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Deadly. Timeless. A must have for all gaming enthusiasts.

(If you dread nostalgia, skip below to my eight tips for prosperous play!)

My earliest memory of RISK is standing tippy-toey at the dining room table watching my father and brothers play. I was only seven. I was told I couldn't play until I was eleven - but I could WATCH! And watch I did, for four LONG years - when I was finally allowed to join the world of adult gaming - playing RISK.

The gaming dynamics are simple. All the players have their own army. Their goal - take over the world. You place your men, you name your plan of attack and role the dice. If you are victorious, the loser removes his men from your newly acquired territory and into his graveyard. You take over the territory, and either move on to the next conquest, or stop to reinforce. And so it goes, until one of you has taken over the world. In about 2-3 hours.

Over the years, RISK has seen many changes in component design. When I was 11, army pieces were made of wooden blocks with different shapes to denote army size. The next board we bought to leave at the cottage had graduated to plastic pieces - which while they were more durable - they were harder to stack! The coolest board I bought for myself to go in my first new house. The pieces actually looked like horses, cannon's and soldiers - VERY cool.

Aside from component design, in the realm of growth and change RISK (like monopoly, and LIFE) has hopped on the MOVIE and TV theme bandwagon. Lord of the Rings Risk, Future RISK, whatever the most recent fad is - Risk... I'm not sure if it's a change for the better. I really have to say I'm a die-hard original RISK fan.

I'd like to close with some important notes for game play:

1) Try not to make non-aggression pacts with other players. It makes everyone else angry - and as a result they are more like to target you in their future strategies. As well, your co-conspirator WILL turn on you when you least expect it, and it hurts you the most.

2)Try not to listen to advice made by other players. My father and husband are masters of the "you know, what you really should do is THIS"... Their strategy is always sound... in the interest of themselves ultimately. It will lead to the eventual demise of your little plastic men and horsies! Plug your ears, sing "la la la, I can't hear you" and continue on.

3)Attack players who like to give advice to other players. This is seriously your best bet. Not only does their removal bring you a step closer to victory

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