June 2nd, 2005 |
Game Night started about 45 minutes late due to late food eating performed by Jim, Mike, and Karla, and Dan was late anyway, so it was no great shakes. Plus, Scott figured out ways to stay, um, shall we say, entertained...
| Aladdin's Dragons |
| Results | |||
| Player | Score | Place | First Time? |
| Mike | 7 artifacts (+2 scrolls) | 1 | |
| Dan | 7 artifacts (+1 scroll) | 2 | |
| Karla | 6 artifacts | 3 (Tie) | |
| Jim | 6 artifacts | 3 (Tie) | * |
| Scott | 4 artifacts | 5 | * |
Notes: We had only played this one twice before. In the first game, I ran away with victory. In the second game, the meta-game between Annie and Dan subverted any optimal strategy. In this one, it was almost 100% perfect, except for one thing: I forgot to mention that the dragon caves were scored first each round. This probably kept Scott from competing (as he thought we'd get artifacts first and didn't try to get one in the first round because everyone's pretty broke), but Dan didn't remember either, and moaned about it. If you don't remember, Dan, ask. Nyah nyah!
In the first round there was some moderate competition in the caves, but everyone pretty much got something, though Dan didn't get much of anything at all. Karla managed to get the 1 for 3 exchange, and she and I both scooped up 2 artifacts while Jim snagged one. Scott took the camel from me (meaning he gets to go first each round and break all ties) and proceeded to act as if it were a razor blade being used to partition out co-cayne.
In round two, Dan started to gain some ground, as both he and Scott managed to get one artifact each. I also grabbed one, and Jim managed to get two of them, keeping him in a tie. I used my freshly acquired doubling artifact to win a group of jewels in the caves.
In the third round, I started expanding from my good-sized hoards of gold bars and red crowns to blue diamonds, and there was a big battle for them. So Scott tried to play the "Dragon's Return" card to keep anyone from getting any. But I used my Counterspell, which hurt to use, because I had plans for my recently gained flying carpet this turn. Anyway, I had to intimidate anyone from going after the one artifact I was going for by putting two tokens there (a 4 and a 1). Jim asked why I put so many there, and I said that I wanted to make sure I got it. I also managed the 1 for 3 room and re-claimed the camel. Dan nabbed 2 artifacts - one by casting a spell that moved Karla's token somewhere else and then paying one for it. Jim then hosed Karla's lone chance at an artifact by using a spell that eliminates all even-numbered tokens (it was an 8). Jim paid 1 for his artifact.
In the fourth round, I (again) had to use my counterspell when Karla cast a spell that inverted all the tokens. I couldn't handle it and Counterspelled it. This left me very vulnerable for the rest of the round. Dan and Karla re-made some moves, as Dan grabbed two more artifacts and I complained that I had to use my counterspell this turn. Karla scoffed at me and said "Too bad!" and my one chance at getting an artifact this turn was outbid by Jim (who placed a 4 and a 1 in my chamber with a 4). Still, I was now all set for the final round, as I had collections of 8, 7, and 4 treasures. It was all a matter now of using them. At this point, Dan had 6, I had 5, Karla had 5, Jim had 6, and Scott had 3.
The fight changed from the caves to the treasure chambers. I still scooped up a couple extra gems just in case I'd need to use some sculduggery in the chambers, but I was sure I wouldn't be outbid. I tried also to go for the Use Two Artifacts tent, but Jim outbid me there. Finally, I easily outbid Scott and Jim in the first chamber to grab an artifact for 8. In the second chamber I used my Magic Carpet and my camel tiebreaker (which came in handy a couple times in the last round, but this was far and away its most important use) to get the next chamber for 5. I also had the highest bid in the third chamber, but Dan used his Magic Carpet to pass me by one. Karla had a huge offer for the next one and Scott grabbed the last one easily.
I figured it would come down to me, Jim, and Dan, and Dan tied me, but as I had two Tiebreaker artifacts to Dan's 1, I claimed victory. It was very hard fought, and I thought everyone played well. A poor first round won't kill you (you usually get to save up some gems), but it does set you back a bit. Jim made a couple mistakes where he would exchange a gem he'd need in the chambers for other gems (he did it twice actually), or else he could have taken one more artifact in the last turn at Karla's expense. Karla played pretty well but was often the victim of hose moves (which were performed with much apologizing from the culprit).
One last note: no one had any trouble with the guard. He only managed one treasure all game - from Jim (who may have used a treasure he needed to take Karla's artifact!). Scott tended to use the key, as did Karla. Dan and I always put a pretty strong token there to make sure we got into the chambers. This game gets better and better.
| Liar's Dice |
| Results | |||
| Player | Score | Place | First Time? |
| Scott | 3 dice left | 1 | |
| Dan | 4th out | 2 | |
| Jim | 3rd out | 3 | * |
| Mike | 2nd out | 4 | |
| Karla | 1st out | 5 | |
Notes: We had 45 minutes to go, and Karla was dying to play Gulo Gulo, so I opted for this as a filler in between, as Gulo Gulo only takes 15 to 20 minutes. In the very first round, Jim called me (on a bid of 8 fours, I had veered from the threes that everyone was bidding) and I lost FOUR dice. I was crippled the rest of the game, though Karla went out first.
Jim kept getting this version confused with a version he knew, in which there is only one set of dice and you have to beat previous opponents with poker rolls or bluffs. Dan said he thought that game was called "Mexican." (I just did a web search and Mexican is a game consisting of only two dice - the game Jim used to play used five.)
Anyway, Karla went out first, and finally Dan lost a die. Then Karla and myself called him on a couple bluffs and soon he was whittled down to 2, with Jim and myself at one and Scott at 3. I then made a pretty standard bid: two sixes. Not very outrageous. Jim called me, and lo and behold there were NO sixes. I had bluffed, but I didn't think it was a real bluff. I figured he'd bump it up, get called, and it'd be between me, Scott, and Dan. Boy, was I wrong.
With Karla and me out, Jim was quick to follow, as Scott rolled three ones on the next round and Jim ended up out of the game when he called what he thought was a bluff from Dan. Scott then took Dan out on the next roll, as Dan called Scott immediately and was wrong. It's hard to come back from a three to one deficit.
| Gulo Gulo |
| Results | |||
| Player | Score | Place | First Time? |
| Scott | Found the Baby Gulo | 1 | |
| Jim | 1 back | 2 | * |
| Karla | 2 back | 3 | |
| Mike | 3 back | 4 | |
| Dan | 10 back | 5 | |
Notes: We then played Gulo Gulo on the living room coffee table, and we all messed up once. Dan made it to the end game stack first, but had a tough first draw (a blue - all the blues were somewhat embedded). Dan kept pushing it further and further down and as he tried to pull it out, the Egg Alarm clunked onto the table. That depressed him, and he pretty much figured he was out of it.
Karla and I were close, and Jim had recovered from a poor start to pass both of us, but Scott was next in line. He flipped over the next tile from the stack and it was the Gulo baby. The purple egg was pretty easy to grab, and Scott calmed his shaky fingers long enough to pry it out for the victory. Everyone enjoyed it once again.
(Note: Dan was lying on the ground afterward like the blue gulo tile and I was going to take a picture of him with his tummy sticking out but he got kind of pissed and got up before I could take the picture.)