. Part 1

Wizard Card Game 101 Part 2


Wizard Card Game 101 Part 3

FEBRUARY 2020 TOP 10

1. wihdt007 …PTS: 165 (1) .S.R.=1.09 (1) ..PTS+S.R.: 2 …..GMS=151 ….W.P.=31.13 ….1st=47
2. Mphenix….PTS: 110 (2) .S.R.=0.99 (4) …PTS+S.R.: 6 …..GMS=111…. W.P.=40.54…. 1st=45
3. verona ……PTS: 71 (3)..S.R.=0.88 (5)…. PTS+S.R.: 8 ……GMS=81…… W.P.=35.8… 1st=29
4. kbmcdev …PTS: 70 (4) ..S.R.=0.65 (6)…. PTS+S.R.: 10 .GMS=108 …W.P.=25 ……..1st=27
5. XAriesGirlX PTS: 66 (5)S.R.=1.03 (2) …PTS+S.R.: 7 …….GMS=64… W.P.=26.56 ..1st=17
6. ncenigma .PTS: 34 (6) …S.R.=0.37 (7) ….PTS+S.R.: 13 ….GMS=93 …W.P.=27.96….1st=26
7. wizard …PTS: 31 (7) ….S.R.=1 (3) …….PTS+S.R.: 10 ….GMS=31….. W.P.=48.39….. 1st=15
8. tuokool …PTS: 9 (8) ….S.R.=0.11 (8) …PTS+S.R.: 16… GMS=79…. W.P.=21.52…… 1st=17
9. The_Wiz…PTS: 4 (9) …S.R.=0.04 (9) …PTS+S.R.: 18 ..GMS=97 ….W.P.=22.68 ……1st=22
10. Rwbhab…PTS: -15 (10) S.R.=-0.31 (10) …PTS+S.R.: 20.. GMS=48 ..W.P.=25…… 1st=12
11. rickster …PTS: -18 (11) .S.R.=-0.45 (12) …PTS+S.R.: 23 ..GMS=40 ..W.P.=25 …..1st=10
12. Mactonight.PTS: -20 (12)S.R.=-0.63 (18) …PTS+S.R.: 30 ..GMS=32 ..W.P.=18.75 1st=6
13. wiggins …PTS: -22 (13).S.R.=-0.54 (17) …PTS+S.R.: 30.. GMS=41 ..W.P.=17.07….1st=7
14. Mudd ….PTS: -24 (14) .S.R.=-0.45 (13) ….PTS+S.R.: 27.. GMS=53 ..W.P.=15.09… 1st=8
15. trapizoid …PTS: -29 (15).S.R.=-0.85 (19) .PTS+S.R.: 34… GMS=34 ..W.P.=11.76 …1st=4
16. mumm01 …PTS: -36 (16) .S.R.=-0.51 (16) PTS+S.R.: 32 …GMS=71.. W.P.=21.13 .1st=15
17. bbandit …PTS: -37 (17) …S.R.=-1.23 (22) PTS+S.R.: 39.. GMS=30 ..W.P.=13.33 …..1st=4
18. taurus …PTS: -38 (18) …S.R.=-0.51 (15) PTS+S.R.: 33 ..GMS=75 ..W.P.=10.67 …..1st=8
19. Lt Too Tall .PTS: -39 (19) .S.R.=-0.89 (21) PTS+S.R.: 40 ..GMS=44 ..W.P.=9.09 …1st=4
20. Montana .PTS: -47 (20)…S.R.=-0.85 (20).PTS+S.R.: 40 ..GMS=55 ..W.P.=12.73… 1st=7
21. wert …PTS: -51 (21) …S.R.=-0.48 (14)…PTS+S.R.: 35… GMS=107. W.P.=14.95.. 1st=16
22. magicgirl ….PTS: -60 (22) S.R.=-0.43 (11) PTS+S.R.: 33…GMS=138 ..W.P.=17.39.. 1st=24

NAME……….PTS…….MP
1. wihdt007......165……..30
2. mphenix.......110………27
3. verona............71………24
4. kbmcdev........70……….21
5. XAriesGirlX......66…..18
6. Ncenigma........34……15
7. wizard.............31…….12
8. tuokool............9………09
9. The_Wiz…….....4……06
10. rwbhab….....-15…….03

Winning Percentage: Wins/Games=WP
30-74 gms....wizard....15/31=48.39……5 MP
75-99 gms....verona....29/81=35.8 ……0 MP
100+ gms....mphenix....45/81=40.54…10 MP

Copy of letter to Stuart Kaplan

Hi Stuart!

Thought I would bring you up to date on what's happening regarding Wizard in Ecuador. First of all, Wizard is alive and well in Salinas ,Ecuador!

I can't hardly believe it myself on how people love the game.Last year we taught 38 but many were just visitors and didn't return to Salinas this year. The 8 or so expats that live here did continue to meet every Monday night at homes to continue to play.

Last year we had rented a condo that we would have 8-12 in our home to play Wizard. We had table space to accommodate people playing the game. This year our rental didn't have any tables , only a long bar that had six stools. We can move the chairs around at the end to facilitate playing a 4 handed game of Wizard, Howard said he couldn't believe we  rented a place without tables to play Wizard! I said that it has everything else we need and we will play Wizard elsewhere!

When we arrived in Salinas  December 26,2019 ,we could not check into our condo until January 15, 2020. We stayed with friends until Jan 3 and then moved to a temporary place until we could check in.

While staying with our friends , Mike and Char Russell.,we started playing Wizard in their home. They live here part time and the other 6 months in Montgomery , Alabama.They had purchased 2 games to bring to Ecuador. We brought 3 games set up in bags with coins anticipating playing with a group as well as smaller groups of friends.

We played games every day and invited others in to learn to play. By the time we moved out,we had enough people that knew the game to come back and play with an organized game in their rec room.We had 16 the first get together. We were still teaching people to play.Then we moved to a room at a place called Camping Beach because it had air conditioning.It was a restaurant / hostel. We played there two Mondays with 12-16 playing.

Some didn't like that location so we moved to a restaurant called Sogales .There we were able to have lunch and play Wizard the rest of the afternoon with 12-16 in their clean air conditioned restaurant.

Then Carnival arrived and the celebration is huge in Salinas.The restaurant could not accommodate us during this busy time.So I organized a tournament in our condominium , the Alamar. They had never played games or cards of any kind in this room. They used it for association meetings and movies. I had to order chairs and tables to be brought in for our tournament.

After the first week, we had charged an entry fee of a dollar for anyone that wanted to compete. Howard and I won first and second each week and someone else would win third. I was embarrassed to take their money each week so I surprised everyone with using our  winnings from those games to put on the tournament.

We arranged for lunches  to be purchased and doughnuts for dessert! Fruit and candy were available.We charged a $3 entry fee with all of the money to be used as 6 cash prizes. 18 signed up to attend.

Mind you this is one of the busiest days of Carnival. Salinas is so busy that some gringos and expats leave town because the traffic and influx of visitors to the beach is crazy. The traffic is bumper to bumper on the Malecon which separates the Alamar from the beach. People buy bottles of spray foam to squirt each other as they walk down the Malecon. Water is thrown from backs of trucks to unsuspecting passer bys. A lot of residents ( especially gringos and expats) never leave their condo during this time because of the crowds and they don't want to be sprayed.Many move out of town to escape .

So the night before the tournament , we get a terrible rain. The streets are flooded that morning and the Malecon is even blocked off for a time.i am wondering how many will bail before the tournament because of this additional problem. But everyone finds a way to get here! Amazing!

I dedicated this tournament to memory of Olle ( Judy's husband)  who   passed away February 5. I put his famous sayings on the wall and spoke about how he had attended the Wizard tournament in Amsterdam. I talked about his love of Wizard which brought us all to be such good friends.It was my personal celebration of his life .

I told them how this would be an annual event as long as I was coming to Ecuador. I spoke of how you had said one day you might sponsor someone coming from Ecuador for the world championships.

A couple of permanent residents  , Sandy and Gary Cole, said they would like to have the next two Monday games at their condo on the beach.They are big game players and had purchased games shortly after learning it in January. Brenda  Hall Davidson had made a trip back to the states and ordered the games through Amazon to mule back here. I hope they will continue to play after we leave on March 15. Many have asked if they can have our games when we leave. I think we will give them to the Coles so they can accommodate a lot of people when they play in their condo.They accommodate 24 people for Mexican train now once a week. They only need three tables for that. We prefer the Wizard game at tables of four so they said they may purchase additional tables to accommodate Wizard play. They have sponsored Train for two years so I know they will probably be in for hosting Wizard for the long haul. They are great hosts and enjoy entertaining.

So now you know the whole story....I wanted to document how Wizard was started in Salinas because it is definitely a hot new game here,I will research the two big grocery chains here to see if they are willing to stock the game.There is a great demand now for the game. SuperMaxi and Hypermart carry everything so that is a good place to pick up a game. I will get their contact info for you if they are interested.

We live and breath Wizard here. There are two Facebook groups that carry news about the community and I have promoted the game every week while we are here. When we meet someone new they often say, " aren't you the one sponsoring the Wizard games?" I am also known as the Wizard queen because Howard and I win every week.And yes, I won the tournament. Howard was not feeling well and had an off day.

So what do you think about all this! Some story, right? Thank you for your interest and support!

We are so sorry to lose our good friend , Olle . You know what a fun loving ,positive person he was. But if it wasn't for Wizard, our paths may never have crossed. We thank you for promoting our favorite game.

I will stay in touch about who you can approach about marketing your game in this area. By the way, we have a few Ecuadorians joining us in playing the game.  Mostly it is expats and gringos.

Your Wizard maniacs,
Diana  and Howard Hohman

Stopping a Game

Stopping a Game in Progress

Question: In the old version, we often close the host during a game, and create a new host to allow other players to join (rehost). When we close the host this way, no point was counted.
How do we do that with this new version?"

Answer: The game host has 2 options for a game that is not started yet... a.) have everyone log out and click the Refresh button to remove the old host or b.) click the Remove Old Host button to clean out a game that is not already started.
If a game is already started then all players need to log out of the game before the host can clean it out. If everyone quits the game will not continue and no points will be awarded.

Canadian Rule

Canadian Rule
Nobody ever played the CR so I am changing it to:

On the final hand of the game, if the dealer (last to bid) is clearly in the lead (not tied) then he/she cannot bid to make it an “even bid” unless he/she does so by bidding zero.

I have asked Victor if he can have the CR box prechecked so that unless the host unchecks it the CR will be "On". Notice that the CR rarely applies because the dealer must have a clear lead on the final hand of the game. Even then he can still bid EVEN if he/she bids Zero.

I would make this part of the standard game but it would involve a reprint of the rules for the retail version of the game. I intend to have it as a standard for our Tournament names.

P.S. No decision has been made regarding (a) Maintaining the world ranking records (b) How the monthly Top-Ten scores are to be calculated.

WORLD RANKINGS

WORLD RANKINGS
Question: Should a new beginning be made for the 2020 program.? The current standings would be grandfathered.
Why start anew or why simply continue?
NO. Continue on with the present ranking system.
-  The rules of the game have not changed so why changed the ranking system?
YES. Start a new ranking system
- It is hoped that we will rebuild the online player base. To be fair to the anticipated new online players a new beginning should be started with all players starting with zero Master Points.

There is no need for an immediate decision so please provide your choice on the new poll on the home page. Arguments can be presented by e-mail or directly on the home page or on this blog site