The stage is set for an epic power play at a nationwide championship, and there’s more to it than just the game
A moment from the May 2024 edition; (right) the game pits players against each other in political scenarios. Pic Courtesy/Instagram
In an era of screen domination and online gaming, board games are witnessing a stiff challenge when it comes to leisurely activities. But there is a gradual change in the gaming landscape and SHASN, a key player, is taking a step in the right direction by hosting a championship. Created by Zain Memon in Goa in July 2019, and conceptualised as a political strategy game for a team of two to five players, it requires players to navigate the tough terrains of politics and ethics to influence voters to win the election, which is the final stage of the game.
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This year, the platform is calling players from Delhi, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Pune, Bengaluru and other cities to participate in an ultimate battle for a cash prize of R1 lakh. “It is like the biggest tabletop community coming together,” Memon tells us. With people from across India participating in it, the traction behind the game has increased manifold.
Zain Memon
This weekend, the event is segregated into multiple rounds, where the organisers also have a system to rank participants. “Since it’s a board game of four to five players, and there’s just one winner, others tend to lose interest along the way. That is why we have introduced Elo rating in this championship. Every player, whether amateur or pro, will be assessed and given a rating according to their game. The highest rated players will get special invites to the events that we have planned out for the whole year,” Memon explains. Elo rating is a system to measure relative skills in zero-sum games where after every game the winner takes a point from the loser and the difference between their ratings determines the total number of points gained.
The SHASN championship is also going the sustainability way this year with their ‘zero-waste’ initiative. “Catering to a large audience means a sizable carbon footprint. We’ve also partnered with venues that already have our sets to ensure no use of paper and no shipping of game boxes. Players are also encouraged to bring their copies of the game,” Sakshi Shivpuri, community manager for the team, informed us.
ON November 10, 1.30 pm
AT Pair A Dice, Mhada Colony, Andheri West.
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