<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Bert's Tabletop Games]]></title><description><![CDATA[Bert's Tabletop Games provides in-depth analysis of tabletop games in plain language and decodes the industry jargon to help make board games accessib]]></description><link>https://www.bert.games/home</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Tue, 14 Apr 2026 12:02:23 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.bert.games/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[AI Opens a Board Game Store]]></title><description><![CDATA[Andon Labs has created a store run by AI . What does this mean? Well the store's 3 year lease was obtained by Alton Labs for a store-front space in San Francisco. The AI called Luna was given $100,000 USD to create and run a retail space. The AI came up with the concept for the shop and hired employees and contractors to build out the shop and run it. The shop is called Andon Market  and its concept is a "slow life" store so not exactly a board game store. This is what the AI told me when I...]]></description><link>https://www.bert.games/post/ai-opens-a-board-game-store</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69dd182cc31b00fb85141416</guid><category><![CDATA[News]]></category><category><![CDATA[Board Games]]></category><category><![CDATA[Artificial Intellegence]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 19:24:51 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9ccb1c_90ccb7db6c7942a3bf12e65120efb611~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_906,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Bert</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[A Game Night at The Field Museum]]></title><description><![CDATA[I have been going to the Field Museum in Chicago since I was a little boy. I remember going to the museum with a note pad and my grandfather's fedora pretending I was a reporter and taking notes on all the exhibits. So when this opportunity came up you know I was excited to do this in a professional adult capacity.  Game Night: Clues from the Curator featured demonstrations of many historical board games. We spent a night at the museum playing games. The docents were very knowledgeable in...]]></description><link>https://www.bert.games/post/a-game-night-at-the-field-museum</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69aaec71b5dd05873349583e</guid><category><![CDATA[Events]]></category><category><![CDATA[Board Games]]></category><category><![CDATA[Educational]]></category><category><![CDATA[History]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 13 Mar 2026 13:00:23 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9ccb1c_8ba544bfcf1e473db41ab32a54fc69ff~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Bert</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[A Supreme Tariff Response]]></title><description><![CDATA[On Friday February 20th 2026, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the law (IEEPA) the President was using to manipulate tariffs did not grant the power to tax the US people to the President for more than 150 days. International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) is a law (passed in 1977) that authorizes the president to regulate international commerce after declaring a national emergency in response to any unusual and extraordinary threat to the United States which has its...]]></description><link>https://www.bert.games/post/a-supreme-tariff-response</link><guid isPermaLink="false">699dbdbe91604ab56c31c1f1</guid><category><![CDATA[News]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 24 Feb 2026 16:43:01 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_d00e49cf48f14a40adda61b8c7abbe27~mv2_d_4700_3137_s_4_2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Bert</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[A Preview of PDX, a Game Landing on Crowdfunding Soon.]]></title><description><![CDATA[You have finally done it. You are in charge of Portland's newest airline. In PDX the newest game from Waterworks players must build out their concourse to expand for larger planes, and gather all the resources they need to build the best air routes for their airlines. PDX is a worker placement game where players seek to build out the best airline out of the Portland International Airport. PDX is coming to Kickstarter on February 24th, do go ahead and hit that "notify me" button there.]]></description><link>https://www.bert.games/post/preview-game-pdx</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69712d8e81cbae04bd637ca3</guid><category><![CDATA[Board Games]]></category><category><![CDATA[Review]]></category><category><![CDATA[Kickstarter]]></category><category><![CDATA[Worker Placement]]></category><category><![CDATA[Set Collection]]></category><category><![CDATA[Resource Management]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 05 Feb 2026 18:41:20 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9ccb1c_17be236ec54f459e984a51ca4b5be560~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Bert</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Community Interview: Mike and Grace (Tabletop Inn)]]></title><description><![CDATA[I recently had a chance to catch up with Mike Belsole and Grace Kendall the proprietors of the Tabletop Inn  in Marion, North Carolina. The Tabletop Inn is a board game themed bed and breakfast. Mike and Grace live and breath board games! Mike is the General Manager of Well Played Board Game Cafe in Asheville NC. Both Grace and Mike have designed the game Smug Owls (Origins' 2024 Party Game of the Year). Mike Belsole and Grace Kendall What is the concept of Tabletop Inn? We are a traditional...]]></description><link>https://www.bert.games/post/community-interview-mike-and-grace</link><guid isPermaLink="false">692a65c73dea2b0ee0c78d7f</guid><category><![CDATA[Interview]]></category><category><![CDATA[Community]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 01 Dec 2025 14:00:33 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9ccb1c_5c9670c251cd4f39a3f0c64b3c470ec0~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_924,h_844,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Bert</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Holiday Board Game Gift Guide 2025]]></title><description><![CDATA[The Holidays are upon us and its time to start shopping for our loved ones. I have put together my annual Holiday list of things I think would be great gifts. There are going to be a lot of good deals for black Friday and cyber Monday but I think you should first look at your Friendly Local Game Store (FLGS) this year. Its been especially hard on the brick an mortar stores with all the uncertainty of tariffs. FLGSs are usually much more than a store they are a meeting place and beacon of nerd...]]></description><link>https://www.bert.games/post/holiday-board-game-gift-guide-2025</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69293cb0a20c8b33b2637400</guid><category><![CDATA[News]]></category><category><![CDATA[Board Games]]></category><pubDate>Sat, 29 Nov 2025 02:51:19 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9ccb1c_b3e3cebe1e6542419d7f61ddca3fb362~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Bert</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Chicago Toy and Game Fair]]></title><description><![CDATA[The Chicago Toy and game fair is the unofficial kick off to the Holiday shopping season here in Chicago. The Chicago Toy and Game fair features local toy and game vendors as well as big names like Lego that attend to show off their games and toys for the season. The Fair also hosted several famous game designers and board game influencers. There was also the Illinois state yo-yo competition and the young inventor challenge. Rail Cube This year there were some great highlights especially in...]]></description><link>https://www.bert.games/post/chicago-toy-and-game-fair-25</link><guid isPermaLink="false">691cbcd094197a139e715c97</guid><category><![CDATA[News]]></category><category><![CDATA[Events]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 21 Nov 2025 19:51:32 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9ccb1c_fe9a75c1f78046d185af13cecd0f1f19~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Bert</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Design Journal: Theme Forward]]></title><description><![CDATA[As you might know I love space games. So this year inspiration struck along a very long boring stretch of i65 in Indiana on my way to GenCon. I was listening to the Game Brain Podcast. I have realized that the last couple of years there have been a lot of trick taking games that have come out. So my mind was there and one thing I love to do at GenCon is play miniatures games. So I combined trick-taking, miniatures, and space into one idea for a game. ]]></description><link>https://www.bert.games/post/design-journal-theme-forward</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68c843e25a8e2f5e2154bf08</guid><category><![CDATA[Cards in Space]]></category><category><![CDATA[Board Game Design]]></category><category><![CDATA[Minis]]></category><category><![CDATA[Design Journal]]></category><category><![CDATA[Card Drafting]]></category><category><![CDATA[Trick Taking]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 04 Nov 2025 04:31:26 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9ccb1c_89ca560882124f97b001e6fa48d5af32~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Bert</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Puppies or Poop, a Darling Card Game Review       ]]></title><description><![CDATA[Puppies or Poop was an instant hit at our house, our 5 year old picked it up right away and wanted to keep playing it. I think this game is good at 2 players and it really shines at three and four players. When playing with 3 and four players there is a lot more unknown information on the board and it makes the game more challenging. The two player version has a more strategic feel too it. Either way players can enjoy trying to bluff the others at any player count. ]]></description><link>https://www.bert.games/post/puppies-or-poop-a-darling-card-game-review</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68e3ea88fabe64c932f970fe</guid><category><![CDATA[Memory]]></category><category><![CDATA[Review]]></category><category><![CDATA[Board Games]]></category><category><![CDATA[Card Game]]></category><category><![CDATA[Bluffing]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 14 Oct 2025 13:04:06 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9ccb1c_916bc243f7a04e8ba21488aabc17b907~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Bert</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Design Journal: Cards in Space and Imposter Syndrome.]]></title><description><![CDATA[As you might know I love space games. So this year inspiration struck along a very long boring stretch of i65 in Indiana on my way to GenCon. I was listening to the Game Brain Podcast. I have realized that the last couple of years there have been a lot of trick taking games that have come out. So my mind was there and one thing I love to do at GenCon is play miniatures games. So I combined trick-taking, miniatures, and space into one idea for a game. ]]></description><link>https://www.bert.games/post/design-journal-cards-in-space-and-imposter-syndrome</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68d8ac204c8425dc7bfc4675</guid><category><![CDATA[Design Journal]]></category><category><![CDATA[Trick Taking]]></category><category><![CDATA[Minis]]></category><category><![CDATA[Drafting]]></category><category><![CDATA[Cards in Space]]></category><category><![CDATA[Board Game Design]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 06 Oct 2025 05:18:18 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9ccb1c_b8c3305102bf4b18b31bb12e20277fa0~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Bert</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Design Journal: Space Cards? Cards in Space?]]></title><description><![CDATA[As you might know I love space games. So this year inspiration struck along a very long boring stretch of i65 in Indiana on my way to GenCon. I was listening to the Game Brain Podcast. I have realized that the last couple of years there have been a lot of trick taking games that have come out. So my mind was there and one thing I love to do at GenCon is play miniatures games. So I combined trick-taking, miniatures, and space into one idea for a game. ]]></description><link>https://www.bert.games/post/design-journal-space-cards-cards-in-space</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68b9fe9eb8338a1ae1945910</guid><category><![CDATA[Cards in Space]]></category><category><![CDATA[Design Journal]]></category><category><![CDATA[Board Game Design]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 10 Sep 2025 02:12:29 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9ccb1c_51b137f079fa47dfa21f6a00788e9e0f~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Bert</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Marsh Hallow: a Flip and Write Game Review        ]]></title><description><![CDATA[Your family has not been answering your calls. Finally your sister sends a message to explain that they have all joined a cult. Of course you and your family are personified marshmallows. But now the race is on to rescue your family before the ritual completes and they set themselves on fire. This is the setting for Marsh Hallow a flip and write game that will have players racing to rescue their marshmallow families by using polyominos to navigate through the Caddo Lake Campground.]]></description><link>https://www.bert.games/post/marsh-hallow-flip-and-write-game-review</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68abc074e0731e33266a43e6</guid><category><![CDATA[Board Games]]></category><category><![CDATA[Review]]></category><category><![CDATA[Flip and Write]]></category><category><![CDATA[Simultaneous Play]]></category><category><![CDATA[Resource Management]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 04 Sep 2025 20:43:58 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9ccb1c_fc931ad7efa6430296e31ff128c35c24~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Bert</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[2001 A Space Odyssey: A Review of Board Game Based on a Classic.]]></title><description><![CDATA[The movie 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) is the only film by Stanley Kubrick to win an Oscar. He was nominated 13 times throughout his long career and 2001 won the award for Best Special Visual Effects. The movie is based on Arthur C Clark's The Sentinel (1951) a great short story if you have not read it its worth it. So here I am reviewing a game based on a movie that is based on a book. ]]></description><link>https://www.bert.games/post/2001-a-space-odyssey-a-review-of-board-game-based-on-a-classic</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68a67d02e258c875dfd6875d</guid><category><![CDATA[Review]]></category><category><![CDATA[Board Games]]></category><category><![CDATA[Asymmetric-Players]]></category><category><![CDATA[Set Collection]]></category><pubDate>Sat, 23 Aug 2025 02:37:47 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9ccb1c_ec815cb4ff9246e18c9107a2390e2447~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Bert</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[20 Sided Tavern: Theatrical Review]]></title><description><![CDATA[This week I had the pleasure of being invited to see Dungeons and Dragons: The Twenty Sided Tavern.  This is my first theatrical review...]]></description><link>https://www.bert.games/post/20-sided-tavern-theatrical-review</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68a108d16aa481be492aa8b0</guid><category><![CDATA[Events]]></category><category><![CDATA[Role Playing]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 18 Aug 2025 13:00:12 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9ccb1c_9412a15a0f984546b0b7de670d0f3dc7~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Bert</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Gudnak : Exploring the Depth of A Tactical Card Game]]></title><description><![CDATA[What in the world is a Gudnak? According to the fine folks at Chaotic Great Games it is Orcish for "war". Gudnak is a card driven strategy game. There are aspects of area control and deck-building invowhere players are building out the tentacles of an octopus in order to reach some seafood. It sounds easy and it is until the players start playing cards that change the cards others have already played. Players will try to bluff and outwit their opponents in INKTensions coming soon to Kickstarter.]]></description><link>https://www.bert.games/post/gudnak-game-review-tactical-card-game</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6840f6bc9ea23bff7cdf1c7d</guid><category><![CDATA[2 Player]]></category><category><![CDATA[Board Games]]></category><category><![CDATA[Review]]></category><category><![CDATA[Deck Building]]></category><category><![CDATA[Card Game]]></category><category><![CDATA[Asymmetric-Players]]></category><category><![CDATA[War Game]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 13 Aug 2025 13:01:06 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9ccb1c_f117ffb0f4d345b2a607d030d3e298ab~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Bert</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Wanted Wombats: A Game Preview That Pushes Your  Luck]]></title><description><![CDATA[Did you know that wombats glow under UV light? Wombats are pretty interesting animals and make for a great card game. Wanted Wombats is the newest game designed by Kaya Miyano (Trio, Panda Panda). Barrel Aged Games is crowdfunding Wanted Wombats this fall (2025). One last wombat fact before we dive into the game. There was an unofficial mascot for the 2000 Sydney Olympics and his name was "Fatso the Fat-Arsed Wombat".]]></description><link>https://www.bert.games/post/wanted-wombats-a-game-preview-that-pushes-your-luck</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68940758a596a5e1f9f63485</guid><category><![CDATA[press your luck]]></category><category><![CDATA[Review]]></category><category><![CDATA[Board Games]]></category><category><![CDATA[Card Game]]></category><category><![CDATA[Luck Based]]></category><category><![CDATA[2 Player]]></category><category><![CDATA[GenCon]]></category><category><![CDATA[Crowdfunding]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 11 Aug 2025 13:00:25 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9ccb1c_5579f6297bbc4b3aba542a75e356a97b~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Bert</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[GenCon 2025 SOLD OUT]]></title><description><![CDATA[Monday July 28th GenCon has sold out all of the tickets for the "Best Four Days in Gaming". This is going to be the largest GenCon ever...]]></description><link>https://www.bert.games/post/gencon-2025-sold-out</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68883522065ca46efaebe8aa</guid><category><![CDATA[Events]]></category><category><![CDATA[News]]></category><category><![CDATA[GenCon]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 29 Jul 2025 03:01:37 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9ccb1c_064f99a7bbac4e449e96cf8ec5677610~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_979,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Bert</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[GenCon 2025 Games Preview]]></title><description><![CDATA[GenCon is right around the corner and there are hundreds of games being released and even more for sale. Navigating this surmountable...]]></description><link>https://www.bert.games/post/gencon-2025-games-preview</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6887b84365e042dc24888ae6</guid><category><![CDATA[GenCon]]></category><category><![CDATA[Events]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 28 Jul 2025 20:42:42 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9ccb1c_638e29ea10874cd6b4396c6544dd2839~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Bert</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[GenCon Survival Guide]]></title><description><![CDATA[GenCon is the largest Board Game focused convention in the Western hemisphere. In 2024 71,000 people attended the sold out convention. There are over 500 exhibitors and almost one million square feet of convention space. GenCon has come a long way since It all started in 1968 at Horticulture Hall in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin as The Lake Geneva Wargames Convention. I have been attending GenCon for over 25 years and I would like to go over what it takes to survive GenCon.]]></description><link>https://www.bert.games/post/gencon-survival-guide</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6883d4e15df1e5e1b17338f2</guid><category><![CDATA[GenCon]]></category><category><![CDATA[Events]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 25 Jul 2025 20:26:37 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9ccb1c_2aeaa09d70d94df7bb81dec451d74dba~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Bert</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[GenCon 2025 Events and Afterhours]]></title><description><![CDATA[GenCon is an amazing weekend full of games and friends that you haven't met yet. However GenCon is not always just about the games. There...]]></description><link>https://www.bert.games/post/gencon-2025-events-and-afterhours</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6877109ffede8b31186e17f0</guid><category><![CDATA[GenCon]]></category><category><![CDATA[Events]]></category><category><![CDATA[Social]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 16 Jul 2025 03:58:42 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9ccb1c_c692aa2e22a94a6e9501f2b0d7067c91~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Bert</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>