2020 10×10 Challenge Progress

Last year I learned about something called at “10×10” or “ten-by-ten” challenge. The premise is simple. At the beginning of the year, pick ten games. Play each at least ten times each over the coming 12 months. I initially set up only nine games because I wanted to leave one spot open for a “yet to be determined” game (more on that below).

It’s the end of March, how am I doing so far?

Here’s my list

• Scythe
• Terraforming Mars
• Patchwork
• Azul
• Knit Wit
• Carcassonne
• Takenoko
• Isle of Cats
• Batik
• TBD

And here is my progress!

As of the end of March I have completed two of my games already! Granted they are quite simple games (I have included the Board Game Geek Weight Rating on each game name) but I have still played them at least ten times. Specifically I have completed 42 (heh, I said “42”) out of an eventual 100 game plays for 2020. My best month so far was March (20 plays). The two games I have completed are both very simple, but still fun! When I put my list together I specifically put down some heavier (more complex) games like Scythe and Terraforming Mars but I didn’t want every game to be in that category. In fact I have more games rated 2 and under (6) than over (4) and I’m okay with that.

Batik is one of those simple games. It’s from a company that makes awesome wooden abstract games such as Quarto and Quoridor. (I have both of those.) The game box cover art tells you just about everything you need to know about the game. There are two pieces of clear Plexiglas held in a wooden frame. Each player has a set of geometric wooden pieces. The first player drops one of his or her pieces into the glass frame. The second player drops one of their pieces in. The player who cannot drop (not push) one of their pieces so that it is completely enclosed by the glass frame is the loser! That’s it!

My younger son and I played the game 20 or more times the first night we pulled it out. (I think he won most of them.) I managed to find a used copy of the game during a trip to Half Price Books, and it was well worth the price I paid ($9.99 after a coupon). That was the first game I completed on my 10×10, and we pulled it out occasionally in the following months as well.