THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ...

Have you ever wanted to dabble in the marijuana trade, but worried
about the risk of getting busted and ending up at such wonderful
institutions as San Quentin State Prison?

Maybe the thought of money flowing like the Trinity River in June
from skunky makeshift marijuana gardens seems appealing. Maybe not.

Either way, if you don't have the gusto to enter Humboldt County's
lucrative marijuana trade, yet wonder what it's like, why not do it
from the comfort of your home with a deck of cards and several willing players?

With federal and state drug agents sweeping up county marijuana
growers left and right, Grass offers players an opportunity to
simulate the pot trade without the legal hassle.

Grass, created in 1979 by Euro Games, still captivates crowds with
its marker-drawn art and constant reference to, well, marijuana.

You don't have to be a stoner to get sucked into this game, but it
probably helps to understand the random chuckling echoing around the
table after cards like "Stonehigh" are played. Munchies aren't included.

The goal of this game is to "peddle" as much pot as you can while
obstructing everyone else in the process.

Players have the ability to put "heat on" their opponents by dropping
cards that can detain players or put them on probation.

The game goes surprisingly fast, so paying attention to what other
players are doing and developing a strategy early is key to victory.

Before players enter the marijuana trade, they have to draw or trade
for a "Market Open" card. Once in play, players can start to peddle
crops, provide protection to their goods and, if you have the "Market
Closed" card, end the round.

Waiting impatiently to draw or obtain through trade a "Market Open"
card is by far the most frustrating and tedious part of the game, but
you can still thrown down the heat on other players.

Players with heat can't peddle or protect crops until they use a
"heat off" card, but they can still trade cards and obstruct other
opponents -- perhaps the more delightful part of the game.

As with any game, there comes a certain satisfaction in dealing
setbacks to opponents, and this game doesn't disappoint. Besides the
"heat" cards, players can also steal crops and play "nirvana" cards
that allow them to collect crops from each player and "paranoia" cards.

Those are the cards you don't want. If you have one in your hand --
with such names as "Doublecrossed" and "Utterly Wiped Out" -- you
lose lots of cash at the round's end.

Playing the card comes with a cost, but it's the only time in the
game when you can pawn off that card to an unsuspecting opponent in
hopes of not having to play it or keep it.

When that market closes, players tally how much they peddled or lost
(it can go negative), mark down the score and repeat until one player
hits a predetermined cash score -- $200,000 is a good round figure.

And that's that -- so simple even a stoner could do it, right?

Players: 2-6

Ages: 18 and up

Game length: Varies, depends on state of mind and what score needed to win

Difficulty: Medium, requires a degree of strategy to win

Where to buy: Head shops and the Internet

Price: $10.99

(Opinions expressed in columns are not necessarily those of The
Eureka Reporter.)