1.
We had 13 players in attendance so numbers
are rising. Because 3 tables were eventually in play it is difficult for me to
present a detailed report on all games played, so only those that I actually
play will receive the treatment…pause for collective sigh of relief !!. On
Table 1 a group of 8 played “THE
RESISTANCE”, the collective find-a-spy game that was played on 08/03/2012
so see detailed review there. The Resistance managed to outwit the government
guards to win the game.
2.
On table 2 Mike introduced 4 other players
to the game of “ALHAMBRA”, in which
players are trying to construct the most beautiful palace. They do so by
‘buying’ tiles on which are depicted one of 6 types of buildings , e.g. a
Garden, a Tower, a Pavilion, and placing them, under certain rules, in their
construction of their palace. The clever part of the game is that each turn 4
tiles are available for purchase but in 4 different currencies, so to buy a
tile the players have to sometimes use another option in the game, which is to
collect money from the 4 currency cards on offer. Another neat twist is that if
they can pay the exact price for a tile they get to have another complete turn,
so they could buy another tile or opt to take more money. However if they do
not have the exact money they must pay over the odds and receive no change .
When constructing their palace the players have also to consider where to place
buildings which have exterior walls associated with them, as this affects
scoring in the game. One further option the players have is they can store a
tile in their ‘reserve’ for later use and instead of buying new tiles or taking
money they can remodel their palace to achieve a better scoring palace. So now
to scoring, which occurs 3 times, the first 2 times at random in the pack of currency
cards and finally at game end. Players score points for having the most number
of each of the 6 types in their palace, plus 1 point for each connected wall.
On the first round of scoring only 1st place is awarded, on round 2
places 1st and 2nd are awarded and on round 3 places 1st,
2nd and 3rd are awarded, with an ever increasing number
of points on offer. Roger and Jeremy were lucky with their tile drawing early
on and scored the most in the first round. Lucy Kelly and Mike closed up by the
time round 2 was scored but Jeremy’s large collection of towers enabled him to
pull away again and he won comfortably from Roger.
3.
The 8 players on table 1 then split into 2
groups of 4. On table 1 Paul led a game of “LONDON”,
the card-drafting game about rebuilding the city after the Great Fire. See
review on 09/12/2010 for details. In a close run thing and in what he claimed
was a “masterful” bit of planning Alister triumphed by 1 point in the final
scoring, by remembering to add on the points for money in hand, much to Paul’s
chagrin’.
4.
On table 3 Jerry led 4 players in a game of
“DOMAINE”, which had suffered a
beer-drenching a couple of weeks ago. As
he knows this game well it was not surprising that Jerry ran away with an easy
victory.
5.
Back on table 1 5 players played “INFINITE CITY”, one of the most popular
games in the club. See review of 10/02/2011 for details. Lucy established a
significant presence in one corner of the display by building them around a
power station, which meant hey could not be attacked but it made her a target
for the others. Similarly Jeremy looked strong in another part of the display so
the 3 other players used their tiles to good effect by splitting up these large
groupings. In a game with constantly changing holding it was difficult to
predict a winner but eventually it was a tie on 23 points between Jeremy and
Lucy, with the latter winning the tie break.
6.
To introduce Kelly and Kevin to another game
table 1 played “TURF HORSE RACING”,
in which players place their 3 bets on horses of their choice, from a field of
8 runners and then in turn each player rolls a D6 and’ allots’ the symbol on it
to one of the horses to move that turn. They will try and give a good score to
one of the horses they have backed, or if not suitable give a ‘bad’ movement to
a horse that their opponents have backed. A race last just 41 spaces and when 1
horse had passed the winning post the race ends and a payout occurs to those
who backed the first 3 home. There is much shouting and ‘encouragement’ during a
race to try and sway the current where to allocate their dice roll. After the
first race Kevin and Lucy were the joint leaders on 8 points. By the end of
race 2 this had changed dramatically with Roger on 14, Kelly on 13 and Kevin,
Lucy and Mike on 10 each. So all to play for on the last race which was the
closest of the three. In a tight finish Lucy and Kelly struck up a ‘girlie
agreement’ which meant that they both gained 12 points each for a particular
horse to win, leaving the final scores as Kelly 31, Lucy 23, Roger 16, Mike 11
and Kevin 10.
7.
The session ended with 5 players as others
departed so we played “INCAN GOLD”,
the popular quick filler. Mike thought he was going to win it for the first
time ever only to be pipped in the last round by 1 point by Kevin.
The Resistance –
The Resistance won;
Alhambra –
Jeremy Hurault;
London – Alister
Gitten;
Domaine – Jerry
Jabelman;
Infinite City –
Lucy Newbury;
Turf Horse
Racing – Kelly Brown;
Incan Gold –
Kevin Ward.
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