Alex Randolph

Alexander Randolph (4 May 1922 – 27 April 2004) was a Bohemian-American designer of board games and writer. Randolph's game creations include TwixT, Breakthru, Hol's der Geier, Inkognito (with Leo Colovini),[1] Raj, Ricochet Robot, and Enchanted Forest (with Michael Matschoss).[2]

Alex Randolph playing his game Twixt in 1998

Biography

Randolph was a son of self-described "rich parents" who attended private school in Switzerland.[3] He spent his early years in various occupations, including military intelligence and as an advertising copy editor in Boston.

In 1961, Randolph moved to Japan and became a professional game developer, performing initial work on TwixT. During this time, he became a dan player in shogi.

In 1962, Randolph (along with Sid Sackson) was commissioned to start a new game division for Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing (also known as 3M). Through 3M, Randolph created and published such games as Breakthru, Evade, Oh-Wah-Ree, and TwixT.[4]

Randolph moved to Venice, Italy in 1968, continuing his career as a game developer with the company Venice Connection established with Dario De Toffoli and Leo Colovini.[5]

Randolph died aged 82 in Venice on 27 April 2004.[4]

Recognition

In 2016, as a testimony to his career, Fabulous Games published ADDX – the first ever digital game from Alex Randolph.

Following Randolph's death, the Nuremberg Museum set up a special permanent collection of Randolph's games titled the Alexander Randolph Viewing Collection.[6]

Awards

Spiel des Jahres

Game of the Year

1982 for Enchanted Forest

Children's Game of the Year

1989 for Gute Freunde
1997 for Leinen Los!

Special Awards

1996 Most Beautiful Game for Venice Connection
1988 Most Beautiful game for Inkognito

Origins Awards Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame

2011 induction as a designer
2011 induction of TwixT

References
  1. Svellov, Mik. "BB: Alex Randolph". Brettboard.dk. Archived from the original on 26 January 2018. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  2. "Enchanted Forest - Children's Board Game - Review of Enchanted Forest". Archived from the original on 2017-01-13. Retrieved 2011-03-13.
  3. "Luding ist umgezogen". Ftp.informatik.rwth-aachen.de. Archived from the original on 31 December 2017. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  4. Whitehill, Bruce (5 February 2011). "Alex Randolph—A Life of Games". The Big Game Hunter. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
  5. "studiogiochi - Alex Randolph". Studiogiochi.com. Archived from the original on 13 January 2017. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  6. "Alexander Randolph Viewing Collection". Nuremberg Museum. Retrieved 2022-11-29.

Further reading
  • Alex Randolph & Phillipe Evrard: Die Sonnenseite. Fragmente aus dem Leben eines Spieleerfinders. Verlag Drei Hasen in der Abendsonne, Uehlfeld 2012, ISBN 978-3-941345-09-6
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