MAGMA

by Carlo A. Rossi

In Venice, at Ca’ Vendramin Calergi, the historical 1500 palace on the Gran Canal which hosts the glamorous Casino of Venice, was held the thrilling price giving ceremony of the 7th edition of the Premio Archimede for unpublished games designed by non professional authors.
84 prototypes took part at the competition, mainly from Italy, but also from Germany, France, Sweden, Holland and USA; 33 were admitted at the final stage in Venice and 12 got the nomination.

The level of the games was very high (much better than the previous editions) and the decision of the jury, under the presidency of the “master” Alex Randolph, very tough.
The winner is Carlo A. Rossi, a 34 year old designer from Modena; and this award made him deciding in going on creating new games.

We mention that the winner of the past edition (Gnomoni by Duilio Carpitella) was published by Piatnik under the name of San Gimignano, was in the list of 2002 Spiel des Jahres and also got a category award in the Spiel der Spiele.

During the event was presented a new book by Leo Colovini I giochi nel cassetto. Guida teorica per aspiranti autori di giochi: the leading Italian author unveil the secrets of his craft to whom who want to follow his path.

Infos: studiogiochi, tel. 0039.041.5211029 ; info@studiogiochi.it

www.digilander.libero.it/premioarchimede

Winner Magma by Carlo A. Rossi (Carpi - MO)
The most original among the competitors, Magma receives the Premio Archimede 2002, because astonished the jury with the really innovative mechanism of a elegantly realized game.

2nd Old Town by Stephan Riedel (Germany)
An original game, both in the theme as in the rules, well balanced and professionally realised, a pleasure for all who played it.

3rd Maya by Alessandro e Manuel Saragossa (Arezzo)
It combines some original mechanisms with other already known in a complex but well balanced game.

Special Prize “Sebastiano Izzo” to Kaskad by Valery Fourcade (France)
Has succeeded in saying something really new in the crowded field of abstract 2-player-games. Receives the special prize “Sebastiano Izzo”. If he would be still with us, Sebastiano – a big friend of the jury - would certainly have appreciated and voted this easy and intriguing abstract game.

Speciale mention “Best children game” to Cromodrom by Giuseppe Bonfiglio (Cuneo)
A very easy game which attract as a magnet children of any age, wonderful the wooden prototype.

The jury

Alex Randolph (president)
Giuseppe Baù
Raffaele Cadamuro
Leo Colovini
Dario De Toffoli
Nicolaas Neuwahl
Ennio Peres.
Massimo Tonizzo
Dario Zaccariotto