Math Trades

I just participated in my first Math Trade. A Math Trade is a massively multiplayer online trading experience. You list all your games for trade, you list all the games you want in exchange for each game, and then a program matches up any circles.

In our instance, this trade was specifically for people attending BGG.con, to take advantage of trades that would require no shipping. There were some 800 games or game bundles submitted, and the resulting trade had around 10 circles, one of which was over 200 games long.

In theory, we now all show up at BGG.con and trade through some sort of central exchange. With a trade circle this big, someone isn't going to show up or something else will happen, and the people at the gaps are going to have to chase down the missing trades, which can be a pain.

Anyhow, a trading circle of several hundred games is something to behold, especially since some of the games are valued at close to $100 and some under $10 in the same circle.

I'm pretty happy with the results, as I got rid of seven games in exchange for seven I wanted more, at no cost. Thanks to Mischa Krilov for organizing it.

Shear Panic -> Roborally
Colossal Arena -> Schotten Totten
24/7 -> Meuterer/Verrater
LotR Sauron -> Blue Moon
Wildlife -> Bus
Lord of the Rings Bundle -> Arkham Horror

In other news about BGG.con, I'm preparing a few surprises, or at least I'm trying to in my few spare hours when I'm not working.

I lost a game of Puerto Rico to Rachel last night, 51 to 50. She is the Hospice Queen. I had the tobacco and Factory, yet she still outproduced and outbuilt me. My only consolation was winning an online game against David and Nadine recently, but I had Guild Hall and a coffee monopoly in that game.

Yehuda