I Haven't Got A Cluedo

Playing Cluedo with your family is not necessarily relaxing. Matty has been longing to play the new version of the game since it has been advertised on children's TV seemingly on rotation. To speed the game up they've added extra elements like clock cards and special power cards. Now I don't have a problem with board games but I do become incredibly competitive. I have to win. The fact that I'm playing against an 8 year old and his 4 year old brother teamed with my wife makes no difference. Ten minutes in to explaining the rules I'm seriously considering using the weaponry supplied with the game. An axe, baseball bat, pistol. . . all very tempting. And once the game is under way I find myself engaged in a battle of wits with Matty as he tries to peek at my clue list. I deliberately employ strategies to mislead him; hinting strongly that he ought to be looking for the sink plunger in the bathroom. I take a malicious pleasure watching him surreptitiously searching the board for the non-existent crime scene, and I use the distraction to sneak past Polly and Sam and make my accusation. “It was Mr Green, in the Living Room using the Candlestick.” At this point Sam burst into tears. “That's what we were going to say!” he bawled. “Them's the breaks, kid,” I told him. You see, I'm ruthless.