A photo of the cover of "Sports Illustrated PAYDIRT: The Game of Professional Football," featuring an image of football players mid-game with accompanying text and logos.
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Paydirt (1970)

ByMichail

Paydirt

Paydirt is a two-player board game that simulates American football. Each player chooses a team that represents an actual NFL team from a specific season. For each team and each season, a Team Chart designed to reflect that team’s strengths and weaknesses during that season is used to direct gameplay. Each “play” of the game consists of the players secretly choosing a type of play (run, short pass, long pass, etc.), rolling dice, and consulting the Team Charts to determine the result of the play.The game was originally published by Time Warner under the name “Sports Illustrated Pro Football”. Avalon Hill later bought the game and renamed it Paydirt, marketing it with a college football version of the game called Bowl Bound. Avalon Hill hired Dr. Thomas R. Nicely, a statistician, to redevelop the mathematics of the gameplay. Avalon Hill published Paydirt until 1995, but some enthusiasts have published Team Charts for subsequent seasons.

Why is Paydirt Popular?

Paydirt is popular among football fans who enjoy the strategy and statistics of the sport. The game’s use of Team Charts that reflect the strengths and weaknesses of actual NFL teams during specific seasons adds a level of realism to the gameplay. The game has a dedicated following, with enthusiasts publishing Team Charts for subsequent seasons and developing computer and board game versions of the game.

Game Components of Paydirt

– Game board
– Team Charts for each team and season
– Dice
– Tokens to represent the ball and players

Game Setup of Paydirt

– Each player chooses a team that represents an actual NFL team from a specific season.
– Each player receives a Team Chart for their chosen team and season.
– The ball and player tokens are placed on the game board.

Gameplay Mechanics of Paydirt

– Each “play” of the game consists of the players secretly choosing a type of play (run, short pass, long pass, etc.).
– The players roll dice and consult the Team Charts to determine the result of the play.
– The game continues in this manner until the end of the game.

Game Objective of Paydirt

The objective of the game is to score more points than the opposing team by the end of the game.

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Michail, a seasoned tabletop enthusiast, dives headfirst into worlds of fantasy and strategy. Whether commanding a party of adventurers through perilous dungeons or engaging in tactical showdowns on the board, Michail is the maestro of the tabletop realm. Michail's gaming table is a realm where the clatter of dice and the shuffle of cards create a symphony of strategic chaos.

Hobby: Miniature painting guru, turning pewter into masterpieces
Preferred Game: Dungeons & Dragons, but always up for a board game brawl