2.26.15 Rivershore Trivia

2.26.15 Rivershore Trivia Recap

Inspiration comes in many forms. For Dice, just the pursuit of Trivia is typically enough to keep him doing what he does, but the amazing Trivia teams and staff at the Rivershore do so much every week that Dice really enjoys going the extra mile for them. Tonight's winners of the Bonus Questions earned a couple of Dice's not-yet-famous chocolate chip cookies...hope you enjoyed them as much as we do here!

TEAMS: It is just a coincidence that the STANLEY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES (71) were atop the leaderboard tonight...they earned their way to the top of Dice's leaderboard long ago! The VAN OWLS (61) wisely put together the right answers on the final round, but unwisely assigned a zero-point wager to it. STRAIGHT SHOOTERS (56) had big money on their mind, but a big gamble on the final round nearly dropped them out of the money.

DISNEY DIRTY (49) came up short in their bid to post a nice qualifying league score. MORE E (48) was hoping for more points on the final round, but sometimes less can mean more, like winning a gift certificate. BROOKLYN (46) scored a near-perfect first-half, but stumbled out of the gate in the second and was unable to recover. It's no secret, everyone knows the awesome and hilarious VICTORIOUS SECRET (45) prefers a big wager. Not to be outdone, DEATH BY MISADVENTUR(ous wagers) (41) put up more right answers than most, but missed on some of the most valuable ones.

Enjoy your cookies Rivershore...Cookie requests for next Thursday can be made in the comments section! Until then, here's a snippet of Dice's Rivershore playlist from our show.

Have a great week!

-Dice

2.24.15 Cider Mill Trivia

2.24.15 Cider Mill/Fryer Tuck Chicken - Trivia

It should be noted that the table by the pool table is exceptionally lucky when Dice is hosting Trivia. In the last few weeks, at least a couple of winning teams have come from the corner. Tonight was no exception. Perhaps it's the acoustics, maybe it's the solitude allowing freedom to communicate. Regardless, apparently it pays to sit in the front of the class.

TEAMS: Ascending to the top of tonight's contest, TRIGGER HAPPY BUNNIES (92) figured the easiest order of succession was to just be on top. Going the distance, GOAL DIGGERS (84) played a perfect second half. FEMBOTS HAVE FEELINGS TOO (83) rightfully took Dice to task on several answers.

Nearly skating away with some Cider Mill gift cards, the STANLEY CUPCAKES (78) opted to wager conservatively on the final to post a legit league score. VAN DE GRAF & THE GENERATORS (78) were hoping one of the top teams would falter. CHIMP N' IT (67) battled an early wagering setback all night. EBR #1 (61) was just visiting from Colorado, but played like Cider Mill veterans. The other halves of SCRATCH N' SNIFF (52) should have been playing Trivia. BALLZ DEEP (30) tried to relive past Trivia glory, but pulled out of competition at half.

Enjoy this week's playlist and have a fantastic week Cider Mill! See you next Tuesday!

-Dice

2.23.15 Malone's Cafe - Trivia

2.23.15 Malone's Cafe - Trivia

When playing Trivia, it can be very important to try approaching questions and answers from a different angle or point of view. This skill is equally important when hosting Trivia and is something Dice takes pride in when putting on a show. For starters, when I receive the questions, I typically try to "play" the show as though I were a contestant. Often this is a crucial step in Dice's playlist creation, but more importantly, it reminds Dice why he hosts Trivia more often than he plays. This reminder also eliminates any "Trebek Phenomenon" that some hosts experience where they forget that all the answers are right there in front of them!

Monday at Malone's, desiring to create a different perspective, Dice set up his equipment on the other side of the room from his usual table. Although less centralized, the new TJ-booth offers plenty of room for Dice to get his groove on, a better view of all the teams playing Trivia, and significantly improved sound quality. Dice loved the new TJ-booth, especially the full hot sauce bar that seems to come with it!

TEAMS: Breaking news, BRIAN WILLIAMS WON A TRIVIA SHOW (83) after discovering America, landing on the moon, and acing the final round of tonight's contest. Winning the David vs. Goliath battle, BLASTER RACCOON BATTALION (79) took down the mighty MY DRINKING TEAM HAS A TRIVIA PROBLEM (79) in the tie-breaker. In a tale-of-two-halves, POOP SHOOT RIOT (67) put first-half woes behind them with an almost perfect second-half. Dice was ready to sic SIT UBU SIT (63) on the question writers, but a perfect sixth round and final round convinced Ubu to be a "good dog." Unfortunately unpixelated, POOP COCK E (46) showed us all that rhyming with bukkake might be worse than bukkake itself.

Try taking a little different look (at life, not bukkake), and have a great week Malone's! See you next Monday at 7:30pm!

-Dice

2.22.15 Lightning Will Trivia

2.22.15 Lightning Will Bar & Grill - Trivia

It seems forever ago, but Dice's first show was a Sunday gig, hosting Last Call Quiz in NW Portland. That show never gained much traction and after several months of trying to make it work, we decided it was time to put Dice's energy elsewhere. Dice hasn't worked in NW Portland or on Sundays since, so I was excited to get the opportunity to start a brand new show at Lightning Will Bar & Grill on NW 21st this past weekend. Not only is this venue fantastic, but this part of town has a strong Trivia following, with several other venues hosting successful weeknight shows, so Dice is eager to get back into the NW PDX Trivia scene.

Starting a show is significantly easier than when I first was hosting, but Dice still gets butterflies walking in to a new venue that he normally doesn't experience at his existing shows. Naturally, Lightning Will's first show opened against a pre-season Portland Timbers matches a couple of blocks away, the Portland Trail Blazer game on TV, the 87th annual Academy Awards, and, oh yeah, the weather just happened to be perfect too. Dice was shocked anyone was in the bar willing to play some Trivia!

Lightning Will is a spacious bar with great acoustics that features a fantastic beer, cocktail, and food lineup. Dice hoisted the phenomenal Double-IPA from Bend's Crux Fermentation Project and might have found his new Central Oregon fav after 10 Barrel's sale. Not to be outdone by the beer, the Happy Hour burger was easily one of the best post-Trivia meals Dice has ever tasted.

For more details about Lightning Will Bar & Grill, visit their website at www.lightningwill.com. Better yet...trust Dice, get off the Internet and get down to Lightning Will this Sunday at 6pm for Portland's newest Trivia gem.

TEAMS: It was wonderful to see the DIRTY JEHOVAHS (82) together for a night! PELE (54) made some big wagers all night, but missed on their biggest. Multi-tasking masters HOTTIE & SNOTTIE (51) easily managed to play Trivia and watch the Oscars. COMFORTABLY DUMB (49) win Dice's heralded Best Trivia Team Name award!


The reviews are in...Trivia Sundays at the Lightning Will is the place to be! Until next Sunday, enjoy a sample of Dice's Lightning Will playlist!

-Dice

2.19.15 Rivershore Trivia

2.19.15 Rivershore Bar & Grill - Trivia

Dice's week went something like this great video from Saint Motel. It's a great song, but the video was my week. Enjoy the video Rivershore Trivia fans and thank you for everything...You are everything and more that a Trivia show should be!

TEAMS: Five perfect rounds and a Final of perfection for the mighty STANLEY CUPCAKES (87) as they posted another fantastic league score that solidifies their place among the elite Trivia teams in Portland. Dice remembers when VICTORIOUS SECRET (82) was just a young team playing in the corner, but with tonight's perfect 18-for-18 regular round performance they showed everyone that they've matured into a beautiful Trivia team. THE PLOT THICKENS (80) posted a smooth 80, despite going 1-for-4 on bonus rounds and betting nothing on the final. FRIENDS OF HENRY (77) got their groove on to Dice's tunes while missing just two regular questions all night. DEATH BY MISADVENTURE (73) is growing more powerful by the week.

The STRAIGHT SHOOTERS (64) near-perfect first half was marred by a couple missed big ones in the second. At the Rivershore, you have to go big for any shot at the money, the wise VAN OWLS (56) had a 71 through regulation, but couldn't drive home the high-performance final round. The result was expected for first-timers RED BALLZ (56), who felt a little cocky before shooting their load on the final round. Dice got the best of the wonderful SCHWINGS tonight, but they'll be back to work more of their usual Rivershore magic.

Providing some mid-show entertainment relief, DILDO BAGGINS showed off his incredible dance moves to "Smooth Criminal," but pulled out (of the competition) before his big finish...if only every Trivia Jockey had a DILDO BAGGINS they could pull out whenever they needed a little help getting things out of hand.

Have a fantastic week Rivershore! Check out Dice's Rivershore A&B Spotify playlists from tonight's show below.  I can't wait to see you next Thursday...

-Dice

2.18.15 On Deck Trivia

2.18.15 ON DECK SPORTS BAR & GRILL - TRIVIA

What a fantastic night! Dice is always happy to help honor someone's birthday or make special announcements, embarrassing or otherwise. On Wednesday, GIRLS NIGHT OUT, On Deck regulars, were celebrating a birthday for teammate Eileen. Both Girl's Night and Eileen especially love 80's music (Who doesn't?), so in honor of her birthday, Dice put together an entire 80's playlist to go with tonight's Trivia show. Eileen's night turned extra special when she was serenaded by ALL the Trivia teams during "Come On Eileen." Dice even dusted off his old Letterman's jacket just for the occasion...kinda like 80's music, it mostly still fits, but it might be awhile before he dusts it off again!

TEAMS: A dozen teams lined up to challenge Dice's questions and music, but three teams soared above the rest posting final scores in the 90's. NERDS OF A FEATHER (93) recovered from their 3rd-round stumble with perfection in the halftime and final rounds. PRESTIGE WORLDWIDE (92) did everything they could to take the top spot, but a missed 1-pointer in the opening frame was the difference tonight. Able to celebrate a birthday and third place, EILEEN'S NIGHT OUT (90) remained focused despite the many distractions like party hats, banners, and Dice's terrible Dexy's impression. League scoring trumped big wagering for the WET DREAM CATCHERS (75), who are plotting another deep run at the league tournament.

Wanting harder LAW questions, BATMAN & ROBIN LOPEZ (62) took a big swing on the final round. The boxscores for newcomers RED ROCKET BOY (62) and NICK CAGE MATCH (62) are near mirror images of each other. YOUR ASH IS ALL OVER MY COUCH (60) had glory on their minds after rolling a huge wager on the final. HUEVOS (60) paired well with Trivia. The DA VINCI CHODES (59) got hot in the second half, missing only one question, until the final... TOM CRUISE & THE RAINMEN started slowly, but found their groove at halftime and in the end settled for a good time and a new brother in Dice. GOIN' BLUE wins Dice's eternal admiration and respect for being awesome!

Eileen....this playlist is for you!

-Dice

2.17.15 Cider Mill - Trivia Recap

2.17.15 CIDER MILL - TRIVIA

The smell of fried chicken is intoxicating. This is an inarguable fact. Unfortunately for connoisseurs like Dice, most places that serve fried chicken have only mastered the fried chicken "smell test," but the taste and experience leave you craving amazing fried chicken. Fortunately for Dice and the Trivia teams that play Tuesdays at the Cider Mill, when you've been frying chicken for as long as they have, it is amazing every time. When Shea and Kourtney start delivering plates of chicken and fresh-cut fries to the teams, it is all Dice can do to not give away all the the answers and get his hands on some of that famous Fryer Tuck chicken!

TEAMS: Cider Mill regulars CHIMP N' IT (79) caught some good waves and sailed to the finish line with ease. TRIGGER HAPPY BUNNIES (63) were stunned to be in 2nd after unsuccessfully trying to wager themselves into a 69. The PENGUINS OF DOOM (60) dream of a perfect second-half were shattered on a monstrous final round bet. True to their name COITUS MASSACRE (54), weren't content with a 69 in regulation, so they tried to go downtown on the final and settled for what might have been.

For VAN DE GRAF & THE GENERATORS (53), the final round proved to be bittersweet. Both HASSAN & CO. and BEES? took big chunks off their scores in the final round. Dice wonders why there aren't more Cards Against Humanity team names out there.....

As always, thank you Cider Mill for a great night of Trivia! See you next Tuesday...until then enjoy a slice of Dice's playlist from tonight's show!

-Dice

2.16.15 Malone's Cafe - Trivia

2.16.15 Malone's Cafe, Beaverton - Trivia

"Spring Fever" is a few months early and the beautiful, Spring-like weather we've been enjoying here in Portland can have many effects. The most obvious effect is the arrival of shorts and the blinding glare off the legs of everyone's "winter tan." Slightly less obvious is the "Trivia Fever" that can occur in Spring. Trivia Fever is very similar to Spring Fever, so to help your self-diagnosis, Dice has some helpful suggestions for surviving this ailment.

RULE #1: HAVE FUN - Trivia night is supposed to be a challenge, so relax and enjoy yourself. Sure, everyone wants to win, but Trivia should be about the search for knowledge and truth, not gift certificates. If you want to play Trivia for money, Dice suggests you become a TJ.

RULE #2: PICK A TEAM - If there's something Dice knows more about than Trivia, it's possibly the value of a team. My local Trivia team, F Your I, is a small, crack unit of Trivia specialists that have all known each other for more than 20 years. For us, this is the key to success. Each of our strengths (and weaknesses) are well-known and accepted by the group and, as you might have guessed, since we've known each other so long, when in doubt, we refer back to RULE #1.

RULE #3: TRUST YOUR TJ - This sounds like self-promotion, but it's true. Dice has been playing Trivia longer than some of you have been alive, and I've been hosting long enough to see just about everything from every kind of cheating to a team of 15 losing to a team of just one. If you have a concern, bring it to your TJ's attention. 99% of the time they already know about the issue and may have already dealt with it appropriately. Remember, your TJ has both you and your team (and everyone else that is playing) and the venue to keep satisfied. When in doubt, remember RULE #1.

TEAMS: Building throughout the contest like a quiet storm, BANANA REPUBLIC BUTTS (67) thundered past the competition. MY DRINKING TEAM HAS A TRIVIA PROBLEM (58) are amassing a squad that might be able to out-think AND out-drink yours. TEAM 2ND PLACE (53) nearly predicted their final finish. Looking for Trivia glory, SIT UBU SIT went big on the Final but came up short. QUIZ IN MY PANTS should talk to their doctor about that problem. MOVE ALONG PLEASE joined our show at the last moment and made a serious run at the title, but wagered it all on the Final and had to settle for enjoying RULE #1.

Thanks for a great show! Enjoy Dice's Spotify playlist from tonight's show!

-Dice

2.12.15 Rivershore Trivia Recap

2.12.15 Rivershore Bar & Grill - Oregon City Trivia

You don't have to be sports fan to know that sometimes the final outcome doesn't paint an accurate representation of the actual drama or ebbs and flows of a game. Tonight at the Rivershore was a perfect example, with every team in contention with a shot at winning going into the final round. Unfortunately, the final posted standings seem to indicate a competition that was blown open by a couple teams while many others struggled. The reality...tonight's show was decided by only a few questions and a few big time final wagers that worked well for some teams and not so well for others. Regardless of the outcome, I hope you had as much fun as Dice did!

TEAMS: The STANLEY CUPCAKES (95) boxscore looks like a thing of beauty...perfect on every question they could bet points on. Front-row sitters, VICTORIOUS SECRET (89) are hilariously dangerous when they get together! FRIENDS OF HENRY (89) used perfect halftime and final rounds to post a great, big, Henry-sized score.

The VAN OWLS (77) aren't chicken, especially when they know Dice's favorite song. SCHWINGS (71) is just a great team name to say, party on. The REDS (70) followed Dice's advice for a perfect date-night: a babysitter, some food and drink, and Trivia. THE PLOT THICKENS (64) created some of their own drama with a last-second entry into tonight's show and a really big wager at the end. Dice hopes UNA TA TA (58) knows how impressive the pre-final 73 they earned their first time playing is. DEATH BY MISADVENTURE (50) were surprised to see how Trivia is spreading at the Rivershore since their last visit, but they're up for the challenge.

You already got my very first Spotify playlist Rivershore...here's a special set of selections just for you! Enjoy! [EDIT: Dice's first Spotify playlist was posted on FB. Here it is in all its glory! 

-Dice

2.11.15 On Deck Trivia Recap

2.11.15 On Deck Sports Bar & Grill - Trivia

Dice's elementary report cards are a pretty hilarious affair. The teachers that could handle my energy, seemed to have nice hand-written things to say about their precocious charge. Until 4th grade, that is. My 4th grade report card was the first "computer-generated" report card I ever received, but because I was still in elementary school, I didn't have multiple teachers, so any comments the teacher made about me showed up on every single subject we had together...all eight of them. When the report card "package" arrived needing extra postage from my parents, I had a hunch things were about to get bad for me. I'm a little upset that she selected all 12 possible negative comments about me and none of the good ones. Even more upsetting, at the bottom of page 11 of my 4th grade report card, the teacher hand-wrote that she didn't know what was "wrong" with me and that students like me were the reason she wants to retire. Pretty sure everyone wants to retire, so you're welcome.

TEAMS: After two weeks of sharing his microphone with others, Dice was eager to have the stage to himself and the dozen teams that showed for Trivia at the On Deck Sports Bar in the Pearl. Waking up on top of tonight's show, the WET DREAM CATCHERS (62) blasted the upset attempt of NERDS OF A FEATHER (62) in the tie-breaker for first. THE OUTKASTS (59) held on for third in tonight's very difficult Trivia show.  7 PERPENDICULAR LINES (47) were tied for first going into the final, but risked it all and were fortunate to only drop to 4th.

BATMAN & ROBIN LOPEZ are just thankful their namesake's hand is healing and he's back to playing ball for the Blazers. ONE NATION UNDER CANADA naturally aced the geography portions of tonight's show. Lucky for the ladies and our question writers, SIT UBU SIT has passed all his obedience courses and is current on all his shots. Trying to make a splash, ORCA ATTACK went huge on the final round. Next Pancake Tuesday, Dice is hanging with GIRLS NIGHT OUT, cause they know what they're doing. Actually, WHERE THE F*** DID THE REST OF MY TEAM GO, they're sitting right next to you. OREGON'S FINEST truly is one. BATUM'S BOSUMS hustled all night like Nicolai, but sometimes the points just don't drop.

Enjoy this sample of tonight's playlist!


-Dice

Trivia Marathon - KVSC St. Cloud, MN 2/13-2/15

All Trivia shows hinge on a just a few questions. It doesn't matter if it's one of Dice's two-hour pub quizzes or a 50-hour marathon like the one going on in St. Cloud, Minnesota this weekend, the difference between winning and losing can be as finite as earning the theme round with Dice or answering one of the higher point value questions in the KVSC contest.

I tell you this, because it is often difficult to explain this Trivia-thon style contest to people that don't play any Trivia, let alone trying to justify the number of hours I devote to Trivia. Hosting as frequently as I do, doesn't allow for many opportunities to play with my team in Portland, so when I can join my Dad's Computers Family for any of the contests they play, I jump at the opportunity. For this weekend's contest, we join forces with two-time reigning champion Stefan's Dream.

It's currently 9am PST on Sunday and I've been playing all night. Stefan's Dream XVI has been leading all of the contest, but we have failed to capitalize on several opportunities to separate ourselves from the pack. Through Hour 42, we have 11,600 points, approximately 80% of the total points available. A horror-scream filled 30th hour brutalized everyone (Stefan went 4 of 18), so our percentage is a little down from previous years.

And *next* year we can have a speed round of audio of teams screaming while playing *this* year's Red Speed Round.... #triviaweekend

— Shibby (@shibby917) February 15, 2015

I logged into our group Skype not long after the horror round for Dice's typical Trivia all-nighter. In Hour 36, they played an odd audio question that asked to identify the "member of the Masland quality family." At 2:00am it sure seemed like they were looking for the speaker of this clip. The audio clip text was as follows:

"...design in two pile highlights, for extra decorating. And the texture, that's a heavy grow point. A Really luxurious value at about $11.95 a square yard. it comes in several delightful colors to compliment your room and flutter your furnishings. dark and like green, grey, beige Beaver and Cardinal red."

After several minutes of trying to find the speaker's identification, I tried using several boolean variations of the text trying to back into the speaker's identity. As I scrolled through the first few pages of Google results, my eye caught a blurry, old print ad in a newspaper for a couple Masland Mattress products. I guessed we should try the product line "Cantara." Although it was incorrect, fortunately, the phone bank operator asked for a spelling, which usually indicates we are close. Our group Skype chat erupted as I looked a little more carefully at the ad and answered, "Cantata." That correct answer was worth 70 points, a very solid score in this contest. In then end, it may not make a big difference, but that answer is currently accounting for nearly 20% of our current Hour 42 lead of 365 points!

-Dice

2.10.15 Cider Mill Recap

2.10.15 Cider Mill Trivia

Sometimes the final round can be anti-climactic. Any time there's an anti-social, the top teams usually wager zero and the teams trying to get into the money wager fifteen and fall further behind. Socials can be just as trivial when final standings stay the same despite big wagers. Dice likes the final question that goes 50/50. Half the teams get it, half don't. Dice likes it even better when each of those halves split their wagering. Some teams going big. Others trying to preserve a lead wager little. In the end, it's like a roll of the dice...anything can happen. Tonight, at the Cider Mill, almost everything did.

TEAMS: Plagued by their terrible halftime, the GERM AVENGERS (78) had nothing to lose in the final round, but won everything with a successful big wager. TRIGGER HAPPY BUNNIES (77) nailed the final as well but picked up one fewer bonus point along the way than the Avengers. Locking horns all night, VAN DE GRAF & THE GENERATORS (71) and FEMBOTS HAVE FEELINGS TOO (71) tied for the lead into the final, but VDG won the tie-breaker battle for third.

Winners of their soccer game earlier in the night, the GOAL DIGGERS ran out of steam in the end. CHIMP N' IT (62) nearly perfectly wagered the whole contest, but stumbled at halftime and never recovered. Cider Mill favs, SCRATCH N' SNIFF, couldn't recapture last week's magic. PBR were a little too preoccupied with their "other" wagers to put much into Trivia.

Enjoy a sample of Dice's playlist form our show tonight!

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes (to the blog)...

A message from Dice...

Dear Trivia Fans,

Ladies and gentlemen...your support for me in the last year has been phenomenal. From my first show to last night's at the Rivershore, the energy you bring every single week to our shows inspires me to continue to work harder to bring you the best Trivia show in Portland. As our shows grew in popularity, so did my desire to provide even more to Trivia fans with new features like this blog and Facebook page. Again, the response has been phenomenal from you. I am so very thankful each and every day for what I do and the great people that I get to meet and interact with on a nightly basis. Thank you for your help in creating all of this, I could not have done it without you.

Trivia fans, it is with you in mind that I'm excited to say that several new features and a few changes are coming for me soon. You've seen my Facebook page and you obviously can read my blog, but as soon as I can figure out how to type fewer than 140-characters you'll be able to follow me on Twitter! Several other new features are in the works, including links to Dice's Spotify playlists and a Trivia podcast that I cannot wait to free up some time to work on.

Time...there really isn't enough of that. Already hosting Monday through Thursday nights, I recently added a fifth show to my Trivia line-up, this time establishing a new Sunday Trivia show at Lightning Will Bar & Grill in NW Portland. This is a great-looking bar that features a creative beer, cocktail, and food menu that will have you coming back on non-Trivia nights. The first show is February 22nd and more details will be available soon. After meeting with the staff, I'm very excited about the potential for this location.

Ramping up my Trivia game cannot happen without some changes to how I operate now. The most obvious change you can expect is to the format of my blog posts. Providing nightly show recaps is truly enjoyable, but creating the "Trivia" content can be time-consuming and cause delays in getting the nightly recap out. To counter this, I am removing the "Trivia" section from the recaps and giving them their own blog posts. This should streamline my process significantly and let me create new Trivia-only posts that will be more accessible to everyone. My hope is that all of these changes improve your overall Trivia experience while allowing me the flexibility to continue to expand my imaginary Trivia empire.

Thank you again for all your support and kindness through the last year. As you can see, my Trivia-life is a bit consuming, but I love working for you and bringing my unique brand of Trivia to the people of Portland. Did I mention there's a 50-hour Trivia-thon this weekend? See what I mean about consuming...

Please feel free to leave any comments or suggestions, I always love hearing from Trivia fans!

- Adrian "Dice" Deiss

If you enjoyed this peek behind the curtain of Dice's life, 

you might enjoy this rare 1976 rehearsal footage 

of David Bowie performing "Changes"........

2.9.15 Malone's Cafe Recap

2.9.15 Malone's Cafe - Trivia

Dice has said it before...Trivia is a marathon. Like the marathon, in order to compete in Trivia, your team has to prepare for success the same way marathoners do, lots and lots of practice. Several teams understand this training methodology and play multiple times per week hoping to secure one of the top average scores in the league thereby punching their ticket straight to the league finals. Teams like these are easy to spot. They roll into Trivia night and sit at their lucky table with notes and swagger that convey a sense of confidence as though they already know some of the answers. The truth is, they do.

Teams that play frequently have several advantages. For starters, they are used to each other. Trivia can be extremely stressful and being familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of the members of the team can give the experienced squad a decided advantage. These teams are also able to whittle the list of Last Call "Hints of the Week" down to almost sure answers, likely earning them max points. In a game that usually comes down to a point or two, earning big points on a freebie is huge. Dice says that these uber-teams are also able to find hidden trends within our questions that may give them insight into how they should answer a given question as well as what topics to research.

So, Dice, what can the Trivia team with a life outside of Trivia do to compete against these teams that seem to be everywhere all at once? Dice's advice, PAY ATTENTION. Whenever Dice sneaks an unrecognized musical clue into a question, you've probably heard him say afterwards that "Trivia is everywhere." That's the truth, Trivia IS everywhere. Start easy by paying attention to commercials, TV shows, newspapers, magazines, etc. and you will find that your Trivia game will improve quickly and dramatically. This simple practice of paying attention, will definitely help with some of our more pop-culture questions and answers we can ask, but will also be effective at unclogging those brain synapses you've been neglecting for so long. Once you start to train your brain to look at the world through a Trivia lens, you'll discover that Trivia is indeed everywhere.

TEAMS: Congratulations on a lucky 13th anniversary for TEAM 365 (73) who capped off a perfect day with a Trivia victory. SIT UBU SIT (64) was ready to beat his TJ senseless until he needed 15 seconds to earn 15 points on the final round. Curiosity nearly killed them, but patience paid off for the SPARKLY KITTY CATS (56). A meaningless five-point wager turned out to be disastrous for POOP CHUTE RIOT (55) who might also be regretting that missed 6-pointer on the first question of the night.

MY DRINKING TEAM HAS A TRIVIA PROBLEM would like everyone to know that next week they will also be MY DRINKING PROBLEM HAS A TRIVIA TEAM. Big bets by BUTT RHYTHM BLUES sounded good at first, but something didn't quite smell right in the end. JV TEAM clearly understand the importance of a great Trivia training regimen and Dice is certain they will soon be back to their rightful spot on top of the leader board.

TRIVIA: Don't say I didn't warn you, but if you want to experience the world of radio Trivia-thons like Dice enjoys playing, the St. Cloud State University radio station hosts their 36th-annual 50-hour Trivia contest this weekend. The theme of this year's contest is "Game of Trivia" and Dice and some of his DC teammates will be playing remotely for the reigning KVSC champions Stefan's Dream. KVSC's contest is a lot of fun with multiple questions thrown at you at once and a playlist that makes Dice envious. Check it out if you get the chance. Better yet, gather a bunch of your friends, register your team, throw some beer in the fridge, and invite Dice to come play some Trivia with you!

TUNES: As promised, blog changes are in the works...Enjoy Romain Virgo's cover of Grammy winner Sam Smith's hit "Stay With Me." If you like zombies, watch this video of "Zombie" from Family Force 5.

-Dice

2.5.15 Rivershore Teams/Trivia/Tunes

2.5.15 Rivershore Bar & Grill - Trivia

"Trivia on Ice" Trophy
WHYS 96.3FM

Thursday is usually the end of Dice's Trivia week. After hosting a great show at the Rivershore on Thursday night, Dice took his mom on a Trivia-date Friday, then played remotely in a 24-hour Trivia contest for WHYS 96.3FM, a community-run radio station in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Trivia for this style of contest is significantly different than Dice's Trivia for Last Call, but is still a great time for everyone involved. This was WHYS 96.3's inaugural Trivia-thon fundraiser and Dad's Computers, my Trivia team from Stevens Point, Wisconsin picked up the victory. Hosting one of these contests is a huge undertaking and although it wasn't perfect, I'm sure they learned several things. Dice really enjoyed several of the ways they took the standard Trivia format and made it their own.

Dice knows a thing or two about making a Trivia show his own and the amazing staff at the Rivershore Bar & Grill in Oregon City knows everything about how to host a show like Dice's!

TEAMS: Giving a truly Herculean effort, DISNEY DIRTY (72) looked unbeatable early, then missed 4 of 6 questions making everyone, including themselves, think they were finished, but they returned triumphant in the final round. SWEDISH MEATBALLS (62) herdy der flerdy floopin'd their way a second place finish on their first visit...Bork, Bork, Bork! VICTORIOUS SECRET (61) had some awkward moments early, but is quickly blossoming into a fun Trivia team to play with!

Dice knows two things about the VAN OWLS, they'll be back...both to the Rivershore and to the top of the leaderboard. STANLEY CUPCAKES let the money slip away trying to post a better league score. THE PLOT THICKENS, were surprised by some of Dice's Trivia twists, but are eager to get back to the Rivershore for the sequel. Dice tried to give the SCHWINGS more credit than they deserved, but they couldn't pull off any last-second heroics this week. FRIENDS OF HENRY were playing to honor the life of team mascot Henry, whose soft and fluffy fur made everyone that ever met him, including Dice, love him. RIP Henry. SHIVER ME TIMBERS made a couple of big moves throughout the night, but fell short on their biggest, a final round 15 point wager.

TRIVIA: Alaska, the final frontier. Those words alone conjure images of wildlife roaming the streets, gold rushes, oil, Sarah Palin, Russia, fish, moose, and bears oh my! And while all of that may be true, your trusty Trivia Jockey Dice happens to have some inside knowledge about our 49th state. Prior to moving back to the Portland area to pursue his TJ career, Dice and his family lived in Alaska, so he's got the inside scoop you've been wanting.

If you've ever been to Alaska, you know it's a state of unparalleled beauty. At a minimum, you've probably seen the amazing mountains around Anchorage and through the valley. Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau, and all of Southeast Alaska are truly some of the most incredibly beautiful places I've seen. Wildlife truly does walk right through the streets of Anchorage and the fishing and hunting are as amazing as anywhere in the world. Finding the beauty in places like Bethel where we lived was a little more difficult, but the tundra can be an amazingly bountiful and beautiful place when you see it through the lens of living in Western Alaska.

The Northern Lights are truly one of nature's greatest gifts and should be on your bucket list.

Tonight we worked through an interesting halftime question about Alaska's seafood industry. I can't speak for the state of most of the Alaskan fisheries, but living on the Kuskokwim River, home to world-class salmon spawning grounds, showed us first-hand how fragile the local fish population is. In an area that depends on these fish to continue their subsistence way of life, King Salmon populations have reached near extinction due to many factors, but often these fish never make it to the river and are picked up as byproduct in the capture of other seafoods. This issue is not just a local or Alaska problem, the entire state of the world's oceans and fish industry is in major peril and I hope places like the Kuskokwim River can find solutions to try to reverse decades of poor fishery and habitat management worldwide.

Dice's salmon preference (in order)...Bacon Cheeseburger, Red, Silver, King, Pizza, Smoked Chum.

Have you seen any of the Alaska "reality" TV shows on cable? Several of them have pretty decent production quality and often the characters are so crazy that they can't possibly be real, but they must be watched. Well, like most "reality" programming, there's enough real about them for me to say that I know several people that are easily as loony tunes as anyone you'll see on any show about Alaska. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of really amazing people in Alaska, but so many also fit a lot closer to the televised stereotype than they'd ever willingly admit. After all, as the very true saying regarding women and men and relationships in Alaska goes, "The odds are good, but the goods are odd!" If you're looking for the most accurate televised representation of Alaska, Alaskan State Troopers focuses on only a certain aspect of living in Alaska, but Alaska is a bit of a lawless, independent land and most of AST is not embellished for the camera. Bethel was frequently featured on Alaska State Troopers, fortunately any scenes with Dice made the cutting room floor.

TUNES: Tonight's Tunes feature has been postponed. Changes (not the Bowie song) are coming to Dice's blog very soon, so stay tuned for updates!

-Dice

2.4.15 On Deck Teams/Trivia/Tunes Recap

2.4.15 On Deck Sports Bar - Trivia

Dice wants to say a big thank you to the teams and everyone at On Deck for helping train Last Call's newest Portland Trivia Jockey. AJ has already picked up some shift coverage and will soon have his own shows. Dice feels confident Last Call has signed another solid TJ in AJ!

TEAMS: The house team at On Deck doesn't always play Trivia, but when they do, the DECK CREW (75) delivers with great scores. Playing with themselves the entire show, the MENTAL MASTURBATORS (71) milked the first half for every last point, but made a mess in the 5th round. Winners of Dice's favorite team name of the night, THE FLABBERGABBIES (68) went stroke for stroke with the competition all night. PRESTIGE WORLDWIDE (62) focused on fine-tuning their worldwide Trivia takeover.

JUST TWO DUDES HAVING A GOOD TIME were having a great time until the final rounds forced them to reconsider their superlatives. Taking their game to the city, FARMERS ONLY DATE NIGHT looked sharp early in the contest. On Deck newbs, THE GOOD TICKLE were making moves at the start, but like most good tickles, went too far at halftime and never could recover.

TRIVIA: Trivia is often like the movie The Usual Suspects. The lineup of teams and players from week to week is often the same, which pleases Dice as much as the movie does. Unsurprisingly, Dice imagines himself a bit of a Keyser Soze, eager to engage his Trivia teams in a battle of wits with a much more eclectic soundtrack.

"The greatest trick the devil ever pulled, was convincing 

the world he didn't exist."    -Roger "Verbal" Kint

Bryan Singer's incredible 1995 thriller, The Usual Suspects, is one of the genres all-time classics. The title was inspired by a line from a Rolling Stone article and features Steven Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, Benicio del Toro, Steven Baldwin, and Kevin Spacey. Originally conceived as "five felons who meet in a police lineup," Spacey told Singer he was interested in working with the director after seeing his 1993 independent film, Public Access. According to Spacey, Singer had convinced each of the primary actors that they were Soze and waited until the first screening revealed the truth causing one of the actors to storm out of the screening and argue with the director. The film was nominated for and won two Academy Awards, Best Screenplay for writer Christopher McQuarrie and Best Supporting Actor for Spacey. Dice would continue, but he doesn't want to give anything away to anyone that hasn't seen this wonderful movie. 

TUNES: The Kaiser Chiefs obviously inspired us during halftime. "Come and Get Your Love" by Redbone, 1....2 from Parliament, and some Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. Disturbed's cover of "Land of Confusion" and a great ukulele cover of Iron Maiden's "The Number of the Beast" kept the On Deck crowd guessing. Dice played 1...2 from Pearl Jam, one of his all-time favorite bands.

Stay tuned for some exciting new blog and website features....Have a great week Trivia teams.

-Dice

2.3.15 Cider Mill Teams/Trivia/Tunes

2.3.15 Cider Mill Teams/Trivia/Tunes

Everyone knows that Dice's game is Trivia, but with a name like Dice, one might think my preferred game of chance would be Craps. Those that know me well, however, know that I have a particular fondness for 21. Tonight, hosting at the Cider Mill was like dealing Blackjack to a table where everyone is about to go on a heater.

TEAMS: Calling their shot when they walked in, SCRATCH N' SNIFF (94) hit everything Dice threw at them out of the park. PANTS! (93) didn't fall down until question #14, when their calculated gamble left them a step behind. I've got some news for you, FEMBOTS HAVE FEELINGS TOO (91) is one of the best Trivia teams in Portland. CHIMP N' IT (84) brought in a commercial fishmaster and guide to help reel in some big points. Fighting the urge to do more damage, the TRIGGER HAPPY BUNNIES (80) settled on posting a solid league score and let the final round live for another day.

CAT OF 9 DICKS celebrated their well-deserved entry into Dice's Trivia Team Name Hall of Fame. THE ALLIANCE OF THAI GUYS IN BARS may have found a new Trivia night...Oh My! WINTER BUSH realized mid-show that they had six more weeks of wintry weather to deliver, so they left. Remember THE JAMES GANG? Dice suspects they don't either.

TRIVIA: You don't have to wear the sweatshirt of the school that IS named after the president whose second-marriage was to a ninth-generation descendant of Pocahontas to know that sometimes Dice's music selections make even his head spin. If you are wearing that sweatshirt, congratulations on knowing the answer to the next question and being allowed back on your team. For everyone else, yes, Edith Wilson, Woodrow Wilson's second wife, was a descendant of Pocahontas.

Most of us know some version of Pocahontas' life, but as Dice found out, there's more to her story than the "colors of the wind." Pocahontas was born about 1595 to an unknown mother and Chief Powhatan, the paramount chief of a group of Virginian Indian tribes. It is this paternal relationship that has propelled the "princess" ideal upon Pocahontas, although in her society she would not have been in any leadership succession plans or due to inherit any exceptional wealth because of her relationship to the chief. As usual, make-believe trumps history in the place "Where Dreams Comes True."

Speaking of dreams, English Captain John Smith probably also made up his account of the young Pocahontas saving his life after he was captured. Turns out, years earlier Smith told a similar tale of being rescued by a young girl after he was captured by the Turks in Hungary, so maybe Smith was just a really bad storyteller, but really good at being captured. Oh, and about that beautiful romance between Smith and Pocahontas...yeah, that most likely didn't happen either.

Dice knows it's tough to stomach that you've been fed a spoonful of historical sugar by Dizz Knee, but this one is also coated in a love-story about a nearly 30-year old Smith and a 10-12 year old Pocahontas, so it's just wrong. It also turns out Pocahontas' name might actually mean "slut," so I don't even know what to say except Matoaka was framed.

So, what's the truth? It's tough to say. We know that Pocahontas married Thomas Rolfe in 1614, becoming the first recorded interracial marriage in the New World. In 1615, she gave birth to their only child, Thomas Rolfe. Following Thomas' birth, Pocahontas travelled with her family to England where she was presented as the "civilized savage" in hopes of building investment capitol for developing the Jamestown settlement and the New World. There is some evidence that suggests that the English considered Pocahontas' trip to be more of a sideshow despite the efforts to present her as a civilized savage princess.

Interestingly, Pocahontas' legacy as a "princess" in American history may actually be intact through her many descendants from her son Thomas. After her sudden death, Pocahontas' only child Thomas was left in England with his uncle, whom he was raised by. Thomas reportedly never saw his father again after being left in England. Thomas successfully petitioned to receive a portion of his father's estate and he returned to Virginia where he married and had a daughter. Not to bore you with with the so-and-so begot so-and-so bit, but it turns out that Edith Wilson isn't the only first lady that can trace her lineage to Pocahontas, Nancy Reagan is also a descendant. So are the Presidents Bush.

TUNES: February 3, the day the music died. Obviously, Dice didn't miss the opportunity to play McLean's "American Pie," some Big Bopper, Ritchie Valens, and Buddy Holly. McLean clearly hasn't been to one of Dice's Trivia shows because the music could go on for "Centuries" with songs like "Persephone" and "Icarus." Dice got in 1...2 from Foals and 1...2 from the Jeep SuperBowl commericial artist, Marc Scibillia.

Dice's favorite song of the night...Sadiki's cover of 2Face's "African Queen."

As always...thanks Cider Mill!

-Dice

2.2.15 Malone's Cafe Teams/Trivia/Tunes

2.2.15 Malone's Cafe - Trivia

TRIVIA: 21 days ago there was a football game that didn't end exactly the way some people here in the beautiful Pacific Northwest had hoped. Dice might have been one of them. Then, yesterday, there was another football game that didn't end exactly the way most people here in the suddenly rainy and depressing northwestern corner of the country wanted. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one suffering from sports-related depression. Dice has self-diagnosed his depression as Sports Fan Depression and I'm pretty sure it's a real thing too, I read about it on the Internet. I'm also pretty sure SFD and Trivia Fan Depression (TFD) are related. Dice's TFD flares up whenever he doesn't get to host, but Trivia fans can get TFD for all kinds reasons. Common TFD triggers include: not playing enough trivia, losing at trivia, wrong answers, and right answers that get crossed off for wrong answers. I almost forgot the most common TFD trigger, theme rounds.

Do you or someone you know suffer from SFD/TFD? Symptoms can include loss, anger, sadness, even the inability to focus on work. Maybe you recognize yourself or someone you know in this video that so perfectly captures how it feels to have SFD/TFD.

F Your I...Occasional language, but Dice says the

 F-word means something totally different in Toronto.

That got ugly for Toronto fast. When watching my team find a way to lose, I typically look like #17 there in front. As this guy calls it, "The Catatonic Fan." I have found that reaction to be the best when my team loses, especially at Trivia. Dice figures that if Cameron can go catatonic and see Sloan changing clothes, it's probably the best way to deal with grief. Don't be fooled, however, Dice has been just about every one of those fans, from 2(former), 5-7, 12, 13, and 15-20. Don't be a #1 fan. Punching things is just dumb.

TUNES: Opening the show with the Greenskeepers' "Lotion" isn't recommended for every venue, but at Malone's anything goes. Bowling for Soup's "Choke" might have helped a couple teams find Greg Norman. "Trapped in a Box" from No Doubt, dada's "Dizz Knee Land," Tripping Daisy's "Pirahna" each tried to drag our teams back to the 1990's. Young the Giant, Bleachers, and Maroon 5 saw to it that we didn't stay there.

Dice's favorites of the night "Lotion," and possibly the greatest question-song pairing ever "You'll Have Time" by William Shatner.

TEAMS: Tacking on a little mental workout after their actual workout, TEAM 365 (78) showed Malone's the benefit of exercise on the brain and mood. POOP CHUTE RIOT (69) knows a solid (score) when it sees one. BJ'S REPTILLIAN BRAND (65) went for the tie, but came up a couple points short. MY DRINKING TEAM HAS A TRIVIA PROBLEM (63) hoped a couple other teams would stumble at the finish line. SPARKLY KITTY CATS (56) used up seven of their nine lives on the final wager, but find Dice's tunes to be inspirational.

Have a great week Trivia teams! See you next Monday at Malone's!

-Dice