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3/1 2/9 2/8 2/7 2/6 1/25 1/24 1/23 1/21 MONDAY 2 MARCH Texas Independence Day 1970 61st day - 304 days to come

To Hilton Hotel at 8:30 for meeting with Alex. He spoke to Fabio about the idea of having inventors of the games i- dentify themselves. Fabio didn't like it all, saying that it could lead to all kinds of trouble, including legal. Alex gave up on the idea. Alex gave Fabio hell about the contract he gave me, especially the 5% for paper- backs. Fabio said that after all I am a first book author. When I told Alex that the original contract was much worse he said that if we were here at the time he would have gotten me a good contract. Since he didn't, however, he definitely didn't want the agent's fee. We finally agreed that he would keep the $100, but accept no more. Alex' new rule for OFF COURSE allows a player in his turn to place a number of squares, as long as they are all [crossed out] in a straight orthogonal line, even if the course is not continuous across the squares. A player may play only if he wishes. SEE HOW THEY RUN :- This is a children's race game, each (of up to 4 players) has 3 mice markers which have to pass across the board. The board is interesting, however, with four interlocking knight's tours. We discussed the similarities in objective between OFF COURSE and TOUR. He thinks that it is O.K. to try to sell both, to different com- panies. I brought up my game of FREE FORM and told him that I hadn't done anything about it because of the resemblance in ap- pearance to UNIVERSE. When he heard what it was like he said it certainly was different from his game. Also because Golomb raised a fuss about UNIVERSE he would be happy to have me come out with mine. He offered to divide any royalties three ways between him- self, Golomb, and Martin Gardner. Golomb didn't think that Alex should get anything. FISH-FISH :- Alex showed me a little about it. He explained that the "Fresh water pond" was set up so that two fish of the same color could be placed directly next to each other. In the "Salt water pond" no two fish of the same color can be placed next to each other, unless some spaces in adjoining lines are covered by other fish. He showed me his new version of ROUND THE CLOCK. We played a little of it and I liked. I told him, tho, that the name was too juvinile to fit the game, in my opinion. He gave me rules. WAR LORDS :- A large board is divides into squares, about 8 x 8, with low ridges between them. Outside of the four corners are 4 castles which have a flat shelf about an inch and a half height. Players start with discs of their color in some of the squares in their quadrant. They move by jumping (physically) with a "tidely". When land with at least part covering an opponent's disc, that disc is cap- tured. When land on a ridge can take that disc back to a "reserve" to be reentered later. When land on another player's castle that player can not enter any more "reserves." (I think each player is given some at the begin- ning.) (Rough idea.) TOPOLOTOY :- A puzzle and construction set consisting of dif- ferent shaped pieces based on tetrahedrons and sections of oc- tahedrons. He gave me a set of sheets on it. SPOTS :- This is the game of Alex' that the Japanese Co. is doing. The board is as shown. There are 36 go stones - 9 each of (cont. on 3/1)

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transcription
English 3/1
2/9
2/8
2/7
2/6
1/25
1/24
1/23
1/21
MONDAY 2 MARCH
Texas Independence Day 1970 61st day - 304 days to come


To Hilton Hotel at 8:30 for meeting with Alex.
He spoke to Fabio about the idea of having inventors of the games i-
dentify themselves. Fabio didn't like it all, saying that it could lead to
all kinds of trouble, including legal. Alex gave up on the idea. Alex
gave Fabio hell about the contract he gave me, especially the 5% for paper-
backs. Fabio said that after all I am a first book author. When I told
Alex that the original contract was much worse he said that if we were
here at the time he would have gotten me a good contract. Since he
didn't, however, he definitely didn't want the agent's fee. We finally agreed that
he would keep the $100, but accept no more.
Alex' new rule for OFF COURSE allows a player in his turn to place a
number of squares, as long as they are all [crossed out]
in a straight orthogonal line, even if the course is not continuous
across the squares. A player may play only if he wishes.
SEE HOW THEY RUN :- This is a children's race game, each (of up to 4
players) has 3 mice markers which have to pass across the board.
The board is interesting, however, with four interlocking knight's tours.
We discussed the similarities in objective between OFF COURSE and
TOUR. He thinks that it is O.K. to try to sell both, to different com-
panies. I brought up my game of FREE FORM and told him that
I hadn't done anything about it because of the resemblance in ap-
pearance to UNIVERSE. When he heard what it was like he said
it certainly was different from his game. Also because Golomb raised
a fuss about UNIVERSE he would be happy to have me come out
with mine. He offered to divide any royalties three ways between him-
self, Golomb, and Martin Gardner. Golomb didn't think that Alex
should get anything.
FISH-FISH :- Alex showed me a little about it. He explained that
the "Fresh water pond" was set up so that two fish of the same color
could be placed directly next to each other. In the "Salt water pond"
no two fish of the same color can be placed next to each other, unless
some spaces in adjoining lines are covered by other fish.
He showed me his new version of ROUND THE CLOCK. We played a little
of it and I liked. I told him, tho, that the name was too juvinile to
fit the game, in my opinion. He gave me rules.
WAR LORDS :- A large board is divides into squares, about 8 x 8,
with low ridges between them. Outside of the four corners are 4
castles which have a flat shelf about an inch and a half height.
Players start with discs of their color in some of the squares in
their quadrant. They move by jumping (physically) with a "tidely".
When land with at least part covering an opponent's disc, that disc is cap-
tured. When land on a ridge can take that disc back to a "reserve" to
be reentered later. When land on another player's castle that player can not
enter any more "reserves." (I think each player is given some at the begin-
ning.) (Rough idea.)
TOPOLOTOY :- A puzzle and construction set consisting of dif-
ferent shaped pieces based on tetrahedrons and sections of oc-
tahedrons. He gave me a set of sheets on it.
SPOTS :- This is the game of Alex' that the Japanese Co. is doing.
The board is as shown. There are 36 go stones - 9 each of
(cont. on 3/1)