Board Game Gumbo Live!

Southern Board Game Fest's Josh Ballagh and Panda Manufacturing's The Jay Bell hosted PROTOSPIEL LAFAYETTE 2026, the first annual weekend event where designers and play testers could spend quality time testing out brand new board game designs!  We had board game designers from all over Louisiana, and even as far as away as Pensacola, Florida! Plus, we even had an ION Game Design contest winner mak...

Hey board gamers, we are back in the Gumbo Pot, but this time, we are chatting with Wonderful World Board Games all the way from Taiwan!  First, we introduce Phil and Lenny from WWBG and find out more about them as a company and as gamers. What is the Taiwan board gaming scene like? What is the big convention there? Which one is better -- GEN CON or SPIEL? We answer the important questions!  Next,...

Hey board gamers, we are back in the Gumbo Pot, but this time, we are chatting with one of our all time favorite people in the board gaming hobby, Burky from GameToppersLLC!  First, we chat about an important life update on our friends from the Dukes of Dice -- congratulations!  Next, Burky regales us with his recent play of Star Wars: Battle of Hoth. Burky has us juiced up to play this one soon! ...

Hey board gamers, we are back in the Gumbo Pot, but this time, we are chatting with the designer of one of our favorite games of 2025, MAP MASTERS designed by IAN BACH & CEDRICK CAUMONT and published by CAPTAIN GAMES.  MAP MASTERS is a lively little "five card dungeon run" game that has a puzzle aspect, some real time stress, the joy of designing and running a dungeon and a tiny bit of persona...

Hey board gamers, it's time for another Lagniappe episode of Gumbo Live! This time, our old friend The Jay Bell is back in the Gumbo Pot! We start with a recap of our mutual play of PERENNIAL, coming soon to Kickstarter from Flatout Games, and then chat about Jay's latest projects: PIP IT! -- a push your luck dice flicking game that is ready to be published! TUG OF WORDS -- a fun little party game...

Hey board gamers, we are back in the Gumbo Pot, but this time, we are chatting with the designer of PLAYGROUND EMPIRES, Sterling Birdwell. Sterling tells the story of the inspiration that he took from his brother Erik's times on the school playgrounds, and Erik's in the show to confirm the stories are true! PLAYGROUND EMPIRES is a brand new area control game soon to be crowdfunded by HUTCHU GAMES....

Hey board gamers, Steve "Dr. O" "The Name Father" O'Rourke is back in the Gumbo Pot, and this time, he's brought friends!  BJ and Steve welcome in Pat W., Cri M, and Jenna A, student researchers from SUNY Westchester Community College and Mercy University for a deep dive into their collective research. During the STEM Ready Summer Research Institute ("SRI"), Steve's krewe of researchers looked at...

It’s another “lagniappe” episode of the Gumbo podcast with Mitchell Prudhomme!  First, Mitchell and BJ chat about the Summer of Mitchell (and Connor?). Then, they chat about their recent play of DUEL OF MELOCH (Scythe v Expeditions two player dueling game) from Stonemaier Games designed by Jamey Stegmaier. Does it live up to their expectations?  Then, they the Dice Tower Award Winners and crown a...

It’s another “lagniappe” episode of the Gumbo podcast, this time with THE NAMEFATHER!  Steve O'Rourke is back with tales of Chuck Con V with which to enthrall us.  In this episode, we find out what has been keeping Dr Steve busy this past semester, and then we go  straight to the action -- CHUCK CON V! Friends, if you want to know how to start your own Cabin Con, Steve's got all the tips for you t...

It’s another “lagniappe” episode of the Gumbo podcast with Mitchell Prudhomme, the director of Southern Board Game Fest!  In this episode, we geaux straight to the action -- Dice Tower East 2026! Three members of the Acadiana Board Gamers discord (Mitchell, BJ and Doug) traveled east to Orlando and the Walt Disney World resort to game for six days straight -- well, one of them gamed for six days s...

It’s another “lagniappe” episode of the Gumbo podcast with Mitchell Prudhomme, the director of Southern Board Game Fest!  First, Mitchell regales us with tales of his summer trip with his friend Ethan to Columbus, Ohio for ORIGINS GAME FAIR 2026!  Mitchell played over 80 games while he was there, but he stopped by to tell us his top 21 games played.  BJ and Mitchell also dish on a recent game that...

It’s another “lagniappe” episode of the Gumbo podcast with Mitchell Prudhomme, the director of Southern Board Game Fest!  First, Mitchell regales us with tales of his big game day with Doug and friends, including an epic play of Lord of the Rings: Fate of the Fellowship! BJ and Mitchell also dish on two recent games that they both have played:  Golem, a game from the Italian krewe that is getting...

It’s another “lagniappe” episode of the Gumbo podcast with Mitchell Prudhomme, the director of Southern Board Game Fest!  First, Mitchell bemoans that he hasn't played many games lately, while BJ dishes on two recent games he has enjoyed:  Frenzy Falls, by Joseph Z. Chen and Randy Flynn from The OP From The Moon, an interesting new euro game Then, it's the smoked meat of the day, the big reveal of...

It’s another “lagniappe” episode of the Gumbo podcast with Mitchell Prudhomme, the director of Southern Board Game Fest!  First, Mitchell and BJ chat about the Travelin' Family. Did Mitchell play Santorini in Santorini? Did Mitchell play Istanbul in Istanbul? Find out here! Next, they dish on two recent games that they have played: Lord of the Rings: Fate of the Fellowship  Shackleton Base expansi...

It’s another “lagniappe” episode of the Gumbo podcast with Mitchell Prudhomme!  First, Mitchell and BJ chat about the weekend that was, Southern Board Game Fest! Then, they chat about their top three games played at the festival, including:  12 Rivers Panda Royale Formaggio Tipperary Luzon Rails and more!  Next, Mitchell and BJ give their top three festival experiences: Speaking French Unmatched t...

It’s another “lagniappe” episode of the Gumbo podcast with Mitchell Prudhomme, the director of Southern Board Game Fest!  First, Mitchell and BJ chat about some exciting news about SoBo -- we have some new Special Event listed on the tickets part of the page, including the recently announced HOT STREAK live show and the UNMATCHED tourney! Go to www.southerngamefest.com to get your reservations. Th...

Euro Mondays are usually all about...euro games! But this time, courtesy of our friends at Flatout Games, the krewe decides to stream plays of HONEYPOT and FORAGE, which are two lighter games that are out on Kickstarter right now from Flatout.  Doug gives a brief overview of HONEYPOT, while Jeremy teaches FORAGE. Then, we do a deep dive into our post-game thoughts of both games. Here is a link to...

It’s another “lagniappe” episode of the Gumbo podcast, this time with our old friend, Steve Finn of Doctor Finn's Games (Biblios, Nanga Parbat, Cities and so many other great games). Steve stops by the Gumbo Pot to chat about some exciting crowdfunding news. His new publishing company, PIPNETIC GAMES, is heading to Kickstarter on February 23 for his latest book of games. This one is called Dr. Fin...

It’s another “lagniappe” episode of the Gumbo podcast with Mitchell Prudhomme, the director of Southern Board Game Fest!  First, Mitchell and BJ chat about some exciting news about SoBo! The guided playthroughs are live and there are a tons of great games to jump in. Go to www.southerngamefest.com to get your reservations. Then, Mitchell and BJ dive into some recent plays:  Inventors of the South...

On this week's Twitch Tuesday, BJ was joined by three special guests!  The Jay Bell is back from New Jersey bringing a brand new game from Odd Candy called ESP. It's a mind-bending trick-taking game to test your ESP.   Jeremy is back in the Gumbo Pot, too, with talk of the SoBo Virtual Flea Market and to share post-game thoughts on Fight In A Box's KAISER CUCUMBER!   And Josh is back, with an upda...

It’s another “lagniappe” episode of the Gumbo podcast, this time with Mitchell Prudhomme, the director of Southern Board Game Fest!  First, Mitchell and BJ chat about their recent play of OPERATION BARCLAY, a cool two-player historical game about deception on the European front (with a poker mechanic!) that they both really enjoyed. It's designed by Maurice Suckling with art from Meeple Foundry an...

It’s another “lagniappe” episode of the Gumbo podcast, this time with Mitchell Prudhomme, the director of Southern Board Game Fest!  First, BJ lays out for Mitchell his recent plays of TRICKY KIDS, a new trick-taking game from Pandasaurus Games that has some really cool twists. Then Mitchell dishes on the world of Brandon Sanderson -- Mitchell is back from DRAGONSTEEL NEXUX, the fantasy convention...

Tonight, Steve "The Name Father" O'Rourke is back in the Gumbo Pot with BJ, fresh off a visit to PAX UNPLUGGED. But this time, Steve's brought guests -- Julie & Houston, fellow academics and board game aficionados.  The three enlighten BJ about the wonders of Philly, and break down their impressions of games, games, games:  Whisperstone (a new RPG from the Flatout Games team) Winter Rabbit (in...

It's the holiday season! And everybody is asking for appropriate games to bring to family and friend game nights, so here's a list of ten games released -- or re-released in new editions -- in the past couple of years that are PERFECT for your next holiday game night! Games featured: Puppies or Poop (Fight In A Box Games) ** Wine Cellar (25th Century Games) **   Duck & Cover (Captain Games) Sq...

It’s another “lagniappe” episode of the Gumbo podcast, this time with Mitchell Prudhomme, the director from Southern Board Game Fest!  First, BJ and Mitchell chat up their recent experiences listening to The Beans & Dice Podcast, plus BJ gives an update on Gamers For Cures, hosted by Dan Patriss of The Geek All Stars.   Then, they dish about recent plays of The Hobbit: There And Back Again (a...