FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 1, 2001

Contact: Greg J. Schloesser
President, Strategy Gaming Society
3800 Briant Drive
Marrero, Louisiana 70072 USA
telephone (504) 347-6097
strategygames@about.com

The Strategy Gaming Society has announced the finalists for the 2001 Gamers' Choice Awards, a set of awards which recognizes outstanding strategy board games in three categories.

This year ' s nominees include The Lord of the Rings, a cooperative board game based on the best-selling series of novels by J.R.R. Tolkien; Battle Cry, a quick-playing wargame based on the U.S. Civil War; and Star Wars: The Queen's Gambit, which features droids and other characters from Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace.

Eligible games are those released during calendar year 2000. The winners will be announced on June 1, 2001.

This complete list of this year's nominees includes:

General Strategy Games, Multi-Player

GAME DESIGNER PUBLISHER
Aladdin's Dragons Richard Breese Hans im Glück / Rio Grande
Attila Karl Heinz Schmiel Hans im Glück / Rio Grande
Carcassonne Klaus-Jürgen Wrede Hans im Glück / Rio Grande
La Citta Gerd Fenchel Kosmos / Rio Grande
Lord of the Rings Reiner Knizia Kosmos / Hasbro
Merchants of Amsterdam Reiner Knizia Jumbo / Rio Grande
Metro Dirk Henn Queen
Morisi Corné van Moorsel Cwali
Ohne Furcht und Adel Bruno Faidutti Hans im Glück
Princes of Florence Wolfgang Kramer & Alea / Rio Grande
Michael Kiesling
Taj Mahal Reiner Knizia Alea / Rio Grande
Traumfabrik Reiner Knizia Hasbro
Web of Power Michael Schacht Gold Sieber / Rio Grande

General Strategy Games, Two-Player

GAME DESIGNER PUBLISHER
Babel Uwe Rosenberg & Kosmos / Rio Grande
Hagen Dorgathen
Battle Cry Richard Borg Avalon Hill
Hera & Zeus Richard Borg Kosmos / Rio Grande
Zertz Kris Burm Schmidt Spiele
Queen's Gambit Craig Van Ness & Avalon Hill
Roach

Historical Simulation Games

GAME DESIGNER COMPANY
Battle Cry Richard Borg Avalon Hill
Battle of Brandywine Creek Mark Miklos GMT
Bonaparte in Italy Kevin Zucker Operations Study Group
Drive on Paris Al Wambold The Gamers
Pacific Victory Tom Dalgliesch Columbia
Risorgimento Richard Berg & Peter Perla GMT
Simple GBOH Richard Berg & Mark Herman GMT
Solomon Sea Markus Stumptner Simulations Workshop
Ukraine '43 Mark Simonitch GMT
Xenophon Joe Miranda Strategy & Tactics

Two separate committees of knowledgeable and respected members of the gaming hobby will choose the winners. The judges hail from several different countries, giving a broad perspective to the Gamers' Choice Awards. Particular emphasis was given in selecting individuals who are already active in the reviewing of games and have their finger on the pulse of the gaming hobby.

Serving on the General Strategy Games committee are:

Mik Svellov: Denmark; Editor of Brett und Board international website
Herb Levy: United States; Founder of the Gamers Alliance
Mike Siggins: Great Britain; Review Editor of G3 magazine; Reviewer for Counter
magazine and The Games Cabinet website
Stuart Dagger: Great Britain; Editor of Counter Magazine
Alan How: Great Britain; Contributing Editor of Counter Magazine
Andreas Keirat: Germany; Experienced game reviewer for Luding
Greg Aleknevicus: Canada; Experienced game reviewer
Steffan O'Sullivan: United States; Experienced game reviewer
Ronald Hoekstra: Netherlands; Editor of Spelmagazijn games international website
Ben Baldanza: United States; Experienced game reviewer
Peter Sarrett: United States; Editor of The Game Report magazine
Mike Clifford: Great Britain; Contributing Editor of Counter Magazine
Frank Branham: United States; Editor of The Games Dumpster website
Greg Schloesser: United States; Editor of The Westbank Gamers website
Doug Adams: Australia; Editor of the Billabong Gamers website
Frank Kulkmann: Germany; Editor of Kulkmann's Gamebox website

Serving on the Historical Simulation Games committee are:

Alan Poulter: Great Britain; Editor of Web-Grognards website
Eric Pass: Canada; Experienced Reviewer and Designer
Jim Werbaneth: United States; Editor of Line of Departure
Walt O'Hara: United States; Experienced Game Reviewer and Designer
Dr. Peter Perla: United States; Contributing Editor of Fire and Movement
Danny Holte: United States; Experienced Game Reviewer
Allan Rothberg: United States; Experienced Game Reviewer
Markus Stumptner: Austria; Experienced Game Reviewer

For a detailed look at the Committee members and their qualifications, please visit the SGS website: http://pages.about.com/strategygames/

The Gamers' Choice Awards page can be found here: http://pages.about.com/strategygames/wizze.html

The Strategy Gaming Society is the oldest continuous gaming organization in the United States.

The SGS serves to bring together people from all over the world to enjoy and help spread the word about the wonderful world of strategy gaming.