New Orleans, Louisiana
February 25 – 28 , 1999
My wife Vonda and I attended our first Gulf Games, held this year in the Big Easy, the Crescent City, home to Greg Schloesser & Co. — New Orleans. If you haven’t heard Greg mention this event then, you should read more of your posts. Essentially though, it is an invitation only convention which brings folks from around the country to the Gulf Coast region. As I understand it, the event was patterned on the Gathering.
There was something like 15 families there. It was a terrific family atmosphere. Kids and adults, men and women all played happily together in something like a gaming Garden of Eden. It was so tranquil, I can’t remember my wife even stabbing me in the back this time (now that’s peaceful).
As has been commented on extensively, Jay Tummelson brought a selection of games from Rio Grande. It was terrific to get a preview of these great games. ChinaTOWN was definitely THE game for me. There’s a couple more I’d like to try again, and I missed Tikal & Die HANDLER.
This preview was great, but the event would have been fantastic playing 10 year old games. Why? Because of the fantastic organization brought to Gulf Games by Greg, his lovely wife Gail and Ted Chetham. I am sure more was done by others, but these guys deserve recognition for work above and beyond the call. There were packets of puzzles, round-the-clock supplies of snacks, more literature on New Orleans than you could acquire at the convention bureau, great tournaments, wonderful dinners, and a clever prize system involving Mardi Gras beads (but no frontal nudity — although Rio Grande Jay is stacked)!
Can you do better than playing with a group of quality people who are fierce competitors, and all while playing the games you love? I never have.
My sincere congratulations to the organizers. I recommend to my brethren on the list that you suck up to Greg and get an invite.