The Day of Games – Leagues, Gear, Awesome times.

We are proud to announce that The Day of Games and Brent Wagner were featured in the USA Today Fall Special Edition of Your Life: Guide to Men’s Health. The Magazine is on newstands now. Go get one!

The article is entitled Outdoor Games and was written by Larry Weisman of USA Today. Here is what he had to say:
Quoted from article featuring The Day of Games foldable cornhole boards:

“Cornhole: Eight bean bags and two boards with holes in them make up the equipment. The object: Toss your bean bag (from a distance) through the hole in the board, then your opponent tries to do the same. Or knock your opponents’ bean bags off the board. Kind of like shuffleboard. Or horseshoes without the clanging.”

Additionally, there was some commentary from Brent:

“Brent Wagner: Founder of The Day of Games, a casual game manufacturer headquartered in Los Angeles

- “This all started in 2006 with eight of us who lived in or around Marina Del Rey, Calif. One weekend we would get up at 9a.m., stay up until midnight, party, and play every game. We called it The Day of Games. That whole concept spun into this brand.”
- “All the games are gaining in popularity. They give people a chance to get off the couch and be social, going out and hanging out and meeting new friends instead of watching TV after work with a bowl of cereal.”
- “Our target is the 20- to 30- something tailgaters and the college guys who are playing games. We feel people like playing games with one hand while having a cold beverage in the other.”"

Check out the magazine:

YOU CAN PURCHASE THE CORNHOLE SET FEATURED IN THE USA TODAY MAGAZINE HERE:
The Day of Games – Portable and Foldable Cornhole Game

We also sell professional sized cornhole boards and a variety of other tailgate games, leisure sports, and backyard games.  Take 30 seconds to shop through our website!

PART VII of the series… “Should I Apply to Become an About.com Guide? No.”

Playing 2-person foosball requires a real focus on strategy if you really want to win. Many people jump up to the foosball table at bars and don’t quite know what they are doing. If you want to actually notch some W’s on the foosball table, check out this collection of tips.

Teamwork:
It’s imperative to communicate with your teammate while playing the game.  The defense can move the ball up in one of two methods.  There is the full-field-kick attempt or the deliberate-passing style of play.  If the defense has decided to go for full-field-kicks, then the person controlling the offensive foosball players should turn the rod so that all of the players have their legs facing their own goal.  This will prevent them from blocking the ball moving forward and it will allow the players a quick 90 degree rod turn in order to get them back into position.  If the defense wants to try passing the ball forward to the midfielders, there needs to be some sort of verbal communication to achieve a completed pass.

Strategy for Offensive Play:

• Controlled ball movement is the best way to play the game, but it also requires the most amount of skill.  If your opponent never has the opportunity to touch the ball, then they will obviously be at a disadvantage!  As you get better and better, you will slowly move away from full-field-kicks and focus more on a controlled version of foosball.

• Take many shots on goal. The goalie usually cannot retain the ball so it will slowly dribble back toward the forwards.  It’s OK to have a happy trigger when it comes to shooting in foosball.

• A successful tool for goal scoring is to angle your shots. As mentioned above with the wall passes, you can use the corner of the player’s feet and take shots that will be very difficult for the goalie to stop.

Strategy for Defensive Play:

• Aligning your goalie and one defender to block the goal is a standard position for your defense to remain in as long as the ball is up toward your offense.  This provides the best chance to block a long shot that could come from your opponent.  Believe it or not, goalies score in foosball all the time because defenders are not in position!

• Once the ball is in your defensive zone and the forwards from your opponent are about to take a shot, revert from your standard position and try and keep your players in front of the ball.   Aimlessly sliding the goalie back and forth will not help you win.

• Keep your defenders feet to the ground! Too many goals are scored because the defenders bodies are parallel to the table.  It’s impossible to kick the ball if the defenders feet are not down.

• Angled passing is a great method to get the ball out of the defensive zone. Just like wall passes, and forwards attempting shots on goal, the defenders can use the angled pass in order to clear the ball.
If you can employ even half of the tips mentioned above, you should have a leg up on your opponents. Foosball tactics are easy to learn and even easier to execute. Go out there and win!

PART IV of the series… “Should I Apply to Become an About.com Guide? No.”

Assembling the perfect game room is no easy task.  There are many games to find, layouts to figure out, color schemes to decide upon, and budgeting to deal with. A great game room should incorporate your own personal style and your favorite games, but make sure you include things that everyone will enjoy. Here is a list of the top 10 must-haves for your game room.  But first, a few assumptions:

• Expect to spend at least $5,000 – $10,000. You must have a reasonable budget to truly deck the place out.  Can you create a game room for under $5,000? Of course, but if you want all the good stuff from this Top 10 list, you need to open up that wallet.

• The dedicated game room is no smaller than a standard 2-car garage.  If you have a random pool table at your house that sits in next to the living room, that is not a game room.  If you have a dart board that hangs in your garage in between posters and storage boxes, that is not a game room.  A game room should be an entire space that is focused entirely on the elements listed below.

• This is a Game Room and not a Man Cave.  What’s the difference?  While there is definite overlap between the two concepts, a Man Cave is considered to be an escape from the rest of the house.  A Man Cave is most likely filled with many essentials of a Game Room, but it can also have items that have nothing to do with games, such as a theater seating, collectibles, and computers.  The Game Room for your house shouldn’t just be an escape for men; it should be enjoyed by men, women, and kids.

Now your budget is in order, you have an adequate space, and you understand the definition of a game room.

Here is your Top 10 List:

1) Pool table

A pool table is the centerpiece to any well laid out game room.  Without a pool table you’ll be hanging out in the minor leagues.  Everyone loves pool and it can even double as a base for a ping pong tabletop. Don’t forget to include a rack for your pool cues. Don’t be cheap with your pool table selection. It should be a few notches above bar-quality.

2) Dart board

Stick with the quality bristle sets that come with steel tipped darts.  The best bet for a game room is to grab a set that comes with chalkboards along the sides. The dart board needs to be placed in an area away from the any reasonable walking area.  The normal black, red, and green color scheme always looks classy. A nice touch is to include a list of all the possible dart games and their rules.

3) Shuffleboard

One of the most underrated of the game room options.  A well made shuffleboard table can cause a group of people to lose track of time. The game is addicting and nestles itself nicely along your game room wall. There are a few manufacturers that sell shuffleboard tables and the prices can vary from $500 to well over $2,500.

4) Arcade Games

Pick your favorite childhood game or a more recent favorite.  You can never go wrong with the original Ms. Pac-Man game.  That little yellow lady just never gets old.  Big Buck Hunter is another popular game.  Even large groups of people can get involved. There are also some obscure options like Tron or Off Road. If you buy an arcade game that requires quarters, make sure to leave a huge cup of change on top of the game.  Don’t charge your guests!

5) Bar or Kegorator

An area to keep snacks and cold beverages is key.  Who wants to leave the game room once you’re in there?  Keep your guests’ glasses full, along with their stomachs. A kegorator can be constructed out of an old fridge, or you can just buy a fully completed version online. Constructing a full bar is a much larger undertaking but if you have the space a little bar area is a spectacular addition to a game room.

6) Television Area

The TV might be the centerpiece of a man cave, but it’s only a secondary aspect to a game room.  There should be some comfy chairs and a screen that is large enough to watch an NBA game from the other side of the room. Black leather is a fairly standard option for the game room. If the chairs recline then your guests will never want to leave. Throw in some cupholders onto the chairs and your guests will be begging to come back for the big game.

7) Unique Game

Find something that nobody else on the block has. Think Skeeball, a vintage pinball machine, or any arcade game that was around before 1970. This game will be the least played, but the most memorable.  Bonus points for anything that costs a nickel. Old vintage games can be found on the internet and there are tons of options to fit your favorite sport. Say you are a baseball lover, you can find an old baseball game from the 1940’s that has a little swinging bat.

8 ) Mini Basketball Hoop

If you have room for a large popashot style game, that is the way to go. Otherwise, a small hoop over a trashcan or a hoop that hangs over a door will also work.  Background basketball games will get people in the mood for practicing their fade away three-pointers. If you are really on a budget, you can always just place a little cup in the corner, crumple up some paper, and then aim for the cup.

9) Gaming Games

A cabinet full of gambling games is a requirement for all game rooms. Multiple decks of cards, poker chips, dice, and a backgammon set should be readily available to be pulled out at all times.  A game room is incomplete without a little wagering. A poker table is a great addition if you have the space. If no space is available, you can always play poker on the pool table. Pool tables make for great poker tables but be careful where you place your beer. Beverages should never be placed around the edges of your pool table.

10) Putter and Golf Balls

There is something about a putter leaning against the wall that calls out, “grab me” “putt with me!” An office style artificial turf game is not necessary; all you need is the putter and a few random gold balls.  A game can be created by targeting anything on the ground, or simply laying down an empty glass. You might even want to include four to five putters so that everyone can have their own personal putter when coming up with different challenges.

PART III of the series… “Should I Apply to Become an About.com Guide? No.”

You have probably played a little in college, or maybe you are a proud new owner of your very own foosball table.  Welcome to the foosball community! As with most bar games, there are a variety of different rules and regulations that people adhere to.  Listed below you will find the most common version of the game that we all love.

The Basics:

First timers, pay attention. If you read nothing else at least know this: Foosball is like soccer, in that the goal is to put the ball in the back of the net. The more goals scored, the better. Similar to soccer, the better teams focus on defense and ball control. Beginners generally just try to whack the ball as hard as possible, but you will develop more as a player if you put some thought into your foosball play. Lastly, it’s against the rules to touch the other players’ rods, and spinning the rods around super fast is for rookies!

The Rules:

• The point of the game is to score more goals than the other team.

• A goal is officially scored when the ball moves past the goalie and drops into the goal box.

• Play to 7, 11, or 21 points.  Some bars are limited to the number of balls provided, and some home foosball tables come with a little scoreboard, so feel free to play to whatever score you like.

• Only control the rods you are assigned to; do not touch your opponents’ rods.

• Never bump the table.

• If a ball has completely stopped moving in an area of play where neither team can touch it, simply tap the ball with your finger to the nearest player.  If the ball is in between two players, re-insert the ball via the ball drop on the side of the table.

• Do not spin your rods!  A “spin” is when you grab the handle and whirl the rod around so that the players make consecutive revolutions around and around and around (360 degrees or more is a no-no).

• Have fun.  Yes, there are people who are incredibly good at this game, but 99.9% of us are just trying to enjoy a friendly game with some friends.

Before the Game:

The first thing to decide is whether the game will be played One vs. One or Two vs. Two.  The strategy and techniques vary greatly between the two versions, but it is recommended to start playing the game with a partner (Two vs. Two).  Playing with teams will allow you to focus on either your offense or your defense, and it’s a more social event, which is simply more enjoyable.  Playing one-on-one is a more competitive version of the game.

Understanding the Table Formation:

Most foosball tables are created to resemble a soccer formation that would be described as “4-5-3”.  There are three forwards, five midfielders, four defensemen, and one goalie.  The goalie and the rear two defenders are located on the back rod; the front defenders are located on rod No. 2.  Rod No. 3 has all of the midfielders, and rod No. 4 contains the forwards.  The little men stuck on those rods are called your “players”.   A goal is located behind each goalie.  There is also a hole in which to insert the ball into play.  The hole is located at the midway point of the table.

Preparing for Play:

Playing the game Two vs. Two is the best way to begin playing foosball.  As you play more and more games, try to alternate between playing offense and defense.  The offense is comprised of the midfielders and the forwards; it’s this person’s job to focus on scoring goals. The defense is comprised of the goalie and the defenders, and this person needs to stop the shots coming from the other team, clear the ball to the opposite side of the table, or pass the ball to the midfielders.  In order to become a well rounded player, it’s good practice to switch between offense and defense as much as possible.

First Ball in Play:

A coin can be flipped in order to determine who gets to drop in the first ball.  It is against the rules to intentionally direct the ball closer to your players.  Always keep in mind that foosball is generally a social game, so try not to be too competitive.  Applying spin to the ball is a way of intentionally curving the ball a specific direction, so try to fling the ball straight down the mid-line.

Passing:

More advanced players can actually pass the ball around the game table.  The ball can be passed forward, backward, and even side to side.

There are a few techniques to being a good passer:

• Remain calm: Unlike real soccer, the opponents players can never detach from their rod and come slide tackle the ball away from you.  Once you have the ball, keep your composure, and make a decision what your next move will be.

• Side passing: Scoring goals in foosball can be harder than it looks.  It can take five, sometimes ten or more shots from your forwards to actually get a ball past the goalkeeper.  Try using the side of the players’ feet to pass the ball back and forth between your forwards.  It is very tricky for the goalie to effectively remain in front of a ball that is moving back and forth.

• Wall passes: This is a soccer term that refers to a player passing the ball to a teammate who “acts as a wall” in order to return the ball to the player, who has moved down the field.  In foosball, you can accomplish a wall pass by literally passing the ball against the wall.  Use the corner of the players’ feet to pass the ball in a diagonal direction down the playing field.

PART II of the series… “Should I Apply to Become an About.com Guide? No.”

Cricket is arguably the most popular version of darts. When playing with friends at a bar or a social gathering, people often play cricket.  It’s the most interesting, in my opinion, because you have to be a better strategist than you do a dart thrower, although being both is ideal.  First step is to set up the game.

Setting up the Game:

• There is generally a chalk board or dry erase board next to every dart board at a bar.  Use it to write the numbers from 20-15 and bullseye down the left side (some dart-chalk boards already have the numbers written out on the left side for you).
• Put the participants’ names (individual or team – up to 4 total) across the top of the dart board, and then make it look like a grid, so that each individual or team name corresponds with each scoring number.
• Determine an order for throwing.  Each individual or team will throw 3 darts per turn.  In team play, it’s common for players to alternate turns for their team.

Darts area:

• Standard throwing rules apply.  The throw line should be 7 feet and 9 and ¼ inches from the face of the dart board if you’re using steel-tipped darts. It should be an even 8 feet if you’re using soft-tipped darts (this should be marked for you in any bar).

Game play:

The gameplay is simple to learn, but can take a while to master.  That’s why cricket is so popular with both novices and players of advanced skill.

• The only spaces on the dart board that count in cricket are the numbers 20-15 and the bullseye, and you have to hit each of those spaces 3 times in order to close it out.

• When you hit one of the numbers or the bullseye during your turn, mark the board in the corresponding team and number square with a backslash. When you hit the number a second time, use a forward slash to make that number’s square have an X in it. When you hit that same number a third time, put a circle around the X, and that number is closed out.

• The double and triple options for each number apply in cricket as well.  The outer ring of a number on a standard dartboard is worth double the number. If you hit the outside ring of one of the numbers in play, it counts as if you’ve hit it twice.  Example, if you have already hit the 18 once, and then you hit a double 18, you can mark the forward slash and the circle, and 18s will be closed out.  The inner ring on each number is worth triple.  Same situation with the double, only you get to count it as if you’ve hit that particular number 3 times.  The bullseye has an inner ring as well, and that’s worth 2 bullseyes, however, there is no spot on the dart board that will give you 3 bullseyes with one throw.  The triple bullseyes is the unicorn of darts: It sounds amazing, but doesn’t exist.

Winning the Game:

Determining a winner depends on how you want to play the game.  If you just want to see who can close out 20-15 and bull’s eyes first, then the winner will obviously be the one who does that first.  There are versions of cricket where points become a factor.

Scoring rules with points are as follows:

• The only spaces on the board that matter for scoring are still 20-15 and bullseye.
• The only way to score on any of these numbers is to already have them closed out AND for your opponent(s) to not already have them closed out.  Example: If Bill has closed out 20s, and his opponent, Ted, has only hit one 20, then every time Bill hits a 20 until Ted closes them out, Bill will get 20 points added to his score.  The double and triple rings apply in scoring as well.  In this example, Bill thinks this rule is excellent, while Ted can get quite frustrated.
• Winner is determined by who has the most points AND has completely closed out 20-15 and bullseye.

Strategy:

This is where strategy comes into play.  Do you try to close everything out early and risk going behind in points, or do you try to build a point lead and risk not having numbers closed out quickly enough?  That’s up to you.

Any way you decide to play, the outcome will take a back seat to the fun you have getting there.  Always a popular game, always a good time.

Happy throwing.

PART I of the series… “Why to never apply to become an About.com Guide”

The Objective of 501:

501 is one of the most popular darts games. It is played one player versus one other player for competitive matches, but if you are in a bar, there is no reason not to allow any number of players. The goal of the game is to reduce your score from 501 down to zero.  The first person to achieve a score of zero is the winner.  Not one, not negative one; the final score has to be exactly zero.   All three darts are shot toward the dart board per round. The larger your score, the more points you can deduct from your score.

Starting the Game:

Deciding who goes first can be as simple as flipping a coin, but most dart games begin with a little contest of “closest dart to the bullseye.”  The person who throws their dart closest to the bullseye will go first.  If both players score a bullseye, the darts should be thrown again.

Equipment:

A standard dart board should be used for 501.  There is a bullseye, an inner ring, and an outer ring.  Each sliver of the dart board is assigned a point value as listed around the outer edge.  These are the clearly defined scoring sections.

Scoring:

Darts that hit the bullseye are worth 50 points, and the outer bulleye is worth 25 points.  The open spaces within each sliver of a scoring section are worth the point value assigned around the edge.  The inner ring is the “triples” scoring section and the outer ring is the “doubles” scoring section.  All darts that land in either section shall double or triple the applicable assigned score.  For example, a dart that lands in the triples ring of the scoring section of 19 shall score a total of 57. Here is how a complete scoring round would work if you started with a score of 501 and three darts were thrown and they landed in triple 20, double 15, and single 8: The total for that round would be 60 (triple 20) + 30 (double 15) +8 (single 8 ) = 98, then you should subtract 98 from 501 which would be 403.

Finishing:

Throwing a “double” on the last throw of 501 is usually required.  This means that if you have a score of 40, you can end the game by “doubling out” and hitting the double 20 section.  If you throw a number that is greater than the points remaining, you just busted.  A bust means the entire round doesn’t count and you remain at your previous score. It is possible to play the game without the requirement to “double” out of the game.

The pros actually memorize the specific combinations of dart throws that can clear the board once the score gets to 170 (for games that are played with the double requirement).  At a score of 170 the game can end by throwing a triple 20, another triple 20, and then the inner bullseye (60 + 60 + 50). Once below 171 the game can be finished in one round except if you start with scores of 169, 168, 166, 165, 163, 162, and 159.

Variations:

While 501 is the most popular version of this type of scoring method, you can also play 301, 401, 701, or pretty much any number you feel like playing.  501 happens to be the most common starting number.  If you are short on time, or less skilled, feel free to start at 301.

The Perfect Game:

The perfect game of 501 is probably about as rare as a bowler knocking down a 300. It’s possible for the dart thrower to accomplish a total of exactly 501 using just three rounds of play.

Jump to about 4 minutes in. (video below)

Our Portable and Foldable Cornhole was featured on the TODAY show, on the right.  It’s listed as the value item!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Petanque Bocce is here! People are always asking for gold bocce balls, or gold petanque balls. Then people start asking for silver bocce balls, or silver petanque balls… so we slapped the two together and created a game. Hopefully everyone will be happy!? We’ve tested this thing out for impromptu BBQ’s at the park, taken it to the beach for some cocktails, and even spent a little time at the North Beach bocce courts. Good times were had by all! Can’t wait to take the game down to So. Cal and give it a test run over in Venice Beach.

Fathers Day weekend brought amazing weather to San Francisco, so it was time to head to Lafayette Park for a little Soccer Bocce photo shoot. There was just enough time to watch the end of the US Open golf tournament and watch Rory McIlroy crush the field. Then straight to the park to take some pictures. Now I am not a professional photographer, and Hayneedle offered to take some pics of our gear, but they wouldn’t allow us to use the pics on The Day of Games website, so why not just take the pics in-house! They turned out pretty nice. Pretty legit! Tailgating season is around the corner.

Have you had a chance to enjoy an MLS tailgate yet??  Get out there and support your local soccer team – and get there EARLY!  Most people associate tailgates with football games, or baseball games, but there is no reason that you can’t grab some beers and a Soccer Tailgate Game (heard of Soccer Bocce??).  If you like the Galaxy or Chivas USA, then grab your LA buddies and show up to the parking lot with time to hang out for a while at the Home Depot Center.  Or if the Seattle Sounders is your squad, you can enjoy Seattle Sounders Tailgating in the NORTH LOT at Qwest Field (Tailgating is only permitted on the East side of the North Lot only).  What are the requirements for an enjoyable MLS Tailgate?  You need the following:

- Beers
- Food
- Chairs
- Tailgate games (SOCCER BOCCE, see below)
- Music
- A tailgate table

Why Soccer Bocce?  Because there has never been a great gift for those soccer lovers.  It’s a cheap soccer gift and it is also pretty damn unique.  Have you heard of Soccer Bocce?  You can take it to the park, the beach, or anywhere with an open area.  It also works indoors!  The soccer balls in this bocce set are REAL miniature soccer balls.  The set comes with a pump and needle to you can pump up the balls.  Then you can just throw them into the carrying case when you are done.  Soccer Bocce is great for soccer drills, playing in between your soccer games at a tournament, and even experimenting with some indoor bocce!

Back to the MLS tailgtating…  Where do you want to tailgate for your soccer games?  How about these excellent spots: All the games for — Chicago Fire, Columbus Crew, DC United, Houston Dynamo, New England Revolution, New York Red Bulls, Philadelphia Union, Sporting Kansas City, Toronto FC, Chivas USA, Colorado Rapids, FC Dallas, LA Galaxy, Portland Timbers, Real Salt Lake, San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders FC, and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC.  You, your family, and your friends should be tailgating at all these games!