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August 1975 - Saturday 9
221st day - 144 days to come

Claude gave me the July & August copies of SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN. In the Aug. Issue there is an ad for ASTRO CHESS
Rcd. the review sample of CHECKMATE.
Rcd. the book WHAT TO DO AFTER YOU HIT RETURN.
With Phil Laurence played the CHECKERS VARIATIONS (see 6/26).
a) Played with a random set up and with the rule that losing both 6's loses the game. Another rule in case of a situation where no further captures can be made; the player with the higher total of remaining numbers wins - if the same a tie.
b) Played with a random setup. Worked quite well even tho it was never played before. Similar to above; if no further cap- tures can be made each player adds the values of his remain- ing pcs. to his score.
c) Decided not to use this one, saving it for a future column.
d) Instead thought of another CHECKERS VARIATION, but didn't try it. Any pc. can jump any other. Opponent's cap- tured pcs. are kept, with the object of capturing a total of 21 points (which can be varied). When a pc. reaches the king row it is taken off by the player and counts double towards reaching 21.
Pretty much decided to call the column "Theme & Variations." Instead of random setups, players can set up their own sides any way they wish. Then a coin is tossed. With a "head" each player keeps his own setup. With a "tail" the board is reversed/
Dale's Phil told me that in a magazine he read at Chase he found an article about a bank that used a GAME to bring in new deposits - quite successfully. Dale was supposed to bring it but she forgot. He'll mail it to me. Phil will do some checking at Chase on whether they might be interested on my doing a game for them - GAME.
Told Phil Laurence that I had tried his "one lie" version of DARN CLEVER and that it worked quite well. Also that I sent it to Germany. Told her that if they take the game I'll give him a per- centage. He said "not a percentage" and I said we'd discuss it after the game is sold.