We're on the hunt for one of the very first Four Kings One War boards ever made. Hand made by the inventors of the game and a good friend who helped them to craft it, this board represents one of only three original Four Kings One War™ demo boards in existence. A board that was sent to Richard and never seen or heard of again.

First - A Backstory

The first original Four Kings demo boards were made by hand by three friends with a love for this game: Glyn, Garth and Mike. Why three? The intent was actually for there to be only two demo boards. One for Glyn and one for Garth - to be used demonstrate this great new evolution in strategy games to everyone they could. Mike, having kindly offered to make the boards for Glyn and Garth, decided that he liked the game a lot, so asked if it was okay if he made another for himself. No problem. At least that was, until Glyn and Garth had an idea...

Enter Richard

"Wouldn't it be great if a high profile chess fan had access to a Four Kings One War board?" Indeed it would. But who? Enter Richard. He loves chess. He's got two giant sized outdoor chess sets on his private island. If he loves chess, he's really gonna love Four Kings. Why wouldn't he? Business strategy master, lover of chess - this is the perfect game for him. He'd probably want a screen version of it to put on his airline so the passengers could play it while flying. And so, after a series of phone calls and investigations, the contact details for Richard's Personal Assistant were sourced. Calls were made, arrangements were set. There was just one problem...

$1,000 is a lot of money

Making another board wasn't a quick job. In fact, all told, the original custom made board we're talking about here (incidentally it's similar the one you'll see in our gallery) cost at the time about $1,000 to make. Luckily, Glyn and Garth had about $1,000 to be able to scrape together. Unluckily, they worked out it was going to cost another $1,000 to get the thing to London (that's where Richard's office is). If Richard was going to get to play Four Kings One War™, someone was going to have to give up their prized board. That someone, as it turned out, was Mike. Mike had been enjoying many fun nights playing Four Kings with family and friends, but, being the champion that he is, kindly offered to give up his original demo board so that Glyn and Garth could see out their plan.

Then what happened?

Indeed. That's a question we'd like to know an answer to too. Because after carefully wrapping the board, the full set of player pieces, the original rules of engagement and, a heart-felt, introduction letter from Glyn and Garth and sending it off to London, Glyn and Garth never heard a thing. They know that the package arrived - something that precious doesn't get sent without a signed signatory to receive it. But where is it now? Did Richard ever get his hands on it? Did he carelessly cast it aside not aware of the strategic challenge that lay waiting inside? Is he a chess purist that can't stand the idea of a newer strategy game based on his beloved chess? Surely not Richard! 

Sadly we may never know the fate of Richard's board.

But we don't like to give up without a fight. For months now we've been doing everything we can to find out the fate of Richard's board. Where is it? Has he played a game? Does he just not like it? And if he doesn't, can we have it back? We only have two left Richard!

Which is why we need your help

Someone out there knows Richard. Knows him well enough to find out if he has our board. Perhaps well enough, that if he doesn't have it, they can inspire him to find out who does. So we're calling on the Four Kings One War community (that's now you by the way) to help us track down Richard's board. And why would you go to all this trouble? Because if you're responsible for helping us to find it...

NOT A FAN OF
BOARD GAMES?

Exactly. The extra large text still doesn't express the awesomeness of this reward. Think about it. If you can help us to find Richard's board, we'll give it to you once it's returned. Which means (for a time at least) you could be in possession of one of only three original demo Four Kings One War™ boards. IN. THE. WORLD.

Who knows, maybe Richard will even sign it. We certainly will. You'll be revered in Four Kings history as the man or woman who saved one of the only three original boards in the world (and the only one that won't be owned by Glyn or Garth). Your name could be legend. People may speak of you in revered tones. You will be world famous - on this website. And you'll have a collectors item like few others!

So, how do you help?

Reach out to your network and ask them if they know someone who knows Richard. Send them links to this web page. Send them a photo of our Richard's board (this photo) and ask if they've seen it. Post messages and clues on our Facebook page. And most of all, please send us any and all information you can find(or your messages of support) via this special form we've created just to track this board down: