GIPF project

The "GIPF" Project is an award-winning series of six abstract strategy games by designer Kris Burm.cite web
url=http://www.thegamesjournal.com/reviews/Gipf.shtml
title=GIPF Review
first=Mitchell
last=Thomashow
publisher=The Games Journal
accessdate=2008-08-24] The series is named after the first game, "GIPF", and the idea behind the project is that the reward for winning each of the other games in the series is to allow the winner to introduce new pieces with special powers, called "potentials", into a concurrent game of "GIPF".cite web
url=http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/11/11300.phtml
title=Review of GIPF
first=Ron
last=Blessing
publisher=RPGnet
date=2005-06-01
accessdate=2008-08-24] However, any of the games may also be played individually in the normal way, and they have attained most popularity in this form. The potentials are available in 3 separate sets, the first containing "TAMSK" potentials, the second "ZÈRTZ" and "DVONN" potentials (along with pieces to expand "ZÈRTZ" standalone games), and the third and final set containing "YINSH" and "PÜNCT" potentials, plus extra "GIPF" pieces. The publication of the third expansion set at the Essen Spiel 2006 event completed the project, and marked the partnership of Burm with Belgian game company SMART, who now publishes all the "GIPF" games. In 2007, Burm released the new game "TZAAR" to replace "TAMSK" as the second game in the "GIPF Project".

All the games take place on some form of hexagonal board, and usually the playing surface or a player's power diminishes as the game draws to an inevitable conclusion. The idea of introducing additional games that can be used to affect the outcome of the main game came from Burm's childhood, when he and his brother would "race" cars around a rug. For each turn, they would play another game, and the winner of that game would get to roll six dice to determine his car's movement, while the loser would roll just five.

As of 2005, the most popular game in the series, according to the Internet Top 100 Games List, is "DVONN", although "YINSH" gets the highest average rating from players, both on the Top 100 Games List and on BoardGameGeek. "ZÈRTZ", "DVONN", and "YINSH" have all won the Mensa Select award. [cite web
url=http://mindgames.us.mensa.org/participant/past_winners.php
title=Mind Games Past Winners (select year)
publisher=American Mensa, Ltd.
accessdate=2008-08-24]

List of games

Most of the games in the series can be played free online or against freely available computer opponents.
*"GIPF" is a game of pushing.
*"TAMSK" is a game of time. - With the release of "TZAAR" in 2007 this game will be taken out of the project/series.
*"ZÈRTZ" is a game of sacrifice.
*"DVONN" is a game of towers.
*"YINSH" is a game of flipping.
*"PÜNCT" is a game of connection.
*"TZAAR" is a game of capture and stacking. (replacing "TAMSK")

References

External links

* [http://www.gipf.com/ Official "GIPF" Project site]