CHECKERS
★★★★★ (2 out of 5)
Hello, and welcome to my week-by-week review of everything in the world. Today I am reviewing Checkers.
Checkers is a popular board game played mostly by children. It’s basically a simplified version of chess. The main difference is that in chess the players work methodically to penetrate the opposing side and trap its king. In Checkers, the goal is to completely obliterate every part of your opponent and leave no one standing.
It’s a very aggressive and violent game, which is why I believe it should be banned in schools. Everyone worries about violent video games ruining the youth. What about violent board games? Do we really want children thinking the only way to win is by destroying the other side completely? I mean, sometimes that’s the only way, but I’d like the youth to be taught optimism.
The board game industry and its lobbyists would likely oppose a ban on Checkers and I’m not sure I’m up for the legal battle. Part of me would fight it because I like stories about underdogs, and if I won it would make for a great movie. Unfortunately I’m too old and tired for fighting.
That’s why, as a compromise, I would suggest the rules of Checkers simply be changed. Instead of the goal being that one player decimates the other, why not have it be that whoever can stack their pieces the highest the fastest wins 100 points? Or something like that. It just doesn’t need to be such a mean game.
Children could find other ways to take out their aggression. Maybe dodgeball or punching pillow with the faces of their enemies on them. Something less educational than a board game.
Please join me next week when I’ll be reviewing Checkers, the restaurant.
