Risk Management

People my age usually fill their time by playing Poker or other 'grown up' games. They even make a Macho game out of it by introducing a different name (aka flavor) like "Texas Hold'em". They even make it look Cool by having a glass of bourbon and a cigar accompany their overnight. Me on the other hand I play RISK. Why you say? it brings out the child in me? Makes me feel different than the others? Well, that is pure bullshit!!! The real reason is that it is not that different than poker as you would realize below.

The gang of people who want to become players is growing by the day (sorry, it is a game of just 6 and our clan is full) and most of them are hard core Poker players (still are in fact). Now here is the catch!! The way we play Risk, or the TWIST that we use in our gameplay, is what makes the difference and renders it a more interesting game than poker. As a matter of fact, being a poker player makes you better in 'our' RISK game. The better 'Poker Face' you have the longer you would survive. I do understand that no matter how exciting I make it look you would not be able to appreciate unless you try it. Nevertheless I will briefly state OUR game rules and I'll leave it to your imagination to figure out how the game play will flow. The game flow is as follows (6 players):

1. Each player gets 18 men, country cards distribution and a Personality Card (don't show it to anyone). There are 6 personality cards: 4 WHITE cards and 2 BLACK cards.
   
   
2. All players would close their eyes, the 2 BLACK personalities only would open their eyes briefly and identify each other silently before closing their eyes again. Then everyone would be allowed to open their eyes so that the game begins. By this, only 2 players on the table know they are BLACK (hence partners) while the 4 other players do not know the other WHITE players nor do they know who the BLACK players are.
   
   
3. The aim of the game is for either BLACK or WHITE to win (using the game play detailed in the boardgame user guide manual.

Obviously the scheme is for the BLACK to impersonate himself as a WHITE using every treachery known to man in order to destroy the other WHITES. Obviously the same wicked technique would be used by the other BLACK partner assisting him. The key is to destroy all WHITES without being identified as a BLACK nor to expose your partner/partnership. Debates will heat up, lies will be abundant, promises will be broken and backstabbing would be name of the game. Weirdly enough, a certain addiction will get hold of you after your first game.

To feel Macho we name the game GODFATHER RISK and to be Cool we accompany the game with a flood of bourbon and cigar (Vodka or Sambuka or any other hard liquor would do).

Without dwelling on this subject any longer, I highly recommend that you try it sometimes. It is as fulfilling and satisfying as Poker and is a nice change.

PS: I don't hate poker nor the players. It is just that I suck in Poker.