Welcome to Trick-Taking Week 2024!
This is the second annual event where we here at The Opinionated Gamers spend a whole week on trick-taking games. An enormous “thank you” to Dale and the writers on this site for letting this semi-retired writer again commandeer the calendar for a whole week.
Before we turn to the 2024 festivities, I’d like to do a quick shoutout to my article last year on the recent infatuation with trick-taking. Last year, as I reintroduced our long-abandoned Tricks and Trumps series, I told the story of how trick-taking came to recent prominence. If you missed it last year, I still think it is worth a read (even if the Tricks and Trumps series was again abandoned, for a variety of reasons).
That article is one of the finest things I’ve written, because as far as I can tell, it is the closest thing we have to an accounting of the recent growth. It is from a limited point of view, and I welcome the perspectives of others, but I think it is a fair description of recent years.
Other great articles from last year include:
- 7 Trick-taking games that deserve a reprint. Since then, Green Fivura and Potato Man have either been reprinted or announced as forthcoming. But that leaves five more titles deserving a fresh take.
- An interview with David Parlett about the history of trick-taking games.
- Reviews of Cat in the Box and 9 Lives.
- An overview of the amazing art of Sai Beppu.
- Interview answers from various designers about what makes trick-taking so enduring.
But back to 2024. What’s in store this year? A couple of reviews, of course. My tale of trying to bring small batch trick-taking to the United States. A list of my top 20 trick-takers. And a history of climbing games.
I’ve given a theme to this year, which is that I’m going to celebrate the innovators. Trick-taking has moved so far forward in recent years because of innovative designs and mechancis. This year is a tribute to them.
So tune in. I’ll have the next article later tonight.
