Difference between revisions of "Ponzi!"
| Line 31: | Line 31: | ||
Assign each player a unique colour. Give each player 50 (??) beads of their colour. | Assign each player a unique colour. Give each player 50 (??) beads of their colour. | ||
| − | + | Prepare as many playing cards as there are players - make them all black except one. | |
| + | |||
| + | Hand out cards and ask the players to look at them in secret, remember them, then give them back. Make sure the moderator knows who got the red card. Announce that the player with a red card was the fraudster. | ||
Provide stickers in the same colours as the beads, for use by spectators to make their predictions about who the fraudster is. | Provide stickers in the same colours as the beads, for use by spectators to make their predictions about who the fraudster is. | ||
| Line 37: | Line 39: | ||
Prepare the Invisible Hand, a mechanism which randomly indicates the Will of the Market, ie which combinations of beads can be traded for other beads (details hazy). | Prepare the Invisible Hand, a mechanism which randomly indicates the Will of the Market, ie which combinations of beads can be traded for other beads (details hazy). | ||
| − | Have chocolate coins on hand for rewards: 5 x number of players, + 1. | + | Have chocolate coins (or gold bars) on hand for rewards: 5 x number of players, + 1. Provide peaches as an alternative for those who can't eat chocolate. |
| − | == | + | == How the Invisible Hand works == |
Each round, the moderator of the game, representing the Will of the Market, will exchange a particular combination of bead colours for a SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER of beads of a particular colour. | Each round, the moderator of the game, representing the Will of the Market, will exchange a particular combination of bead colours for a SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER of beads of a particular colour. | ||
For example, the Market might desire two yellows and a blue, and in exchange return 10 reds. | For example, the Market might desire two yellows and a blue, and in exchange return 10 reds. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The simplest way to generate this is to have the moderator pull beads out of a hat, then roll some dice for the desired trade. Do this behind a screen (it's the Invisible Hand, after all) to allow some fudging if necessary. | ||
== Gameplay == | == Gameplay == | ||
| Line 51: | Line 55: | ||
1. The players may trade beads among themselves, including as many IOUs, options, Calls for Difference etc. as the moderator will tolerate. | 1. The players may trade beads among themselves, including as many IOUs, options, Calls for Difference etc. as the moderator will tolerate. | ||
| − | 2. The Invisible Hand indicates the | + | 2. The Invisible Hand indicates the WILL OF THE MARKET: the set of beads, and what they can be traded for. |
3. The moderator swaps sets for beads according to the will of the Market. | 3. The moderator swaps sets for beads according to the will of the Market. | ||
| Line 59: | Line 63: | ||
At any time, a spectator can predict who the fraudster is. To do this, the spectator writes his/her initials on a sticker and affixes it to the turn counter on the current turn. Each spectator can make only one prediction. | At any time, a spectator can predict who the fraudster is. To do this, the spectator writes his/her initials on a sticker and affixes it to the turn counter on the current turn. Each spectator can make only one prediction. | ||
| − | == | + | == Ending the game == |
Reveal the worthless bead colour and make every player discard all the worthless beads. | Reveal the worthless bead colour and make every player discard all the worthless beads. | ||
| Line 67: | Line 71: | ||
The spectator who FIRST correctly predicted which player was the fraudster gets a chocolate coin. | The spectator who FIRST correctly predicted which player was the fraudster gets a chocolate coin. | ||
| − | Every player is rewarded with | + | Every player is rewarded with equal chocolate coins, regardless of whether they won or not. They are blameless victims of an unforeseeable crisis, and it would be illegal to give them anything less than the five chocolate coins specified in their contracts. |
== Possible chrome == | == Possible chrome == | ||
| Line 76: | Line 80: | ||
Use a bingo machine with coloured balls as part of deciding the Will of The Market. | Use a bingo machine with coloured balls as part of deciding the Will of The Market. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Shopping list == | ||
| + | |||
| + | Essential: | ||
| + | 6x plastic beakers to keep beads in | ||
| + | Top hat | ||
| + | Beads of 6 colours - at least 100 of each | ||
| + | Turn counter | ||
| + | Playing cards | ||
| + | |||
| + | If spectators are predicting: | ||
| + | Stickers of 6 colours | ||
| + | Stock chart instead of turn counter | ||
| + | |||
| + | Chrome: | ||
| + | Bowler hats (could be novelty plastic ones) | ||
| + | Projected stock chart with some way of marking spectator guesses | ||
Revision as of 14:12, 31 March 2009
An allegorical game of high finance; players strive to trade beads advantageously. But one of them is a fraudster secretly trying to dump worthless beads.
| Ponzi! | |
|---|---|
| Designer: | Ben Henley |
| Year: | unknown |
| Players: | 4-6 (also, spectators can predict the fraudster) |
| Stuff required: | A large number of beads, one colour per player |
| Crew required: | One. |
| Preparation: | ?? |
| Time required: | ?? |
| Place required: | ?? |
| Activities: | Trading, bluffing |
 | |
 | |
Overview and theme
The players represent financiers (hedge fund managers, investment bankers and the like). They must increase their assets (total number of beads) as much as possible before the inevitable market crash.
One of the players is secretly a fraudster, whose starting beads are all worthless.
Any spectators represent market analysts, who must try to work out who is the fraudster, based on their trading patterns.
Preparation
The game requires a large number of beads, available in as many colours as there are players.
A turn counter is used to keep track of the number of elapsed rounds. It consists of a stock chart showing a declining market, with vertical interval markers representing rounds, and a pointer showing which round the game is currently at. It should be poster-sized and placed so that the audience can affix stickers to it.
Assign each player a unique colour. Give each player 50 (??) beads of their colour.
Prepare as many playing cards as there are players - make them all black except one.
Hand out cards and ask the players to look at them in secret, remember them, then give them back. Make sure the moderator knows who got the red card. Announce that the player with a red card was the fraudster.
Provide stickers in the same colours as the beads, for use by spectators to make their predictions about who the fraudster is.
Prepare the Invisible Hand, a mechanism which randomly indicates the Will of the Market, ie which combinations of beads can be traded for other beads (details hazy).
Have chocolate coins (or gold bars) on hand for rewards: 5 x number of players, + 1. Provide peaches as an alternative for those who can't eat chocolate.
How the Invisible Hand works
Each round, the moderator of the game, representing the Will of the Market, will exchange a particular combination of bead colours for a SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER of beads of a particular colour.
For example, the Market might desire two yellows and a blue, and in exchange return 10 reds.
The simplest way to generate this is to have the moderator pull beads out of a hat, then roll some dice for the desired trade. Do this behind a screen (it's the Invisible Hand, after all) to allow some fudging if necessary.
Gameplay
Sequence of each round:
1. The players may trade beads among themselves, including as many IOUs, options, Calls for Difference etc. as the moderator will tolerate.
2. The Invisible Hand indicates the WILL OF THE MARKET: the set of beads, and what they can be traded for.
3. The moderator swaps sets for beads according to the will of the Market.
Repeat until there are no more beads left to give out or a certain number of turns has elapsed. At this point, the Market crashes: see Endgame below.
At any time, a spectator can predict who the fraudster is. To do this, the spectator writes his/her initials on a sticker and affixes it to the turn counter on the current turn. Each spectator can make only one prediction.
Ending the game
Reveal the worthless bead colour and make every player discard all the worthless beads.
The player with the most beads remaining is the winner.
The spectator who FIRST correctly predicted which player was the fraudster gets a chocolate coin.
Every player is rewarded with equal chocolate coins, regardless of whether they won or not. They are blameless victims of an unforeseeable crisis, and it would be illegal to give them anything less than the five chocolate coins specified in their contracts.
Possible chrome
The moderator could wear traditional city garb. Maybe a bowler hat for each player, with a sticker of the appropriate colour?
The turn counter could be projected on a big screen, with some high-tech way of adding spectator predictions.
Use a bingo machine with coloured balls as part of deciding the Will of The Market.
Shopping list
Essential: 6x plastic beakers to keep beads in Top hat Beads of 6 colours - at least 100 of each Turn counter Playing cards
If spectators are predicting: Stickers of 6 colours Stock chart instead of turn counter
Chrome: Bowler hats (could be novelty plastic ones) Projected stock chart with some way of marking spectator guesses
