Over
200 people attended the 2013 Bay Area Open, which was held at the Contra
Costa Fairgrounds, to compete against each other in tabletop war games like Warhammer 40,000.

“It’s popular all over the world”, event organizer Frankie Giampapa said about the game.

Warhammer
is a tabletop game that’s played using miniature figurines. Each figurine has
its own powers and abilities, much like the pieces in chess. Players
use dice and tape measures to determine what their next move will be.

The
event itself was structured as a one-on-one tournament in which
competitors played against each other in timed rounds. The victors moving on to the next round until a champion was crowned.

Despite
the air of competition, the competitors could be seen chatting it up
and making jokes in between rounds.

“(Warhammer) attracts a crowd of
very nice people”, commented Adam Randall, who competed at the event. “That’s what
makes it so enjoyable.”

At the end of the day, however, there was only one competitor left standing: Liz Foster. Foster made it to the final round undefeated and emerged victorious.

The Bay Area Open was sponsored by Frontline Gaming, a
gaming store in Martinez that has been in business since 2011. They
specialize in
selling tabletop games and accessories.

“If anyone wants to come by
they’re always welcome,” said Reece Robbins, head technical officer of the event.