| There is a fine line between a toy and a game. If | | | | But did you ever see a kid set up a chess board |
| you don't think so, look inside the mind of a child | | | | and start to move the two armies towards each |
| and inside the following article. It may just change | | | | other? As the pawns approach and get within |
| how you think about what exactly is a toy.What's | | | | striking distance you're only seconds away from |
| the difference? To a little kid, probably not much. | | | | seeing pieces fly all over the place. And so see |
| And with games that you only need one person | | | | the knight get up on top of the castle (isn't that |
| to play, such as solitaire, the distinction can be a | | | | what knights do)? and start firing arrows or |
| very fine one. How many of us have heard our | | | | swords at the opposing bishop is a sight to be |
| mothers yell at us to "put our toys away" and | | | | seen. And then finally, to see the cat fight |
| what's in front of use is a chess set that we used | | | | between the two queens as the kings stand by |
| to play war with. Kids have wild imaginations. Has | | | | and watch is like watching the battle of the titans. |
| that chess set just become a toy?In most cases | | | | Chess pieces can be great toys. And if you've got |
| there is a very big difference between what is a | | | | those new chess pieces that are designed after |
| toy and what is a game, at least according to our | | | | popular movie characters like Star Wars or Lord |
| adult minds. But in the hands of a child, either one | | | | Of The Rings, well, who needs real toys?Take a |
| can be, well, either one.Dominoes is a great game | | | | simple game of cards and it doesn't matter which |
| for two people. There is quite a bit of strategy | | | | card game you choose. Did you ever see a kid |
| involved in putting out just the right piece so as | | | | start to fling those things around the room? They |
| to block your opponent from being able to do | | | | make great projectiles and if you're not careful as |
| anything and thus forcing him to pick up a domino. | | | | an adult passing by, those cards can easily take |
| But did you ever see those things in the hands of | | | | out an eye. Not to mention the great card castles |
| a small child who's stringing them along the floor in | | | | that you can make. Heck, we all do it. And don't |
| what is turning into a maze of wonders. With the | | | | think they're so easy. Kids seem to have a gift |
| number of dominoes in a set, the number of | | | | when it comes to that stuff.The truth is, just |
| different mazes that child can make is virtually | | | | about any game can be taken apart and turned |
| without limit. So go and tell him that his bunch of | | | | into a toy. But for the sake of the remainder of |
| dominoes are not toys.Getting back to our chess | | | | articles in this series, we're going to concentrate |
| example. We all know that a game of chess is | | | | on toys that were not meant to be made into |
| one of the most complex games of thought ever | | | | games.Not to say they don't ultimately end up as |
| created and it takes a superior mind to play well. | | | | one. |