Prof Dr Alexander Hartmann, Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Oldenburg, conducts research into spin glasses. Together with his research group, he has designed the board game "Spinglass or My Party!", which is now available from BIS-Verlag.
Spin glasses are disorganised magnetic systems. Hartmann has now approached his research subject from an unconventional angle: The physicist worked on the game for more than three years, repeatedly changing and optimising the rules. The physicist had a special requirement: "The game should also fascinate people who have no direct connection to physics."
He therefore transferred the physical properties of spin glasses to the organisation of a party: "Spin glasses are a class of magnetic alloys such as iron with gold. These behave very unusually at low temperatures close to absolute zero," explains the physicist. The basic interactions behind spin glasses can - in the simplest case - be compared to relationships between people - "you like each other, you don't like each other or you are neutral towards each other."
In "Spinglas or My Party!", the players are pub owners and each want to organise a big party - with as many guests as possible. The aim of the game is to outdo the competition's party by attracting more guests. And these guests must be selected correctly and the relationships between the partygoers must be influenced. So what does all this have to do with spinning glasses?
Hartmann explains: "The party guests correspond to magnetic spins, which can be orientated differently. And depending on the interaction of the spin, they are aligned the same or differently." And for those who want to know more: The tactical two-person game, which was graphically designed by Hille Schulte, has two game instructions. In one version, the rules of the game are enriched with physical information about spin glasses.
The game is available for 14.50 euros from the University of Oldenburg's BIS-Verlag publishing house and was produced by the ASS Altenburg playing card factory. The Oldenburg University Society (UGO) supported the game financially.