The short list and recommended games for the German Game of the Year award (Spiel des Jahres) were announced earlier today.

 Spiel des Jahres

• Camel Up
• Concept
• Splendor

Kennerspiel des Jahres

• Concordia
• Istanbul
• Rococo

Kinderspiel des Jahres

• Flizz & Miez
• Geister, Geister, Schatzsuchmeister
• Richard Ritterschlag

For the full list of games: http://www.spieldesjahres.de/cms/front_content.php?idart=1365

So – a few weeks ago, I tried to predict the lists (with a small restriction…) – how did I do?

For Spiel des Jahres, the game that I thought would win (Sanssouci) didn’t even make the full list. But at least it is on the recommended list. The other two games on my shortlist were Splendor and Coal Baron. Splendor is in fact one of the nominees, and given that it is the only game on my initial list that made the real list, it’s currently my pick for the prize (though, I reserve the right to reconsider this now that I know what the competition is). Coal Baron gets no love from the jury at all.

For the Kennerspiel, I thought that Rokoko would win, and it is in fact on the list. My other two choices were Russian Railroads and Amerigo – both of these games made the recommended list at least… I honestly did not think that the other two actual shortlist games (Concordia/Istanbul) would make the list at all, so my pick for this is pretty firm.

For the Kinderspiel, my list looks nothing like the actual list, and I’m going to have to abstain from choosing a winner. Why? Well, my brother’s game was nominated for the award – I had actually thought that it would be on the short list for the Spiel des Jahres though, not the Kinderspiel. So, given that I have a family member in the race, it’s hard to be impartial. It’s also hard to root against my brother, but I think it’s going to happen as my own game (well, game that I co-designed) was also nominated!

Time to start speculation on who will win!

I’m sure that the Opinionated Gamers will be organizing some sort of poll/contest to give you our collective thoughts on the award. (And time for me to start packing for Hamburg!)

Again – to remind you of the general timetable

• Monday 5/19/14 – the nominees are announced
• Monday 6/23/14 – announcement of the Kinderspiel des Jahres (in Hamburg)
• Monday 7/14/14 – announcement of the Spiel des Jahres and Kennerspiel des Jahres (in Berlin)