Issue 106

Team A + B

Founded by Ben Owen 2011

23.01.17

Theme: Games

Games Through History

By Oli Gill
From around 5000BC, to modern day, games have been a
major part of our entertainment. The very first board games
had a basis of a dice, and other things.
Board games were quite popular for Egyptian Pharaohs, including a game called 'Senet'. It is believed that the amount
of luck required has a link to Egyptian 'Fate'. It was so popular that it was placed in some graves for the dangerous afterlife.
Many people think Backgammon is the longest running
board game, but it is actually not. The Royal Game Of Ur is
actually! However, 2000 years ago, it was overpowered by
Backgammon.
The first evidence of Hop-Scotch was at around 500BC.
That was around the time childrens games were being
played.
The earliest evidence of chess is found in Sassanid Persia
around 600 AD. By the year 1000, it was very well known
throughout Europe.
Then you come to 1903. The Landlord's Game. Basically an
early version of Monopoly. Invented by Lizzie Magie, one
of America's first game designers.
Fast Forward to today, you will even find board games on
Kickstarter. On managed to fulfil $80,000 in 5mins and 37
seconds!
Games have come a really long way, and who knows about
the future for them? Will they crumble? Or stay as part of
society? Who knows?
I used The Full History Of Board Games for this article.

Editorial
Hello and welcome to another
issue of Totally Tockington. The
paper written BY students FOR
students! This weeks theme is
Games. The Gill twins have written about Fifa. Gemma has written the Top 10 video Games
which includes; Minecraft and
Battlefield 4. Also Ollie has researched about the history of
games. All of these are just a
few of the great articles we have
for you this week!
Angus Duncan
Editor team B

An interview with a champion

Stephanie Taylor talked to Mike Stinchcomb, Captain of North Bristol Chess Team.
ST: Mike, what is it like to be the Captain of a chess team? Are you in charge of a lot of people?
MS: It is an exciting and rewarding experience being Captain. Our team only has 4 players in our Division, but each player is important. If one person loses their match, there is a lot of pressure on the
rest of team to win. On the day of the match you have to meet the Captain of your team who records
the names of each team member and what board they play (Board 1-4). The Captain has to decide
what board to default (not play) if one of the players does not make the match, or replace with another player if the team are lucky to have another player. The Captain has to see fair play is carried
out and solve any issues that happen during the match. At the end of the match the Captain signs
the score sheet with the results, and both teams send the results to the Bristol Chess league.
ST: Can anyone join the team? Does one have to be really good at chess to join? Does one have to be an
adult
to
be
on
your
team?
MS: Not anyone can join the team. First, each player has to achieve a standard of play, so that the
Captain would have the confidence that you have a good chance of winning a match for the board
you play. Board 1 is the highest level, and you would need to be graded more than 120. Board 4
would be under 100 grade. You have to play a minimum of 5 matches in one years play to be awarded a grade. If you play less than 5 matches, you become ungraded. You can still play for a team, but
a grade is important, as it shows how strong a player you really are. You do not have to be an adult
to play chess or have a grade. The best and strongest players are the ones who start at the age of 5
years and above, and take lessons from players, who are members of a chess club, as they would
know how to play and teach you how to play correctly. In our league, there is a girl of only 8 years
old; her name is Kandara Acharya, and she is one of the best players in England for U12. I gave her
three games last week - we won one match each, and the final game was a draw. I thought I won the
third match, but she found a way to stop me! Everyone was surprised how well she played for her
young 8 years.
ST: There must be a lot of rules that people have to stick to, when they play matches. Is there anything in
particular
I
should
be
aware
of
when
I
come
to
a
chess
match?
MS: Each chess piece has rules of how they move and you must at all times move them correctly; if
you make illegal moves, you can lose your match! Mobiles phones are not to be seen or heard while
you play your match. If your mobile phone rings during the match, your opponent from the other
team can claim a win and you lose your match. The reason for this rule is that you distract the other
player and then they can make mistakes with the game. Chess is a mind game and you need full
concentration and focus to make all the correct chess pieces movement to win the match. Also, it
has been known for chess players to leave the match and look for the best chess moves on the mobile phone over the Internet. Once, a grandmaster was caught cheating. He lost all his matches and
was unable to play in any chess tournaments for a long time after that. Dont cheat when you play
chess!

ST: What happens when you become the best player in your league?
MS: All team members aim to win the Cup by winning the most games in the year. You
dont have to be the highest grade player to win the Cup. I have won the two Cups we
have, twice in the twenty years I have played league chess. When you win, your name is
put on the Cup and remains on there for ever.
ST: I know if you want to be good at something, you have to practice a lot, and chess in particular takes a lot of mental effort to play. What do you do to keep your brain fit?
MS: Chess is very rewarding for the mind, but you need to also be physically fit. I take
walking as often as I can. Once a month I go hill walking in the Malverns that requires
climbing up hills of more than 1600 feet in height. You can take any sport that keeps you
feeling fit, that also helps to keep your mind healthy. It is important to have enough sleep,
so when you play your match you can give full concentration and focus.
ST: Do you have any memories of a particularly interesting game?
MS: My memories of an interesting game was for our team tournament I organise each
year. The match was to Tony, who is graded nearly the same as me. We have to play with
clocks: when you are thinking of your move, the clock ticks away. When you finish your
move you have to push the clock lever and, then your opponent has to think while the
clock ticks away. Each player has 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete the game. In that
time you have to put the other player in Check Mate. The first players clock flag to fall will
lose the match. In this match Tony and I only had a few minutes each left, when Tonys
clock flag dropped - just 40 seconds before my clock! So I won, with just a few seconds to
go. The game was fun to play.
ST: A lot of sportsmen have a kind of a mascot that they take to matches with them, like a "lucky
hat" or a "lucky toy". Do you have a lucky charm that helps you win?
MS: I have a lucky pen I take with me for each match for my score sheet.
ST: What advice can you give to young players at TMS who want to improve their game?
MS: Bristol now has a strong teaching of Chess for young players in a number of schools.
There are a few teachers who give a lot of time to help young players learn the game and
improve their standard of play (which is just as important). This gives the young players
more confidence, because they learn how to play the correct moves, but also gives them
a good opportunity to start playing in a club. One of our team members, Pete Saunders,
started Petes Potentials young players team, thus bringing up some of the best young
players in Bristol. He teaches at Clifton College, and many of these young players have
played in national championship matches. It is so important to be taught in the right way,
especially when you are young and have great aspirations!

ST: Thank you, Mike, for talking to Totally Tockington today.

What is FIFA?
By Beth and Charlotte Gill

FIFA is a video game where you can choose to play as your favourite football team
and control real-life players in a virtual football match. The first FIFA game was released on the 15 July 1993 and you could play it platforms like the PC, Amiga,
Megadrive and Gameboy (Youll probably need to Google them!) The first version
sold so well they made another and another and another and there has now been a
total of 24 versions across almost every gaming platform ever made and a new
FIFA is released annually in September. The latest version is FIFA 17 and its now
very different to the original version. Not only are the graphics much better but there
is now a new mode called Ultimate Team. In Ultimate Team you play matches to
earn virtual coins which you can use to buy new players in an attempt to create the
Ultimate Team.

10 Most Popular Games on Electronics in 2016

By Gemma Allen

League of Legends the most popular game is free to play. It is a multi-player game
based on strategy and tactics.
World of Warcraft - this is an online multi player game where you control a character and
fight monsters.
Dota 2 The players are divided into two teams with five players each. The aim is to destroy
opponents ancient buildings and army.

Diablo III this is an action role online game where you pick a character and then you fight
lord Diablo.
Smite it is an online multi player game in a battle arena where you fight gods.
Battlefield 4 this is a fast multi player game part of the highly successful series.
Minecraft
This is the only one in this list that I play. You build worlds with blocks and create a farm
with animals.
World of Tanks popular multi player game where you have to drive armed tanks.
Hearthstone popular collectable card online game.

Apologies to Jeanne
she wrote this super piece for our America Edition, but only half of it appeared in
the paper! We thought you might like to enjoy the full article that Jeanne wrote.

The Statue of Liberty

By Jeanne Vron

The Statue of Liberty was to be a symbol of welcome for all immigrants coming to America, as well as a symbol of freedom.

Lady Liberty was a gift from the French. Auguste Bartholdi created it. This French sculptor
was inspired by Libertas, the Roman goddess of liberty. The statue is made of copper. It
took 4 years to build. It was finished in 1884 and presented to America on July 4th.

The statue is only accessible by ferry, as it is located on an island in the harbour of New
York. Visitors must climb 354 stairs to reach the crown. The statue measures 93 metres or
305 feet from the ground to the tip of the flame. Winds of 50 miles per hour cause the statue to sway up to 3 inches and the torch 6 inches.

Every year up to 4 million people visit Lady Liberty. Thats a lot of tourists willing to test
their fitness level!!!
Time for a joke:

What does the Statue of Liberty stand for?

Answer: It cant sit down!

Acknowledgements: Pinterest and Kidzworld

Unscramble the jumbled board game words

good luck!
by Poppy N and Kaya

iep fcea
apsn
poynloom
hpopsngi tils
nkases nda laredsd
cnnoect ofur
tufnotifasr
sehsc
ingob

olwrd riavti
Brsbleca
pto rtpums