Absolutely Aces (72)

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This is continuing a play from yesterday for a given hand which I'm exploring in more detail.

Schlock gets roll 8, scissors 2, climb 7, ace.

Kaff gets break 4, climb 6, scissors 3, break 5, with swoop 9 in reserve.

  1. Kaff opens with Climb 6.

  2. Schlock blocks with Climb 7.

  3. Kaff blocks with Break 4, Break 5.

  4. Schlock blocks with Roll 8.

  5. Kaff blocks with Scissors 3.

  6. Schlock blocks with Climb 6.

  7. Kaff blocks with Climb 7.

  8. Schlock blocks with Ace.

  9. Kaff blocks with Swoop 9.

  10. Schlock blocks with Scissors 2.

  11. Kaff blocks with Climb 6.

  12. Schlock blocks with Climb 7.

  13. Kaff blocks with Roll 8.

  14. Schlock blocks with Scissors 3.

  15. Kaff blocks with Ace.

  16. Schlock blocks with Swoop 9.

  17. Kaff blocks with Scissors 2.

  18. Schlock blocks with Climb 6.

  19. Kaff blocks with Climb 7.

  20. Schlock plays Roll 8.

  21. Kaff blocks with Scissors 3.

  22. Schlock blocks with Ace.

  23. Kaff blocks with Climb 6.

  24. Schlock blocks with Climb 7.

  25. Kaff blocks with Roll 8.

  26. Schlock blocks with Scissors 2, Scissors 3.

  27. Kaff blocks with Ace.

  28. Schlock blocks with Climb 6.

  29. Kaff blocks with Climb 7.

  30. Schlock blocks with Roll 8 taking Round 1.

Score: Schlock 9, Kaff 0.

Round 2

Replaying the previous hand, let's see if we can get a faster score for Schlock. I have this theory that some cards don't matter, and it's the cards which do matter which are the ones to keep an eye on. In this hand, it's all about watching the Scissors and Roll 8.

Schlock gets roll 8, scissors 2, climb 7, ace.

Kaff gets break 4, climb 6, scissors 3, break 5, with swoop 9 in reserve.

What I want to do this in round is get it so that Schlock can toss both Scissors while acquiring the Roll 8.

  1. Kaff opens with Climb 6.

  2. Schlock blocks with Climb 7.

  3. Kaff blocks with Break 4, Break 5.

  4. Schlock blocks with Roll 8.

  5. Kaff blocks with Scissors 3.

  6. Schlock blocks with Climb 6.

  7. Kaff blocks with Climb 7.

  8. Schlock blocks with Ace.

  9. Kaff block with Swoop 9.

  10. Schlock blocks with Scissors 2.

  11. Kaff blocks with Climb 6.

  12. Schlock blocks with Climb 7.

  13. Kaff blocks with Ace.

  14. Schlock blocks with Scissors 3 taking Round 2.

Score: Schlock 12, Kaff 0.

Round 3

That last round was interesting and unexpected. I expected the Roll 8 to be the winning card. Let's try again.

Schlock gets roll 8, scissors 2, climb 7, ace.

Kaff gets break 4, climb 6, scissors 3, break 5, with swoop 9 in reserve.

  1. Kaff opens with Climb 6.

  2. Schlock tries something really different and blocks with Ace.

  3. Kaff blocks with Swoop 9.

  4. Schlock blocks with Scissors 2.

  5. Kaff blocks with Break 4, Break 5.

  6. Schlock goes bananas, blocks with Climb 6, Climb 7.

  7. Kaff blocks with Ace.

  8. Schlock blocks with Swoop 9.

  9. Kaff blocks with Scissors 3 taking Round 3.

Score: Schlock 12, Kaff 3.

That's enough for tonight, calling it in Schlock's favor. Will play this hand again tomorrow.

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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.