SET

Hello! Lily here! So, fun fact, my family is pretty competitive. Sometimes it’s fun, other times… Not so much. Escape Rooms turn into Panic Rooms (Even though we are ON THE SAME TEAM! Yes, I’m talking to you Mother), what was a nice Saturday evening game, turns into a war (that usually turns out with one of my parents winning). But there are times where its merely some healthy competition, where it’s a calm ‘I’m gonna beat you’ Instead of ‘YOU’RE GOING DOWN!’….. Just imagine game night with competitive guests…. So, being that we play board games enough that I know exactly which ones to stay quiet during, the next few posts are going to be about each family member’s favorite game.

We have stacks upon stacks of board games pilled up throughout our house, and even with all these different games, SET is the only one I can beat my family in about 98% of the time. Risk, I come in third most of the time. Ticket to Ride, I’m lucky if I make the top three. Monopoly, Catan, Sorry, the list goes on and on. All of these games I will win once in a blue moon. Now, this post isn’t about how, in comparison to half the people in my family, I am really bad at board games. Its about my favorite game, and its not my favorite because it’s the one game I rock at (again in comparison to my family).

SET is a game where you have to find groups of three out of twelve cards that are laid out. You’re probably picturing it and thinking ‘Oh, that sounds easy!’… wrong. These cards have different amount of shapes, in different shades, and different colors. Your goal as a player is going through categories that will, usually, point out where the set is. The categories are: Shape, is it a diamond, squiggle, or oval? Color, is it red, green, or purple? And finally amount, does it have one, two, or three shapes. Now within each category these can all be the same or all different. There can’t be two purples and a green or one diamond and two squiggles. Your brain has to try to connect the set before the other people playing can shout the word “set” and collect the cards (it’s probably a good comparison to Sudoku but more tactile). The winner is the one who has found the most sets of three out of 81 cards.

I really enjoy brain games such as, puzzles, Sudoku, and SET (and any other games that will make you stop for a second and question the entire universe). I like problem solving, if you have a knotted up string I will gladly undo it, the calming way your mind will connect the dots is one of my favorite feelings. We found out about SET a few months ago from a friend, we went over to their house and started playing. She was incredible. As much as my family will compliment me and say that I’m super good at the game, she could most likely beat me with only minimal effort. And that is SET in a nutshell. Hours of fun at your fingertips.