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5 Highest Grossing Japanese Films

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When it comes to films that end up making hundreds of millions at the box office, most of us immediately think of Hollywood. Of course, there are other countries that make plenty of blockbuster films, but Japan tends to be overlooked. Despite being one of the most advanced countries while also having a strong penchant for entertainment, Japan doesn’t enter many films into the all-time list of the world’s highest-grossing films.

That doesn’t mean that Japan hasn’t had its fair share of hit films financially, though. There’s a certain art form that Japan is known for, and when it gets put onto the big screen, it can end up being a huge success. Once you look at the list of the five highest-grossing Japanese films of all time, you’ll be able to tell what that art form is.

1. Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train

Demon Slayer the Movie: Magen Train is the highest-grossing Japanese film of all time thus far, earning ¥64,773,752,500 ($506.5 million US), with a budget of $16 million US. The 2020 animated film was directed by Haruo Sotozaki and acts as a sequel to the popular anime series’ first television season. 

Demon Slayer the Movie follows the Mugen Train arc of the Demon Slayer series and earned the title of the highest-earning mature animated film of all time. The film received the title of Animation of the Year after its release at the Japan Academy Film Prize and surpassed all expectations at the worldwide box office.

2. Spirited Away  

Spirited Away is the second highest-grossing Japanese film of all time, earning ¥50,616,883,000 ($395.8 million US), with a budget of $19.2 million US. The 2001 fan-favorite animated film was written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and animated by Studio Ghibli. 

The fantasy film follows a young girl, Chihiro Ogino, who discovers a mystical world, the world of Kano. She tries to find a way to help her parents who were turned into pigs by the witch Yubaba. Spirited Away went on the win an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, the only film of its kind to do so. 

3. Your Name

Your Name is the third highest-grossing Japanese film of all time, earning ¥48,609,088,500 ($380.1 million US), with a budget of $5.8 million US. The 2016 animated fantasy film was written and directed by Makoto Shinkai. The heartwarming plot is enough to make anyone well up with emotion. 

The film follows two teenagers, Mitsuha Miyamizu and Taki Tachibana, who find themselves switching bodies. They’re separated by time and space, living in separate timelines in different parts of Japan. The film takes you on a romantic, heartfelt journey. Earning it a slew of awards, like Best Animated Film at the 2016 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards. 

4. Princess Mononoke

Princess Mononoke is the fourth highest-grossing Japanese film of all time, earning ¥21,702,084 ($169.7 million US), with a budget of ¥2.1 billion ($23.5 million US). The film is another animated entry from Studio Gibhli and was both written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. At the time of its release in 1997, Princess Mononoke broke just about every box office record that Japan had to offer. 

Following the story of the Ashitaka, Princess Mononoke was critically acclaimed and centered around the theme of environment. Princess Mononoke won the Picture of the Year title at the 21st Japanese Academy Awards, and became a hit overseas for Studio Ghibli.

5. Howl’s Moving Castle 

Howl’s Moving Castle is the fifth highest-grossing Japanese film of all time, earning ¥23.2 billion ($236 million US), with a budget of ¥2.4 billion ($24 million US). The top five finishes with yet another animated entry from Studio Ghibli and director Hayao Miyazaki. The film has a strong anti-war sentiment and follows the United States’ invasion of Iraq in 2003.

There was critical acclaim surrounding Howl’s Moving Castle when it was released in late 2004, and it was nominated for awards worldwide, including the 78th Academy Awards. Though it would end up losing out on Best Animated Feature at the Oscars, Howl’s Moving Castle is still considered one of the finest animated films to come from Japan.

5 Highest Grossing Chinese Films

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There was a time in movie history when the entirety of the Chinese market was an afterthought. The country, despite its size, was not producing major blockbusters, and Hollywood didn’t attempt to appeal to Chinese audiences. Ever since the start of the 21st century, however, things have changed dramatically and China now has a film industry that rivals just about any other major country in the world.

In recent years, China has invested a lot more into its films to the point where budgets are starting to resemble that of Hollywood blockbusters. That’s because these films are making money left and right at the box office, setting global records in the process. Let’s take a look at the five highest-grossing Chinese films and how they fared both financially and critically.

The Battle at Lake Changjin

The Battle at Lake Changjin is the top-grossing Chinese film, earning a total of ¥5.77 billion ($913 million US) at the box office. The film’s $200 million US budget makes it the most expensive film to come out of China.

The film came out in 2021 and was co-directed by Chen Kaige, Dante Lam, and Tsui Hark. Wu Jing and Jackson Lee star in the film, which serves as a fictional depiction of the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War. The success of the film was so unprecedented that it warranted a sequel, which was released in February 2022 despite neither being a critical favorite outside of China.

Wolf Warrior 2

Wolf Warrior 2 is the second highest-grossing Chinese film, earning a total of ¥5.68 billion ($874 million US) at the box office. The film had a budget of 30.1 million US and was released in 2017. Previously mentioned Wu Jing co-wrote, co-produced, co-directed, and even starred in the film.

A sequel to the 2015 film Wolf Warrior, Wolf Warrior 2 follows Chinese soldier Leng Feng as he finds himself wandering around Africa after leaving for the continent following his release from military prison. The film had mostly positive reviews, and won multiple awards including Best Actor at the Huading Awards for Wu Jing.

Hi, Mom

Hi, Mom is the third highest-grossing Chinese film, earning a total of ¥5.4 billion ($805 million US) at the box office. The 2021 film had a budget of $59 million US, and was written, directed by, and stars Jia Ling. Hi, Mom follows Jia Ling’s character Jia Xiaoling as she is transported back in time to 1981 after her mother’s tragic and fatal car accident in 2001.

Jia Xiaoling does her best to bring her mother joy, even going as far as trying to find her a better husband so that her mother might end up with a family that can make her happier than her daughter feels she did.

Ne Zha

Ne Zha is the fourth highest-grossing Chinese film, earning a total of ¥5 billion ($742 million US) at the box office. The 2019 film had a budget of $20 million US and is a 3D computer animation, written and directed by Yu Yang. Ne Zha is based on the novel Investiture of the Gods, which was written in the 1500s.

Upon its initial release, Ne Zha was the highest-grossing movie in Chinese history, and became one of the highest-grossing computer-animated films in worldwide history. Directed by Yu Yang, Ne Zha was recognized by critics in China and around the globe, earning consideration for the Academy Awards. Though it ultimately wasn’t nominated for Best Animated Feature, Ne Zha still left a big impression on American audiences.

The Wandering Earth

The Wandering Earth is the fifth highest-grossing Chinese film, earning a total of ¥4.6 billion ($700 million US) at the box office. Released in 2019, The Wandering Earth is a science fiction title based on a short story released nearly 20 years prior by Liu Cixin. The Wandering Earth carried a budget of $50 million.

In The Wandering Earth, a group of astronauts is working hard to get away from a sun that’s expanding and attempting to get the entire Earth to a safe distance. The film showed a huge leap forward for Chinese cinema, and the blockbuster ended up being a huge hit with audiences. Netflix would wind up getting the rights to air the film on their streaming service, and a sequel was announced upon its worldwide success.

5 Highest Grossing Korean Films

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Many of the East Asian countries are known for a particular type of entertainment. In recent years, China has been known for becoming a major player in the movie industry, while Japan has had a big focus on animation for a very long time. Then, there’s Korea, which is mostly known for music, particularly in the pop genre.

However, that doesn’t mean that Korea hasn’t had its fair share of financial successes at the box office. Throughout Korean film history, there have been a handful of blockbusters that have made their way to audiences overseas, earning an amount of money that would have them fit right in with Hollywood. Let’s take a look at the highest-grossing Korean films to see how they fared worldwide.

1. Extreme Job

The action-packed comedy flick, Extreme Job, is the highest-grossing film to come from South Korea. Earning ₩148.5 billion ($120 million USD), with a budget of ₩6.5 billion ($5.8 million USD). For director Lee Byeong-heon, it was a major blockbuster undertaking, but even he couldn’t have seen the success that was coming with Extreme Job.

Released in 2019, the film follows a group of detectives that make a last-ditch effort to save their careers after failing a previous mission. When their new objective lands them at a chicken restaurant, hilarity ensues and things don’t quite go as planned. 

2. The Admiral: Roaring Currents

A war film filled to the brim with action, The Admiral: Roaring Currents, is the second highest-grossing film to come from South Korea. Earning ₩171.1 billion ($138.3 million USD), with a surprisingly low budget estimated to be no more than ₩526 million ($425,000 USD). 

The 2014 film is co-written and directed by Kim Han-min and is a dramatic adaptation of the Battle of Myeongnyang in 1597, where legendary Admiral Yi Sun-sin fought against the Japanese Navy near Jindo Island. The film showcases the intense bravery and turmoil that surrounds war.  

3. The Roundup

The high-energy crime flick, The Roundup, is the third highest-grossing film to come from South Korea. Earning ₩125 billion ($101.1 million USD), with a budget of ₩10.5 billion ($8.4 million USD). Directed by Lee-Sang-Yong, the 2022 film is a sequel to the 2017 film The Outlaws.

In this sequel, detective Ma-Seok-do finds himself in Vietnam to extradite suspect Yoo Jong-hoon. They get more than they bargained for when they discover a murderer in their midst, Kang Hae-sang, responsible for killing Korean tourists. 

4. Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds

Along With the Gods is a fantasy-filled and action-packed film that comes in fourth for highest grossing South Korean films. It earned ₩135 billion ($109.4 million USD), with a budget of ₩20 billion ($18.3 million USD). The film was directed by Kim Yong-hwa, and has an alternate name of Together with God – Sin and Punishment, depending on how the film title is translated.

The film is actually the first of a two-parter that was all shot at the same time and stars Ha Jung-woo, Chae Tae-hyun, and Ju Ji-hoon. The film follows the tale of a firefighter who was killed in action and is guided through the afterlife by guardians that help him through the many trials that he has to pass in order to be reincarnated. It’s an interesting look at the afterlife that was beloved by moviegoers and critics alike. Along With the Gods was nominated for a dozen Blue Dragon Awards, taking home five wins including Best Supporting Actress for Kim Hyang-gi.

5. Ode to My Father 

Ode to My Father is an intense and emotional drama film that takes the fifth spot for the highest-grossing film to come out of South Korea. It earned ₩122 billion ($99 million USD), with a budget of ₩37 billion ($30 million USD). Released in 2014, this film directed by Yoon Je-kyoon instantly became a darling for critics around the world.

The tale begins during the Korean War during the 1950s and follows the life of a man all the way through to the present day, sharing a story that resonated with a lot of the audience. Ode to My Father was nominated for a long list of awards that included nine Blue Dragon Awards, earning three wins including a Best Supporting Actor title for Oh Dal-su.

5 Greatest Crossword Writers Of All Time

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There are millions of people that play crossword puzzles, with many doing so on a daily basis. Crosswords are a fun way to pass time while also training your brain, after all. Often, though, we don’t think about the people who made the puzzles we enjoy so much. There are some names that are well-known because they’re part of our daily lives, however. Here are the five greatest crossword writers of all time and how they contributed to the world of crosswords.

5. Brendan Emmett Quigley

The first writer on the list is Brendan Emmett Quigley, who started making crosswords professionally while in his early twenties. Quigley was said to be a prodigy at crosswords from a young age and grew up idolizing some of the greats that he now shares this list with. Quigley has had his puzzles used in all of the major publications and helped crosswords become more mainstream with younger people.

After graduating from the University of New Hampshire, Quigley got his big break by having his puzzle featured in the New York Times and has since had his work featured around the world. Quigley runs his own website with crossword puzzles at varying levels of difficulty. Even at big tournaments, Quigley’s puzzles are used quite often.

4. David Steinberg

Some people are just born with the gift of creating great crossword puzzles, and that certainly applies to David Steinberg. The Philadelphia native was just 15 years old when he had a puzzle published in the Los Angeles Times, then went on to become the youngest editor for a major newspaper’s crossword when he joined the Orange County Register.

Steinberg had moved around the country while growing up before settling in California and has constructed crosswords for all of the major news sources in the United States. Steinberg took on the position of Puzzles and Games Editor with Andrews McMeel Universal, and his total crossword count is well into the hundreds.

3. Merl Reagle

Another crossword writer on the list to have developed an interest at a very young age is Merl Reagle, who started making his own at just six years old. Hailing from New Jersey, Reagle was able to get his first puzzle published at only 16 years old with The New York Times. Reagle was one of the biggest names in crosswords throughout the 1980s and 1990s, working for several large companies and organizing tournaments.

On top of that, Reagle was an avid musician and was part of a rock band in his earlier days. Reagle achieved mainstream success and was even featured on an episode of “The Simpsons” due to his popularity. Sadly, Reagle passed away at 65 years old in 2015 but left behind a long-lasting legacy in crosswords.

2. John Halpern

While a lot of the crossword writers that we focus on tend to be very formulaic and straightforward, John Halpern is a cryptic crossword writer. Known for his wittiness and puns, Halpern began making his crosswords while he was still a student who thought that the crossword writers at The Guardian were artificial intelligence. He went to work for the publication to find out they were indeed human.

Halpern has become a legend in England with crossword clues that are talked about at water coolers. After he was able to make his cryptic crossword writing a gig that he could live off of, he was able to put more time into them and they only became better. He became so popular that his crosswords were even given a show on British television.

1. Will Shortz

Of course, you can’t mention crossword writers without talking about the most famous of them all, Will Shortz. Shortz, an Indiana native, is seen as the gold standard in crossword writing, thus earning him the nickname of The Puzzlemaster. In 1993, he took over the crossword section of The New York Times where he became a household name.

Like Reagle, he received a lot of attention in the mainstream and was also on that episode of “The Simpsons” that we mentioned earlier. Shortz has appeared on many other television shows, as well, including “How I Met Your Mother”, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” and more. All in all, Shortz has created over 10,000 crosswords with The New York Times.

How To Save Even More Money At Costco

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Costco is one of those places that’s almost universally beloved by those that shop in its stores. Those that go for the first time typically end up becoming members because they see the amazing deals that are offered to customers compared to some of the other large chain superstores. Costco customers save a lot of money with each trip, but is everyone saving as much as they can?

It turns out that there is more to Costco than meets the eye, and simply shopping there (while saving you a lot of money) doesn’t get you the maximum benefit. If you want to reap the full benefits of your Costco membership, follow these five tips to help keep some more money in your wallet.

Get The Top Membership

Every standard Gold Star membership with Costco allows you to shop in their warehouses and online, and you get a pair of membership cards to share with a loved one. It costs $60 per year, which is a great deal, and most people go with this option. For double the price, though, you can opt for the Executive card, and it will save you a lot more than the extra $60 that you spend over the year of membership.

That’s because the Executive card also gives you discounts for Costco services like roadside assistance, auto insurance, travel, and more. As if that weren’t enough, there’s a 2% annual reward for Executive members that are capped off at $1,000. That means that for an extra $60, you can get a $1,000 reward back depending on how much you spend at Costco.

Share With a Friend

When you get a Costco membership, that means that you get two cards, with both of them applying to your single household. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t share your Costco membership with a friend. If you have a close friend that goes shopping with you, you can save by getting just one membership and bringing the friend as a guest on each trip.

This is a great way for young people that are living with roommates to split the costs of groceries, including bulk items. Obviously, a person living by themself isn’t going to need a lot of bulk items, but when you have someone to split with and pay for half, it makes much more sense as you get to save a lot of money.

Top Off Your Tank

When a lot of us stop off at a local gas station, we do so without the full intent of filling our gas tanks to the very brim. Instead, we put in an increment of $5, or whatever we feel will get us home. When you’re taking advantage of Costco gas, though, it makes sense to fill up whenever you’re making a trip to the store.

Costco gas is on average much cheaper than the national average, which is why you see such long lines at the pumps. Costco gas is only available for members, and people save hundreds, if not thousands, topping off their tanks at Costco every week.

Stick To The Sides

When you make a list of things that your house absolutely needs, you’ll notice while walking through Costco that almost none of them are in the center of the store. Instead, that’s where most of the clothing items, televisions, gaming consoles, and other neat stuff is located.

If you’re looking for items such as toilet paper, frozen foods, cupboard stuffers, and other essential items, those are going to be on the sides of the store and in the back. Of course, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take advantage of the $1.50 hot dog combo or the deliciously cheap rotisserie chicken if you’re getting a bit on the hungry side.

Kirkland Only

Every major store like Walmart or Kroger has its own store brand for most products, and Costco is included in that list. While those other store brands seem to fall short of the name brands, that’s not the case for Costco’s Kirkland brand.

Those who shop Kirkland brand are almost always unable to tell the difference between its products and the name brands, too. The biggest benefit to sticking with Kirkland brands is that they come around 20 percent cheaper on average.

5 First Ladies Who Won Plaudits From Across the Aisle

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Being the First Lady of the United States is a difficult job. If you don’t do anything, there will be critics, but if you try to get involved politically, there are likely going to be a lot of critics saying that you’re overstepping. 

It’s unfortunate, but there have been many First Ladies that have been roasted from both sides of the aisle. However, there have been many others that were almost universally beloved, even more so than their husbands running the country. Here are five First Ladies who won plaudits from across the aisle.

5. Barbara Bush

One of just two women to be First Lady while also the mother of a U.S. President. She was married to George H.W. Bush, and while he only served one term in the White House, Barbara proved to be a very popular First Lady. For eight years, Barbara served as the Second Lady and boosted literacy campaigns in the United States.

This would continue into her years as the First Lady and expand into other divisive topics. Bush was in favor of more rights for the LGBT community and even expanded abortion access, which went against the Republican standard. 

4. Betty Ford

There are certain presidents that didn’t really make a big impact one way or another, leaving the term of Gerald R. Ford rather unremarkable. However, his wife Betty had a lasting impact on the world. Betty Ford was in the White House with Gerald from 1974 until 1977 and set the standard for First Lady political involvement in the modern era.

Ford had struggled with alcoholism early in life and decided to open up a rehabilitation clinic called the Betty Ford Center and helped those with HIV and AIDS when the diseases were taboo. Ford was one of the most admired women of her time, and she received a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1991. She lived to be 93 years old, passing away in 2011.

3. Abigail Adams

The role of women in the government in the early days of the United States was minimal at best, but that wasn’t the case for trailblazer Abigail Adams. The wife of John Adams and mother of John Quincy Adams served as the second First Lady of the United States from 1797 until 1801 and was a mentor to her husband during his presidency.

Abigail didn’t remain silent on a lot of hot-button topics that included slavery and women’s rights. Adams was a staunch abolitionist and wanted it so that women could receive formal education past primary school while getting more rights. Her story has been portrayed in multiple films and television shows in more recent years, including the miniseries John Adams where she was portrayed by Laura Linney. 

2. Eleanor Roosevelt

Ever since 1945, no president has ever been able to serve more than two terms, with Franklin D. Roosevelt holding the office for a dozen years between 1933 and 1945. During that time, the United States was involved in World War II and needed strong leadership. The country got just that in the form of Roosevelt and his wife Eleanor.

Roosevelt was a champion of the Civil Rights Movement and was instrumental in the United States joining the United Nations. Roosevelt also helped to fight for women’s rights and was accessible to the nation through magazine and newspaper columns, as well as a weekly radio show. For most years between the White House and her death in 1962, she was one of the most admired women in the United States.

1. Jackie Kennedy

If you were to ask an American at random to name a First Lady that’s not currently in the White House, there’s a good chance that they’ll say Jackie Kennedy. That’s because Kennedy was one of the most popular both during and after her time in the White House with her husband John F. Kennedy.

Jackie was responsible for redesigning the White House and was a highly educated photographer when she met her husband. Kennedy was just 31 years old when she moved into the White House and her popularity went across both aisles. In fact, she was much more popular than John overall to those that opposed his politics.

D&D: A Brief Introduction To Dungeons And Dragons

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Dungeons and Dragons is the most popular role-playing game in the world and is one of the biggest entertainment franchises out there. Though it was once thought of as a game for “nerds” sitting in dark basements, D&D has become a mainstream success and a long list of celebrities have caught on to the craze. Because of this, there has also been an increased interest in D&D for those that have never played before.

Getting into Dungeons and Dragons can be a bit overwhelming for beginners as there are a lot of custom pieces and there’s no way to “win” or “lose.” Instead, it’s all about creating an adventure at the whim of the Dungeon Master and having fun. If you’re interested in getting into Dungeons and Dragons, here’s a brief intro to help you get your feet wet.

What is Dungeons and Dragons

Dungeons and Dragons is a tabletop role-playing game that was created in the 1970s by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson after they had played several tabletop wargames. Though there are predesigned boards to use for D&D, most of them are customized by fans of the game. 

Whether you’re buying an official campaign from the publisher (Wizards of the Coast) or a custom board from someone on Etsy, there’s no wrong board for a good D&D campaign. Your campaign is run by a dungeon master (DM) who narrates your story and portrays any non-playable characters while also being the “judge” for anything that may need a ruling.

What You Need

After you’ve figured out which board you want to use for your Dungeons and Dragons campaign, there are a couple of other things that you’ll need to get started. The most important things are the character sheet and the dice. The dice control just about everything that you do and determine your success.

The other thing that you’ll need is the official rulebook depending on your role. The Player’s Handbook covers the playable characters, while the dungeon master will have their own handbook and the Monster Manual serves as the source for the creatures of Dungeons and Dragons.

Making Your Character

We mentioned the character sheet, and it will be one of the most important tools that you’ll have at your disposal. The character sheet will have all of your abilities, determining several things such as intelligence, charisma, and strength. Throughout the campaign, you’ll be able to level up these abilities to have a better chance at success.

There are 12 total classes to choose from for your character. These classes are barbarian, bard, cleric, druid, fighter, monk, paladin, ranger, rogue, sorcerer, warlock, and wizard. When using a class such as a fighter, you’ll want to focus more on strength and dexterity whereas a warlock will need more intelligence and wisdom.

Rolling the Dice

There’s a reason why you see so many people with expensive custom dice when playing Dungeons and Dragons, and it’s because they’re the biggest component of the game and perhaps the most customizable and important thing you’ll own. The dice can determine how well you’ll do just about everything in D&D.

You may end up rolling a one when trying to tie your shoes and your character falls and knocks themselves out after sustaining a head injury. On the other hand, you could roll a 20 when fighting a mythical dragon and kill it in one shot. There’s really no telling what can happen with the dice, which is what makes D&D so exciting.

Starting Small

If you’re getting into Dungeons and Dragons for the first time, the best way to do so is likely through a premade official set. There are starter packs available through Wizards of the Coast that will introduce a player to the mechanics of the game, though some may be able to jump right into something more detailed and expansive.

There are plenty of people who have watched streams and videos of Dungeons and Dragons players and were able to pick up on the mechanics almost right away. It truly comes down to what you’re comfortable with as a player, so find that starting comfort zone and don’t be afraid to have some fun with your character as it could end up being one you play for years!

5 Tournament Formats To Know If You Run a Sports League

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If you’re running a sports league, you know how hard it can be to get everyone on the same page. This is especially true if you’re trying to determine a champion of the league, but not all champions are crowned in the same way. There are several different formats to use to determine your overall winner, each with its pros and cons.

Let’s take a look at the most popular tournament formats that are used in professional and college leagues around the world. Then, you can decide which one is best for you and run it by your members to see if you can implement these formats into your next league season.

1. Single-Elimination Bracket

If you want the simplest format for tournaments in any sport, it’s the single elimination bracket. There are very few moving pieces involved in this type of tournament unless you re-seed people or teams after every round. The single-elimination bracket is typically used by professional sports leagues, however, the NBA is the only professional league in the United States that has a set single-elimination bracket without reseeding.

Think of the NCAA basketball tournament as a good way to set up a single elimination bracket. The best teams are the ones given high seeds, and they take on the lowest competition in the first round. The teams that are right in the middle also meet in the first round and whoever advances then takes on the top.

2. Double-Elimination Bracket

Sometimes fluky things can happen in sports and a team or person that has the talent to win the tournament can get bounced out early due to bad luck. With that in mind, a double-elimination bracket may be a good way to truly determine the best of the best. This is seen in many sports organizations, most notably in college baseball and softball.

Once a team loses a game, they are placed into the “losers” bracket of the overall tournament. The winner of that bracket will then take on the champion of the “winners” bracket to see who wins it all. You can reset losses to make it a best-of-three in the finals like the NCAA does, or you can make it so that the losers bracket representative has to defeat their opponent twice in a row.

3. Round-Robin

The round-robin tournament is a simple format that doesn’t require a bracket and tends to avoid any team or athlete fluking their way to a championship. In this format, every single person or team takes on every other one as they rotate through the schedule. It can be as simple as a four-team round-robin and can go as far as you’d like.

This is a more popular style of tournament for running the regular season of a league that doesn’t have playoffs. Think of the English Premier League and how their season is handled. The entire season is a straight-up round-robin and whoever has the most points once all of the games are completed becomes the champion with no postseason tournament.

4. Multi-Stage Bracket

There’s an excellent combination of round-robin and single-elimination called the multi-stage bracket, and that’s how the World Cup champion is determined every four years. The first stage (group stage) is a round robin that takes the top one or two teams and places them into the next stage.

Once the teams are decided from the group stage, you can then place them into a single or double-elimination bracket to determine the winner. It makes for some very compelling storylines in your league when this is the format.

5. Guaranteed Games Bracket

When running a sports league, you want to make sure the participants are getting their money’s worth and not wasting their time. Nobody wants to travel a long way only to get knocked out in the first round and then have to turn around and leave right away. That’s why there are guaranteed games tournaments, which are quite common in youth sports, especially travel sports where multiple games can be played in one day.

Essentially what happens is that you extend the double-elimination bracket until you run out of space for “losers” brackets. Typically you can guarantee three games even with a small pool of teams (at least eight) and can guarantee even more as that number jumps to 16, 32, and beyond. 

How to Win in Solitaire

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Solitaire has been one of the most popular games in the world for a long while, and that’s not going to change any time soon. There are still well over 30 million each month that play at least one or two hands of solitaire, with several million playing on a daily basis. If you’re new to the game or have been sitting around in the beginner’s mode for years, there are tips that you should know.

Not every hand of solitaire is going to be a winner, but if you want to improve your skills, here are five tips that you need to know that will help you win more games. When you’re playing on expert levels and winning each hand, you’ll be thanking us!

1. Use Your Stock First

One mistake that a lot of solitaire players make from the very beginning is that they start to focus on the cards at the bottom and save the stock once everything is settled below. However, it should be the inverse at the start. Getting the stock cards out of the way is the most important thing you can do as a solitaire player, and there may be some cards you need on the first flip. This includes aces, which can get you started off on the right foot.

2. Get The Aces Out of the Way

If there are any aces available on the table, make sure to put them into the foundations table right away. First, flip the top stock cards, then take care of any aces that are there. Aces don’t have any other purpose in solitaire but to be the base of the foundation piles. If there are any twos, try to get those on the aces pile right away, as well. The threes can wait, but the aces and deuces have to go.

3. Use Your Kings

In almost every game of solitaire, there is going to be a vacant spot where there are no cards to flip over. When this happens, make sure that there’s a king that fills the void as it will be paramount in dumping off the queens and other lower cards. If your king is sitting on a tableau with a lot of cards with it, that can be a huge benefit to the rest of your game to move it on over to the vacant spot. However, if you’re filling two vacant spots, try to make sure that the kings are different colors.

4. Make Big Piles a Priority

The farther to the right a tableau is at the start of a game of solitaire, the higher it should be on your priority list. Trying to get the tableaus evened out from right to left is the easiest way to win quickly, but it’s not always possible. Still, focus on shrinking those piles before you start worrying about the tableaus that have just one or two cards.

5. Cards Don’t Have To Go To Foundations Right Away

One of the more common mistakes that people make right away is getting every card into the foundation as soon as they possibly can. It’s very enticing, of course, as building the foundation stacks means that you’re getting closer to winning the game, but you may need those cards. If you end up burying them, they can’t be brought back into your playing area right away (if at all). Those cards could end up saving you, so keep them in play as long as possible.

Bonus. Learn to Accept Defeat

There are a lot of people that think that every single game of solitaire has a winning path, but that’s not the case. There are some games that are simply impossible to win, and it’s best to not worry about trying to get through your already-established foundations to find the cards you need. We all want to win, but we can’t win them all!

5 Countries With Best Urban Exploration Scenes

Posted on by scatty

Urban exploration is one of the fastest-growing hobbies around the world, allowing people to make their way through abandoned manmade structures that were left to rot. They can make for some eerie yet cool feelings when you’re roaming through them, and certain countries have more to explore than others.

If you plan on going on an urban exploration some countries have spots that are a must-see for everyone. Make sure that you’re following all of the laws when going anywhere on an urban exploration trip and always practice safety more than anything. Without further adieu, here are the five countries with the best urban exploration scenes and the signature place for you to visit.

France 

The infamous Catacombs found underneath the city of Paris, France are as interesting as they are terrifying. The location, environment, and purpose of the catacombs make this destination a truly creepy sight to see. 

Holding the remains of more than 6 million people, the catacombs became the historical city’s answer to the overpopulation of the cemeteries. Clearly, that problem has been solved and there’s no need to line underground tunnels with human remains, but the intriguing structures are still available to explore if you dare. 

Japan

Hashima Island, also known as Gunkanjima, is an urban explorer’s dream, with abandoned structures that leave behind a bittersweet history. Hashima Island is one of the many islands surrounding Kyūshū, one of the main five islands that make up Japan. 

Once known for the underground coal mines that aided in the industrialization of the land, the history of the previously abandoned tourist destination has its darker notes as well. The island was home to cruel forced labor upon the people of China and the Koreas before and during World War ll. The history and eerie nature of this island makes it a great place for curious explorers. 

England 

London isn’t just the capital of England, but it’s one of the busiest hubs in the entire world. London is also home to the London Underground, which is known by locals as The Tube. The London Underground first opened up in 1863 and has been serving over 1 million people on a daily basis.

With 250 miles of track, there is a lot of the London Underground to explore, but you just have to be careful. Some of the areas of the Underground are off-limits due to safety issues, and you also want to avoid tracks, especially if they’re being actively used.

Italy 

Like the ever-so-popular Paris Catacombs, the catacombs scattered throughout Rome were designed for the purpose of providing burial and storage of deceased Romans after the city found the land wasn’t vast enough to hold all of the remains within cemeteries. 

The Roman Catacombs are made of areas that hold those belonging to different religions and some where the bodies of separate religions are buried alongside one another. The eerie and historic underground venture would give any brave explorer a thrill and give them a taste of the rich and odd history surrounding the catacombs. 

USA

The United States has a lot of sprawling urban areas in just about every state, but the one that really stands out is Michigan. That’s because the Wolverine State is home to Detroit, which has become the hottest urban exploration destination in America. If you make your way to the Motor City, you have to check out Michigan Central Station, which was once home to Michigan Central Railroad but closed in 1988.

Thankfully, the building hasn’t been completely abandoned or demolished, though there was some destruction in the early 2010s that made it dangerous for urban explorers. Since the city is planning on using the Michigan Central Station again, making it safe for urban explorers. When there, you’ll see the amazing interior from the Art Deco era of Detroit while still seeing some of the ruins.