Blue Plaque Duels

Enid vs Jimi: An Epic Clash

If you ever find yourself aimlessly strolling through Westminster, or maybe Chelsea, with a companion – pass the time by playing Blue Plaque Duels!

A blue plaque is a permanent blue circular sign, installed on a building to link that place to a famous person (or sometimes an event).

Rules of the game

1. One of you spots a blue plaque

2. Score the person on the plaque out of 3, against 3 criteria:

—Fame (3=Super star; 2=vaguely heard of them; 1=Who?)

—Longevity (3=80+; 2=70-80; 1=under 70)

—Impact  (3=Changed the world; 2=significant contribution; 1=waste of space)

3. Person who spotted the plaque first decides to “stick” or “twist” i.e. whether to hold onto the points from this plaque or take a punt that the next plaque will be worth more.

4. Look for the next plaque, score it and declare the victor of the duel!

5. Continue until you reach your destination or the point of boredom!

 Optional extra rules:

2a. Women score double for achieving a blue plaque despite millennia of patriarchal oppression

2b. Members of the nobility: deduct 10 points from the plaque’s score

Top plaques

Charles Darwin (Gower Street, WC1); Isaac Newton (Westminster SW1)

Whack plaques

Lord FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan (Westminster, W1); John Scott, Lord Eldon (Camden, WC1)