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1/29 WEDNESDAY 31 JANUARY 1968 31st day - 335 days to come

Sent off a check for $5.95 to Scientific Games Developement Corp. ordering CONCENSUS. They supplied a post-paid en- velope.

Thinking of new ideas for OPPORTUNITY. Use the board from FREE ENTERPRISE with the elimination of the "Court" spaces. In each of the 21 "property" squares have a series of 7 circles, with (say) a star "s" in the first and a "J.P." in the last. At the start of the game a white chip is placed in the "s" tar space cirlce on each square. The players in turn can choose to start in in either the "[two stars]", "[three stars]", "[four stars]", or "[five stars]" space. Or, perhaps better, each one secretly chooses his starting spot from among the four. The first player can be picked by adding all the stars and "counting potatoes" from a predetermined player. Players in turn move two spaces following the arrows. They cannot land in the same space as an opponent and (probably) cannot pass over an opponent. All players are given a supply of white (1), red (2), and blue (4) chips. When they move they place a chip of the color of the chip in the "s" space circle (which is white at the be0 ginning) in the next empty circle, in both the space they land on and the one they pass over. When a player land on a space the only unfilled circle of which is the one marked "J.P." he has hit the "Jack Pot" and takes all the chips on the space. From the bank a chip of the next higher value (unless blue was already used in which case another blue is placed) is placed in the "s" circle. When a player passes over a space that is "ripe" he does not collect the "Jack Pot". Instead he places another chip in the "s" circle and all the circles must be filled (except the "J.P.") again before the space becomes "ripe" again. However if it is passed over the second time additional chips are added but it remains "ripe" to the next lander without completing another cycle. When a player lands on one of the star spaces he collects a red chip for each star in the space. Play until every space has been hit at least once (no more white chips are on the board). The player with the most value of chips is the winner. If I can put some pseudo-mathematical trappings onto this it may well be saleable.

Spoke to Arthur and told him that I think that VERSAILLES is one of his greatest games. Also called his attention to the fact that his write-up for KNIGHTS AND VASSALS mentions a 2-hand version but doesn't give the rules. He says it is played double-rummy and a record is made of the deal. After playing a hand the same cards are (cont. on 1/29)