Founding TSR

Gygax left Guidon in 1973, and, with Kaye as a partner founded the publishing company Tactical Studies Rules (later known as TSR, Inc.), with $2,400 for startup costs.1 Brian Blume joined TSR in 1974 as an equal one-third partner, bringing the financing to publish Dungeons & Dragons.23 Gygax worked on rules for more miniatures and tabletop battle games, including Cavaliers and Roundheads (English Civil War, with Jeff Perren), Classic Warfare (Ancient Period: 1500 BC to 500 AD), and Tractics (WWII to c. 1965, with Mike Reese & Leon Tucker).

Dungeons & Dragons was first released by TSR in January 1974 as a boxed set;45 a hand-assembled print run of 1,000 copies, put together by hand in Gygax's home,6 sold out in less than a year.78 In the same year, Gygax created the magazine The Strategic Review with himself as editor,9 and then hired Tim Kask to assist in the transition of this magazine into the fantasy periodical The Dragon,10 with Gygax as writer, columnist, and publisher (from 1978 to 1981).11 Gygax wrote the supplements Greyhawk,12 Eldritch Wizardry,13 and Swords & Spells14 for the original D&D game. With Brian Blume he also designed the wild west-oriented role-playing game Boot Hill in 1975.15 The Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set, geared towards younger players and edited by J. Eric Holmes in 1977, was based largely on Gygax's work on the original D&D boxed set.16

After Kaye's death from a heart attack in January 1976, his widow sold her shares to Gygax.17 Gygax, now controlling the whole of Tactical Studies Rules, created TSR Hobbies, Inc. with himself as president. Gygax, coming into financial troubles soon after, sold TSR Hobbies to Brian Blume and his brother Kevin.

• 1. Kushner, David. "Dungeon Master: The Life and Legacy of Gary Gygax". Wired.com. Retrieved on 2008-10-16.
• 2. "The History of TSR". Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2008-10-04. Retrieved on 2005-08-20.
• 3. "Dungeons & Dragons FAQ". Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2008-10-03. Retrieved on 2008-10-03.
• 4. Gygax, Gary; Arneson, Dave. Dungeons & Dragons (3-Volume Set) (TSR, 1974, ISBN unknown)
• 5. Tinsman, Brian (2002). The Game Inventor's Guidebook. Krause Publications. ISBN 0-87349-552-7.
• 6. Winter, Steve; Johson, Harold; Adkison, Peter; Stark, Ed; Archer, Peter; additional contributions by numerous others (October 2004). 30 Years of Adventure: A Celebration of Dungeons & Dragons. Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 0-7869-3498-0.
• 7. Sullivan, Patricia (March 5, 2008). "E. Gary Gygax; Co-Creator Of Dungeons & Dragons", Washington Post. Retrieved on 17 October 2008.
• 8. "Gary Gygax", The Times (March 6, 2008). Retrieved on 7 October 2008.
• 9. Gygax, Gary. Long Biography of E(rnest) Gary Gygax (revision 6-05), ©2005
• 10. Parker, Laura (2008-03-07). "Gary Gygax: Founding father of fantasy computer games and co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons", The Guardian. Retrieved on 7 October 2008.
• 11. The Dragon (TSR Hobbies) Vol. II (13–24, 26–48). April 1978 – April 1981.
• 12. Gygax, Gary; Kuntz, Robert J. (1975). Supplement I: Greyhawk. TSR
• 13. Gygax, Gary; Blume, Brian (1976). Supplement III: Eldritch Wizardry. TSR
• 14. Gygax, Gary; Blume, Brian (1976). Supplement V: Swords & Spells. TSR
• 15. Blume, Brian; Gygax, Gary. Boot Hill (TSR; 1st edition, 1975, no ISBN; 2nd edition, 1979, ISBN 0-394-51875-6; 3rd edition, 1990, ISBN 0-88038-976-1)
• 16. Gygax, Gary; Arneson, Dave (1974), edited by J. Eric Holmes. Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set (TSR, 1977)
• 17. Sacco, Ciro Alessandro. "The Ultimate Interview with Gary Gygax". thekyngdoms.com. Retrieved on 2008-10-24.