The Sci-Tech Center, 154 Stone St., is expanding the focus of its chess club to become the Sci-Tech Chess and Strategy Games Club.

Although the main emphasis will continue to be chess, the club plans to hold sessions exploring strategic board games such as "Axis & Allies," "The Settlers of Catan," "Battle Lore," "War Hammer," "Pillars of the Earth" and others

"Axis & Allies" is a World War II-based game in which two to five players manage resources of world armies.

There are several versions of Axis & Allies. The main game contains a world map, but there also are versions that focus on specific battles such as Guadalcanal and the Battle of The Bulge.

Other "Axis & Allies" games cover the Pacific and European theaters. In playing the games, players learn about history, geography, economics, statistics and probability. The games usually take at least two hours to play.

Sci-Tech director Steven Karon is excited about the potential for the expanded club.

"One of Sci-Tech's goals is to entice people to use their logical and cognitive skills, clearly one of the primary benefits derived from playing these strategy games," he said.

Many of the other strategy games to be explored are European-based and are quite different from traditional board games known to Americans.

For example, in "Settlers of Catan," players try to be the dominant force on the island of Catan by building settlements, cities and roads.

The game was first published in 1995 in Germany under the name of "Die Siedler von Tan." More than 11 million units have been sold, and the base game, with expansions has been translated into 25 languages.

Along with the logical and strategic skills that the games require, players will develop social skills not found in video gaming.

The new Club kicks off at 10 a.m. Dec. 13 with an introduction to "Axis & Allies." Participants for the Dec. 13 meeting should be in grades 6 through 12. Regular Sci-Tech admission fees apply, however, Sci-Tech Members are admitted free.

For more information, contact the Sci-Tech Center at 788-1340.

The center is Northern New York's "hands-on" science and technology museum, with more than 30 participatory exhibits.

THE STRATEGIC DETAILS

WHAT: First gathering of the Sci-Tech Chess and Strategy Games Club with an introduction to "Axis & Allies."

WHEN/WHERE: 10 a.m. Dec. 13 at the Sci-Tech Center, 154 Stone St.

MORE INFO: Call the Sci-Tech Center at 788-1340.