Stuck in a gaming rut? Do you only crawl through dungeons, or reenact the Battle of the Bulge, or maybe you've wished that new games weren't so darned expensive? If so, then come try something different for a change. Learn to play one of several different German Board Games, or check out one of the marvelous games from Cheapass Games, most of which cost well under $10. This session is designed as a demonstration instead of a competition, so newbies are not only welcome, they are strongly encouraged.

GM - Kevin G. Nunn

Play the original from Avalon Hill! Watch your civilization rise to power and become the greatest in history!

GM - Grant Davis

Come try your hand at Apples to Apples, the great beer and pretzels card game from Out of the Box. You have cards in your hand that name people, places and objects as well as events. Your job is to pick a card out of your hand that best matches the card the judge played. Sound easy? Well it is and it's a lot of fun.

GM - Richard and Hilary Trapp

COWABUNGA!!! Prepare for bovine bashing, cow crashing and udder destruction! Remember, today's losers are tonight's steaks.

Prize support for this event is being provided by Steve Jackson Games, manufacturer of Battle Cattle.

GM - Al Griego, SJG Man in Black, San Antonio Cell

Take it to the streets in this scenario for the new edition of Car Wars! This battle won't be fought in an arena but on the streets and parking lots of a typical armored fortress town. Before you start, take your weapon safeties off and DRIVE OFFENSIVELY!

Prize support for this event is being provided by Steve Jackson Games, manufacturer of Car Wars.

GM - Mark Andrew Faulkner, SJG Man in Black, Houston Cell

"There are no winners on Amateur Night, just survivors."

Welcome to amateur night at the Rice Autoduel Arena. Division 5 vehicles only please. Please keep weapon safeties on until the event starts. Good luck and remember, DRIVE OFFENSIVELY!

Prize support for this event is being provided by Steve Jackson Games, manufacturer of the Car Wars Card Game.

GM - Al Griego, SJG Man in Black, San Antonio Cell

Game designer James Ernest is a genius, and I aim to prove it to you. Come play lots of Cheapass Games, including Starbase Jeff, Give Me the Brain, The Big Cheese, Kill Dr. Lucky, and Falling. I'll provide all the dice, tokens, money, and so forth. C'mon, Dr. Lucky's not going to just kill himself! Beginners and experts alike are welcome.

GM - Todd Derscheid

Chez Geek, just like apartment life, without all those pesky bills. For mature (read: older) players only.

Prize support for this event is being provided by Steve Jackson Games, manufacturer of Chez Geek.

GM - Keith Nielsen, SJG Man in Black, Houston Cell

"You can't kick them out, they live here." Sleep, buy stuff and watch TV to get slack, but watch out for the old man upstairs.

Prize support for this event is being provided by Steve Jackson Games, manufacturer of Chez Geek.

GM - Al Griego, SJG Man in Black, San Antonio Cell

Note: uses Chrononauts, including Lost Identities expansion.

"Hitler, look out!" "The Titanic arrives safely!" "Sputnik, you're going down!" Chrononauts is an addictive card game about time travel. Players can kill Hitler, make sure World War II never happens, collect dinosaurs, or make sure their parents never met! Easy to learn, supports up to 8 or so players, and is a great mix of skill and randomness. Beginners encouraged, rules will be gleefully explained.

GM - Todd Derscheid

Frag is a computer game without a computer. It's a "first-person shooter" on a tabletop. Move your fighter and frag your foes; draw cards for weapons, armor, and gadgets; move through the blood spatters to restore your own health! If you die, you respawn and come back shooting!

Prize support for this event is being provided by Steve Jackson Games, manufacturer of Frag.

GM - Alex Camacho Jr., SJG Man in Black, Houston Cell

"If it moves, shoot it!" Run, shoot, grab some powerups, and try to avoid getting hit. Score 3 frags, and you win, but remember, the others are trying to get you, too.

Prize support for this event is being provided by Steve Jackson Games, manufacturer of Frag.

GM - Al Griego, SJG Man in Black, San Antonio Cell

You are a team of SEC investigators hunting for evidence in yet another incidence of corporate fraud. Your boss insists you "collaborate", but since a promotion is on the line, it's every man for himself! In this hilarious "whodunit", you will connive, eavesdrop, make friends with the janitor, and do whatever you must to determine "who cooked the books". Did the CEO of Spendron commit insider trading at the local coffee house, or did the accountant at GlobeCon fabricate fake invoices on the corporate jet? The player that wins the most games in each session receives a copy of FraudSquad!

GM - Anye Sellers

Three fine strategic board games, all of German origin. We will begin with Settlers of Japan, a home grown historical scenario using the Settlers of Catan system, set in feudal Japan (please be familiar with the basic Settlers rules). Next, we will play Euphrat & Tigres, a great tile-placing game of intricate strategy (no experience necessary). Finally, if time allows, we will close with Entdecker, a simple-but-fun game of 15th century exploration and discovery.

GM - Jacob Ratner

Your players have decided to steal the legendary Hand of Vectra and Become The Most Powerful Ever, Mwahahahaaa.... or your DM has decided to stop you, like that will work. Can you get it first, escape or just confound them long enough to get enough player deaths in a single night? Only if the traps, monsters, NPCs, and obscure rules like "Mob of Beggars" don't stop you first. Every fan of Knights of the Dinner Table is sure to find a familiar (and usually backstabbing) face in this tale of the terrible.

GM - Morgan Oviatt

Chess with a twist. Use cards to blow up your opponent's pieces, rearrange the board, and morph pieces into ninjas. If you think you're good at chess, wait'll you try this!

Prize support for this event is being provided by Steve Jackson Games, manufacturer of Knightmare Chess.

GM - Keith Nielsen, SJG Man in Black, Houston Cell

Note: This is a special event and requires a Special Events pass.

DCI Sanctioned Magic: The Gathering Type II Constructed Tournament.

Players bring their own Type II 60 card deck and compete to see who's the best Magic player at the Con. Rules on deck construction are available at www.thedci.com.

Player Gear: A Type II 60 card constructed deck

GM - John Simons et al

Note: This is a special event and requires a Special Events pass.

DCI Sanctioned Magic: The Gathering Booster Draft

Players take turns "drafting" their top picks from 15 card booster packs and assemble a deck. Each player gets to keep their deck at the end. Cost $9 (the cost of the cards you get to keep).

GM - John Simons et al

Kill the monsters. Steal the treasure. Stab your buddy in the back. All the fun of the classic dungeon crawl without the messy role-playing is in this hit game by Steve Jackson featuring the art of John Kovalic.

Prize support for this event is being provided by Steve Jackson Games, manufacturer of Munchkin.

GM - Oscar Cavazos, SJG Man in Black, Houston Cell

Kill the monsters. Steal the treasure. Stab your buddy in the back. All the fun of the classic dungeon crawl without the messy role-playing is in this hit game by Steve Jackson featuring the art of John Kovalic.

Prize support for this event is being provided by Steve Jackson Games, manufacturer of Munchkin.

GM - Mark Andrew Faulkner, SJG Man in Black, Houston Cell

Chaos reigns as the robots race across the deadly factory floor trying to reach flags to victory. The more the merrier as you crash into each other and throw programming off and send yourselves reeling into lasers, flamethrowers and more...shooting each other to pieces the whole time! It's easy to play and quite comical. The more people, the more chaos and the more fun. Play to win, but laugh when you mis-program your robot as that's half the fun..to not take it so seriously!

GM - Andy Blozinski & Mike Becnel

Sure you have played Settlers of Catan like everyone else, but have you ever played it with one foot hexes and painted miniature buildings? Come watch or play on the largest Settlers map in existence.

GM - Glen Bucher

Players are recent immigrants to the newly populated island of Catan. Expand your colony through the building of settlements, roads, and villages by harvesting commodities from the land around you. Trade sheep, lumber, bricks and some grain for a settlement, bricks and wood for a road, or try to complete other combinations for more advanced buildings, services and specials. Trade with other players, or at local seaports to get resources you might lack. The first player to achieve 10 points from a combination of roads, settlements, and special cards wins.

GM - Richard and Hilary Trapp

The Munchkins are back and now they're in space! We've got Mutants, Cyborgs and Cat People...grabbing lasers, vibroswords and grenades...fighting Awful Green Things, Bionic Bimbos and the fiendish Brain In A Jar! Kill the creatures. Grab the gadgets. Stab your buddy in the back. In space...

Prize support for this event is being provided by Steve Jackson Games, manufacturer of Star Munchkin.

GM - Mark Andrew Faulkner, SJG Man in Black, Houston Cell

Clashes between ogres, gorgons, and dragons: On the masterboard, your stacks wander around looking to recruit bigger, meaner creatures. When you greet an enemy stack, battle zooms in to a small tactical-level map. The last Titan left standing wins. Avalon Hill's "Monster Slug-a-thon Fantasy Wargame". 2-6 players per board (3-4 best); approx. 5 hours.

This is a tutorial session for beginners; an intermediate game is set for Sat. 20:00.

GM - Ian Barland

Clashes between ogres, gorgons, and dragons: On the masterboard, your stacks wander around looking to recruit bigger and meaner creatures. When you greet an enemy stack, battle zooms in to a small tactical-level map. The last titan left standing wins. Avalon Hill's "Monster Slug-a-thon Fantasy Wargame".

GM - Ian Barland

Twilight Imperium is a board game combining elements of Settlers of Catan, Axis & Allies, Cosmic Encounter, Civilization, and more! Come take over the known universe, using one of 6 different races, using diplomacy, might or economics. You do not need to know the rules to play; we will assume that all players are beginners.

GM - Gregory Clark