Don Marti

Fri 27 Jan 2012 07:31:17 AM PST

SCALE Poker Quiz

SCALE this year had a quiz game for attendees, and here are my notes on how to play and some things we could do better next time. Lori Barfield, who was in charge of SCALE Game Night, brought it all together on a very tight schedule.

The object of the game for the players is to put together the best possible 5-card poker hand. Each card has an answer printed on it, and in order for that card to count as part of the player's hand, the player has to find the matching question. Card photo at Lisa's iXsystems marketing blog.

All of the questions are about information revealed at booths, talks, and other show events. It's important to get questions that are hard to look up online. The object of the game for the organizers is to get attendees to talk with each other, because they pretty much have to trade cards and information to win.

We gave out seven cards per player.

With a little more time we'll be able to make the game easier to run at the show. Things to improve next time:

• Handouts for people who supplied questions, to give out at exhibitor or speaker registration at the show.

• Entry forms for players turning in hands, to avoid having to write questions on the cards

• Numbered questions on the question sheet, to make it easier to check completed hands.

• Ask for questions earlier, to have extras to work with.

• Give out two cards at registration, then have opportunities to get more cards later?

Some people thought the questions were too hard, but groups of attendees working together were able to figure everything out.