GAMING NEWS: The Revenge of Dick! And Kimbo! (5 April 2006)!

Hi Everyone,

Well, another Wednesday has come and gone and this Wednesday revealed a long untold justice, both Dick and Kimbo finally had a chance for their long-deserved triumphs! Mazel Tov, Dick and Kimbo!

Yesterday's gaming theme seemed to be "number, trump and trick" games because almost every one we played used one or more of those game mechanics.

Both Kimbo and Dick launched the "Maks always wins" shtick so I had to lose today and I royally did! I came in rock bottom last in most of the evening's games. Fate has been tempted one time too many by the "Maks always wins" shtick. I do win a pretty good amount of the time and they both tend to lose a pretty good amount of the time so I can understand their frustration and why I'd be an easy target for their shtick. I tend to have a good head for strategy and that fairly uncommon skill often helps me to win games. Although, at the end of the day, I always tend to break about even. I'm sure glad that Dick and Kimbo had their triumphs yesterday though!

Players present:
- Dave
- Dick
- Kimbo
- Maksim
- Todd & Crystal

The Todd & Crystal "unit" brought donuts, Krispy Kremes, to be exact! Very generous of them again! Thanks, Todd and Crystal!

Mike O'Brien and his lovely girlfriend Donna showed up later for some small business, but were unable to play any games due to time and gastronomic constraints. I really like that Donna. She's a really kind person and it shows.

On to the games:

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1. Who's The Ass?

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/11104

Players:
- Crystal: 100+
- Dave: 60+
- Dick: 100+
- Kimbo: 47+ WINNER!
- Maksim: 200+
- Todd: 100+

Kimbo brought this charming little game and it's a fun one... it's a sort of "hearts" or "spades" with the "awful anchor" (major negative) card being a donkey / ass. And thank goodness that Kimbo won this game! Mazel Tov, Kimbo!

He took the donkey at least once although he played his other hands very well. All of the scores are my best guesses as I didn't memorize the scores.

We played probably four of five rounds of "WTA" and I was horribly stomped. I made 200 points, which is about as nigh terrible as you can get, but I had a good time!

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2. David And Goliath

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/44

Players:
- Crystal: L
- Dave: Winner!
- Dick: L
- Kimbo: L
- Maksim: L
- Todd: L

This is a simple little numbers game with an odd mechanism of having a high and low trump card. I seem to recall that Dave won this won. However, the highlight of the game was a particularly "vibrant" scuffle between Kimbo and Dave, which made the game much more enjoyable to most of the players. When those two get going, they match anything that simmers between Mike and I. Laurel and Hardy come to mind...

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3. Poison

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/17025

Players:
- Crystal: Winner!
- Dave: L
- Dick: L
- Kimbo: L
- Maksim: L
- Todd: L

This is a vicious little game about handing poison pots off to each other and trying to avoid the poison. I didn't... POISON CITY for Maks!

Crystal is a talented sneaky gamer and I seem to recall that she pulled off victory in this one. Dave and Kimbo were busy letting each other have it again.

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4. Saboteur

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/9220

Players:
- Crystal: WINNER!
- Dave: L
- Dick: L
- Kimbo: L
- Maksim: L
- Todd: L

("Saboteur" photo courtesy of BGG)

I think that this game is going to be one of my new favorites. It reminds me a little of "Citadels," but is very light-hearted despite the decption theme. In every round, one or more of the "happy little gnomes" is a saboteur trying to keep the other fellows from mining towards a gold nugget. He (or them when there are two saboteurs) fibs, deceives, causes cave-ins, sabotages other miner's equipment and otherwise makes a nuisance of himself.

The miners managed to win (find the gold) almost every round and I'm not sure whether that was due to a shortage of saboteurs or due to the ineptitude of the saboteurs. The saboteurs tended to talk FAR TOO MUCH and that gave them away as much as anything else. It was almost a given that whoever squawked loudest was inevitably the person / saboteur trying to flummox the group.

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5. 6 Nimmt!

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/432

Players:
- Crystal: L
- Dave: W
- Kimbo: L
- Maksim: L
- Todd: L

We only played one round of this a little later in the evening and that was as much as anyone had the stomach for... or at least, what Todd and Crystal could take. Both "WTA" and "6 Nimmt!" are number/trick games and too many of those in a row can be tiring.

Dick sat out this game as Mike arrived and they matters to attend to.

I don't remember who won, but I think it was Dave. As is typical, I didn't track exact scores, only rough rememberances of what happened.

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6. Coloretto

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/5782

Players:
- Crystal: L
- Dave: L
- Dick: Winner!
- Maksim: L
- Todd: L

We played two rounds of Coloretto and the first was thankfully won by... Dick! Mazel Tov, Dick!

Kimbo left before this game. He might have mentioned something about not wanting to miss the television program "American Idol" or something like that. As I understand it, he structures much of his life around pop television programs like "American Idol"... when he's not being a total "game geek."

Dick played a very good game and deserved the win unlike all those second places he often ends up with. I got greedy and tried to take too many cards each game, which was a huge mistake. I came in last place almost every game of the day.

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7. Coloretto

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/5782

Players:
- Crystal: L
- Dave: L
- Dick: L
- Maksim: L
- Todd: Winner!

Todd won the final round of Coloretto and he's sneaky one, he is. He is really good about saving a killer wallop move for the end of the game.

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8. Cartagena

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/826

Players: L
- Crystal: L
- Dave: L
- Dick: L
- Maksim: Winner!
- Todd: L

And lastly, we played a game of Cartgena, which is basically a card-driven path game that is very similar to the old classic, "Candyland," with a few twists. In some ways, it reminds me of "Checkers" as well. I somehow managed to get all my pirates onto the escape raft first so I won. That victory was the light at the end of the tunnel in a day in which I came in last place consistently and it would have to be at a game that is more about luck than skill! All in all, "Cartagena" is a simple but fun little game.

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Have a great Thursday and get by ConQuest Sac this weekend if you have the opportunity!

http://www.avalonconventions.com/conquestsac/

We want the convention organizers to return next year and we'll need a success this year to help make that happen...

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

Notes regarding photos / pictures: These are not all my images. I am using various images from around the web, mostly from public sources and/or private sources used with permission. I have tried to include only images under public domain, creative commons, or fair use. If I have inadvertently violated any copyrights, please inform me and I will remove your image/s (if it is indeed an infringement).