"Once the game is over, the king and the pawn go back in the same box." - Italian Proverb (games.yahoo.com)

Member Name: ILoveJackDaniels

Product:	games.yahoo.com
Date:	10/08/01 (289 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Very User Friendly, Fast, Fun, You can meet some great people

Disadvantages: Some users are too obsessed with rankings

Let's face it, everyone spends too much time on the net these days, and everyone is always looking for something new. Yahoo Games seems to be able to offer something that is not only new, but also user-friendly and addictive!

There are too many games to mention each and every one, but suffice it to say that they have all of the old favourites. Card games include Poker, Blackjack, Canasta, Bridge and even Euchre. Scrabble, Crosswords, Wordsearches, Battleships and even Pool are available, and this is just a very small selection of what you can play. If you can name a game, the chances are that they have a version of it on here.

The games themselves are very slick. The tables look great, if a little plain, and every game has it's own unique feel. They use Java Applets, so you'll need a resonably recent browser to be able to play. You'll also need a Yahoo ID, but if you don't have one, worry not for it takes about 5 minutes mto get one and they are free.

The front page of the site lists all of the games that are available, with the number of people playing if relevant. When you click on the name of the game you wish to play, you will be taken to the 'Lobby' for that game. From there, you can choose a room to play in. You can then join a table or create your own, and start playing instantly.

What makes this stand out from the other gaming sites on the web is the sheer range and quality of the games. They are all very simple to operate, and many of them have options (number of players etc) that you can configure. They are also one of the largest communities on the web, so whenever you log on you will be guaranteed a game of anything you fancy.

The only downside I would mention is the attitude of some of the players leaves a little to be desired. When you first play any game, you are given a rating of provisional. Not this of course does not reflect how good you are, just your experience at Yahoo. Wh
en you have played 20 games, your rating changes from provisional to a number. When you beat someone, you get points depending on how much higher or lower their rating is than yours.

It is all a game, naturally. Sadly, you will find a lot of people will refuse to play anyone ranked lower than them, and some people can be extremely rude if you join a room which they deem too advanced for you.

I would encourage anyone who experiences this to ignore it. There are plenty of people who are there just to play decent games and enjoy themselves, so find them and get to know them. You will quickly find you know a group of people who will give you a decent game whenever they are on, and are not obsessed with their rank.

Despite this, playing at Yahoo is a lot of fun. I've been addicted for ages, and still haven't had a chance to play every game - there are just too many. Next time you find yourself with little to do, check it out. And if you see ILoveJackDanielsUK hanging around the Canasta tables, I'll be happy to give you a game...

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