The 2nd Portuguese Tournament of Mathematical Games

During March, 10, 2006, almost 650 students (aging 7 to 17) from all Portugal join at Aveiro to play six different abstract games.

The Second Portuguese Tournament of Mathematical Games (2ºCNJM in Portuguese) started months before in more than 200 schools, scattered thru all Portugal, with local tournaments to find what students were the best players (you can check some info from the first CNJM).

The games were:

The games were divided by students' age:

This meant 12 independent tournaments (a tournament per age per game). The finals happened at the "Aveiro Science Factory" situated at an old industry building. More information can be found at ludicum.org (in Portuguese). Here are some pictures just before the event starts (click them to get a larger picture).


Each group had 16 students in a Swiss tournament with 5 rounds


The Hex players had the largest room, 56 boards played simultaneously


The Go room. The blue boxes are part of the "6 games" kit


The Dots'n'Boxes room for the young children


Traffic lights boards


Preparing the Amazons


The Mancala war-room

Then, at 9:00, students started to appear:


at 9:30


at 10:00 (!!)

Dots'n'boxes 

Dots'n'boxes had around 25 students (looking for some pictures).

Traffic Lights

Traffic Lights had around 80 students.


starting a traffic light contest

Wari

Wari (also known as Ouri in Portuguese) had a total of 210 students.


sowing the boards

Amazons

Amazonshad a total of 150 students.


concentration to block the adversary

Go

Go had around 30 students (it was only for older students). (looking for some pictures).

Hex

Hexhad a total of 240 students (the game with the highest growth of participation since last year)


the finals were very competitive and had some great matches

The finalists

In the morning there were the first phase. Then, around 16 players were selected to participate, after lunch, at the finals, Each finalist received a book. Each school received a special playing Kit containing all 6 games. The second places received a digital photo camera. The first prizes were personal computers. In this era of videogames, brainless TV and light reading, it's refreshing to know that some kids returned home with a computer just because they were good abstract game players. Their names are: 

Game Cycle Best Players School

Dots'n'Boxes 

1st cycle

Winner: Maria Marta 
2nd:
Pedro Silva      

Agrup. nº2 de Beja-a  
Col. Guadalupe

Traffic Lights 

1st cycle

2nd cycle

Winner: Joana Melo 
2nd:
Carlos 
Winner:
Miguel Morais 
2nd:
Miguel Tavares

E.B.1 Fujacal     
Didáxis - Riba de Ave
E.B.23 Martim de Freitas 
Grémio In. Lib. C.Ourique

Wari

1st cycle

2nd cycle

3rd cycle

Winner: Beatriz Silva
2nd:
David Marques
Winner:
Hélder Soares   
2nd:
Marta Leite     
Winner:
Daniela Sousa  
2nd:
Carlos Ferreira

Col. Cesário Verde 
E.B.1/J.I. Santa Catarina
E.B.2.3 Pinheiro  
Ext. Escravas S.C. Jesus
Ext. Coop. da Benedita   
E.B.2.3 Pinheiro

Hex

2nd cycle

3rd cycle

Secondary

Winner: António Vicente
2nd:
Diogo Brás      
Winner:
António Vicente 
2nd:
Diogo Brás      
Winner 
Pedro Jorge  
2nd:
Carlos Louro 

E.B.23 Martim de Freitas
E.B.2.3 Eugénio Castro
E.B.23 Martim de Freitas
E.B.2.3 Eugénio Castro
Col. Dr.Luís Pereira Costa
Ext. Coop. da Benedita

Amazon

3rd cycle

Secondary

Winner:  Tiago Pereira  
2nd:
Fernando Neto
Winner:
Cristóvão Soares 
2nd:
João Rico

Col. Cor. Maria-Fátima 
Col. N. Sra.Apresentação  
Col. Dr.Luís Pereira Costa
E.S. Camões

Go

Secondary

Winner: Sara Ramos 
2nd:
Pedro Duarte

E.S. c/3ºC Oliveira Douro 
E.S. Leal da Câmara

The people behind this event

This would not be possible without the help of hundreds of persons, from all math teachers across Portugal to all of those who helped at the finals. Here are main people that worked in this great event: Alda Santos, Ana Fraga, Carlos Santos, Joana Oliveira, João Almiro, João Pedro Neto, Jorge Nuno Silva, Luís Reis, Maria Teresa Santos, Paulo Trincão, Teresa Caissotti.


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