Nerd Bingo

Games To Play In The Lecture Hall

by Michael Bleyer (s_bleyer@rzmain.rz.uni-ulm.de)
written 26 Nov 1994

This article is classified "Real"


As you probably guessed from the title, this is a game.  If you didn't
guess it, you know now.  As fun things usually do, it requires a certain
sense of humor.  It also requires several other things to start playing;
if you don't have them readily available, check out your nearest
university or college.

First you will need a lecture hall with a lecture going on.  Best suited
is a large lecture with lots of nerds (computer scientists work pretty
well, but any other scientists will do too).  Every player participating
in the game draws a tic-tac-toe square on a sheet of paper (3x3 fields).
Into each field, enter the name of one nerd who sits in the lecture.
If you don't know their names, make up funny nicknames, just be sure
everyone knows who is meant.

If one of the nerds on your sheet asks the professor a stupid question
(or any question, since every question from a nerd is by definition a
stupid question), you get to cross out the field with the name of that
nerd in it.  The first player to get 3 fields in a row wins (horizontal,
vertical or diagonal).  Of course the player has to shout "Bingo" loud and
clear to claim his victory.

The difficulty of this game is to figure out who the nerdiest nerd is,
since this name should go into the middle field of your sheet (this field
obviously has the most possible combinations).  As you can see, this game
is a favourite of hitchhikers to exercise the knowledge of human nature.

If you want to make the game more exiting, you can bet for money, alcohol
or other things that a hitchhiker often runs short of.

See also:
  • Lecture Games

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