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I have created this blog specifically targeted at those new to the hobby. So if you are new to the hobby, I encourage you subscribe! My name is Andrew Knaack and I am the president of the Board Game Club at University of California, San Diego, located on the beautiful beaches of La Jolla, CA, USA. Nearly everyone from the club was new to designer games, so I wanted a friendly voice that welcomes them into the hobby. Happy Gaming!

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Love is in the Air! What games brought your significant other into the hobby?

Posted by Andrew Knaack

11 Feb 2011

Andrew Knaack

(hev13)

United States
La Jolla
California

Hi Everyone!
With Valentine's Day coming up, it is obvious that love is in the air. As this blog is aimed at those new to the hobby, let us talk about the people we have brought into the hobby that matter the most to us.

Well it has happened, I found someone that will take me for the geek I am. The beautiful Ms. Tiffany Nguyen and I have now being going out for almost a year now. It took me a little bit to work up the courage to introduce her into my hidden hobby. When I finally got the nerve, I got games that I specifically thought would appeal to her including Hey, That's My Fish! (since her favorite animal is the penguin). Yet, it seemed like she was playing games just to humor me. Then one day I saw "that look" in her eye. We were playing Ticket to Ride and I really had nothing left to do, but had extra cards and trains. I was like what the heck and blocked a route to Miami just in case she needed to go there. Then I could tell that I had just messed up her plans, but she was so emotionally invested into the game. I knew I had her. Soon after, it was all downhill for her. Tiff fell in love with games such as Qwirkle, Wits & Wagers, and R-Eco (a highly under rated and under recognized game imo). Now she is at UCLA introducing her friends to the hobby world with help from North Star Games, LLC's Wits & Wagers and Say Anything. And that is not all. Tiff is now an enabler getting me Thunderstone and The Downfall of Pompeii for Christmas (with rumors that 7 Wonders is ordered for my birthday :]). Yet, possibly best of all, she now plays Ticket to Ride online, right here on her own shiny new Board Game Geek account. Say hi if you see her in your room.

Tiffany Nguyen

(hk88)

United States
San Jose, Los Angeles
United States

Tell us your stories, how have you gotten your significant others into gaming? For those who are new to gaming, I am sure all the games that will be brought up will be great suggestions!

6 Comments

Fri Feb 11, 2011 7:25 pm

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Dominic Crapuchettes

(domcrap)

United States
Bethesda
MD

This overtext is brought to you by the abstract strategy game Battle of LITS and the number 20.

Hi Andrew. Congratulations on finding such a wonderful woman!

Hi Tiffany! I'm glad our company is helping you reach out to non-gamers at UCLA.

Cheers!
Dominic

Posted Fri Feb 11, 2011 9:23 pm
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Kearn Reif

(pescime)

United States
Howell
Michigan

I didn't and couldn't hide my inner geek. The mounds of comic book boxes are hard to disguise. I tried for a long time to get her to play games but the fantasy theme just didn't appeal to her.

I then discovered Ticket to Ride and tried it with her. I knew I had her after she challenged me to a repeat game. She now plays games with me but they are of the lighter fare. Her favorites at this time are TtR Nordic, Carcassonne and Jaipur.

Congrats on your relationship and cherish your time together.

Posted Fri Feb 11, 2011 10:14 pm
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J. Jefferson

(Jefforama)

United States
Columbus
Ohio

Ah, gaming and love, they belong together.

My S.O. is at least as geeky as I am, but her geekiness takes different forms than mine. (For example, she has seen and could probably summarize the plot of every episode of both Quantum Leap and Star Trek the Next Generation.) But it took me a while to convert her to games. Sure, she was willing to play, but it took Dominion to make her a game geek. I knew I had her when we had just played four in a row and she was asking for a fifth.

Posted Fri Feb 11, 2011 11:00 pm
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(Armatige)

Australia

My better 3/4 and I have been together for 10 years this March...we have only been married for 2 of those years this March. For us our first board game was...hmm....Magic The Gathering I think. Yea, it was.

We played a few games and enjoyed it (I already loved it have played it since release). Then I pushed the boundaries a bit...I got Runbound 2nd edition...she loved it.

Now we play Warhammer: Invasion, Thunderstone and Carcassonne. We do not play often due to study and work but we do play often