Absolutely Aces (24)

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The day started crisp and clear, then became overcast, and rained! In May! In San Francisco! Now it's clearing up, which means it's that time again, our favorite cats indulging in some evening dogfighting.

Dealing…

Schlock gets Climb 6, Swoop 9, Scissors 3, Scissors 2, bids Break 5.

Kaff gets Ace, Swoop 11, Break 4, Climb 7, bids Joker.

  1. Kaff opens with Break 4.

  2. Schlock blocks with Scissors 2, Scissors 3.

  3. Kaff blocks withClimb 7.

  4. Schlock blocks with Climb 6.

  5. Kaff blocks with Ace.

  6. Schlock blocks with Swoop 9.

  7. Kaff blocks with Break 5.

  8. Schlock blocks with Break 4 to take Round 1.

Score: Schlock 5, Kaff 0.

Round 2

Schlock gets Scissors 2, Swoop 11, Break 5, Scissors 3, bids Swoop 9.

Kaff gets Break 4, Ace, Climb 6, Climb 7, bids Joker.

Roll is out of play.

  1. Kaff opens with Climb 6 to take Round 2.

Score: Schlock 5, Kaff 7.

Round 3

Schlock gets Climb 7, Break 5, Ace, Swoop 11, bids, Scissors 2.

Kaff gets Scissors 3, Climb 6, Swoop 9, Break 4, bids Joker.

  1. Kaff opens with Swoop 9.

  2. Schlock blocks with Break 5.

  3. Kaff blocks with Break 4.

  4. Schlock blocks with Ace.

  5. Kaff blocks with Climb 6.

  6. Schlock blocks with Climb 7.

  7. Kaff blocks with Scissors 2, Scissors 3.

  8. Schlock blocks with Swoop 9, Swoop 11.

  9. Kaff blocks with Break 5.

  10. Schlock blocks with Break 4.

  11. Kaff blocks with Ace.

  12. Schlock blocks with Climb 6.

  13. Kaff blocks with Climb 7 to take Round 3.

Score: Schlock 5, Kaff 14.

Round 4

Schlock gets Climb 6, Swoop 9, Ace, Swoop 11, bids Joker.

Kaff gets Break 4, Break 5, Scissors 2, Climb 7, bids Scissors 3.

  1. Schlock opens with Swoop 11.

  2. Kaff blocks with Scissors 2.

  3. Schlock blocks with Climb 6.

  4. Kaff blocks with Climb 7.

  5. Schlock blocks with Ace.

  6. Kaff blocks with Swoop 11.

  7. Schlock blocks with Scissors 2.

  8. Kaff blocks with Climb 6.

  9. Schlock blocks with Climb 7.

  10. Kaff blocks with Ace.

  11. Schlock blocks with Swoop 11.

  12. Kaff blocks with Scissors 2.

  13. Schlock blocks with Climb 6.

  14. Kaff blocks with Climb 7.

  15. Schlock blocks with Ace.

  16. Kaff blocks with Break 5.

  17. Schlock blocks with Scissors 2, Scissors 3.

  18. Kaff blocks with Climb 6.

  19. Schlock blocks with Climb 7.

  20. Kaff blocks with Ace.

  21. Schlock blocks with Swoop 9.

  22. Kaff blocks with Break 4.

  23. Schlock blocks with Break 5 to take Round 4.

Score: Schlock 10, Kaff 14.

Round 5

Schlock gets Scissors 2, Ace, Swoop 11, Climb 7, bids Joker.

Kaff gets Scissors 3, Climb 6, Swoop 9, Break 4, bids Break 5.

  1. Schlock opens with Scissors 2.

  2. Kaff blocks with Climb 6.

  3. Schlock blocks with Climb 7 to take the game.

Score: Schlock 17, Kaff 14.

Games go longer without Roll.

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What to play next?

Deciding what to play next is always a tough call when faced with a closet full of games, all of which were purchased with intent to play. Here's one I'm dealing with the decision.

  • Something New: this means both something new to me and a game which has been published recently, within the last two or three years.
  • Something Classic: I've acquired a number of games properly considered "classic" which haven't yet been played. The current example would be PanzerGruppe Guderian.
  • Something Again: mastery requires constant practice, which means playing games many, many times to allow nuance to appear.
  • Something Vietnam: as I'm on a Vietnam binge. I don't have all the Vietnam games ever published, but I can say that I have a lot of them, and probably more than most people.
  • Something Obscure: as it's fun to poke around in the dustier corners of game design.
  • Something Different: break away from the same old publishers and try a game from one of the new kids on the block. Or, conversely, dip into legacy with a classic tried and true.
  • Something Light: once in a while it's nice to actually finish a game all the way through in one sitting, in an hour or two.
  • Something Heavy: if possible, it's nice to set up something big and complicated which can be left out for days or weeks or even months, for a leisurely stroll through a very large or long game.

There are surely many more ways to choose, but the above method keeps me busy enough, helps me get both breadth and depth into my play, and provides me with a sense of progress.

The odd man out

When there is an odd man out:

  • Have a solo game ready to play.
  • Keep score or advise on a game in progress.
  • Referee a game in progress.