Settlers is one of the newer games being played at the Mind Sports Olympiad. Whereas games like Go & Chess have been played for centuries, Settlers was only invented in 1995. Despite its youth, it has become a success story around the world and is immensely popular.
The game was designed by Klaus Teuber and originally published in German with the name "Die Siedler von Catan" by Kosmos. It was an instant hit, and won the "Spiel Des Jahres" or "Game of the Year" later that year. Its popularity grew, and an English version was soon brought out, along with various different variants to the game. Various tournaments have sprung up around the UK and elsewhere, with an ever increasing number of players.
As you might expect from the name, the game is all about settling the island of Catan, an island built by the random placement of 19 hexagonal tiles. Each produces one of 5 different commodities, brick, wood, sheep, ore & wheat, and each of which has a number from 2 to 12. When that number is rolled on 2 dice then the hex produces that commodity for the player(s) working it.
Of course, you're unlikely to roll the right numbers to produce the commodities you are after, so you have the opportunity to trade with the other players to gain resources, or with the bank, if they don't have what you're looking for (or won't part with it). Having got the resources you're looking for you can then build up your settlements before passing the dice on.
Most games of Settlers will take around an hour & a quarter, and there will be 5 games in the Mind Sports Olympiad tournament: two before & three after lunch. New players to the game are very welcome and this year there is a beginners tournament specifically for them. Settlers is an easy game to learn and we will be happy to teach the rules to any new players prior to starting the tournament.
For the first time this year, the Mind Sports Olympiad will feature a European qualifier tournament. There has been a European Settlers championship for a number of years now. The UK will have a heat of this for the first time in 2001 at the Mind Sports Olympiad. The event will be run over 3 rounds of normal Settlers with the top players after that going into a Seafarers playoff game. The top 2 players at the end of the day qualify for the finals in Germany in October.
If you have any queries about the event, then please feel free to contact the tournament organiser, Mark Stretch, postally at 34, Dart Drive, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 7XX, by phone at +44 1235 519 720, by e-mail, or visit the MSO website at http://www.msoworld.com/.
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