Absolutely Aces (75)

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Continuing to play through an interesting deal.

Schlock gets Roll 8, Scissors 2, Climb 7, Ace, bids Swoop 9.

Kaff gets Break 4, Climb 6, Scissors 3, Break 5, bids Roll 10.

Out of play: Swoop 11, Joker.

This is going to track Round 1 from yesterday.

  1. Kaff opens with Climb 6.

  2. Schlock blocks with Climb 7.

  3. Kaff blocks with Break 4, Break 5.

  4. Schlock blocks with Ace.

  5. Kaff blocks with Swoop 9.

  6. Schlock blocks with Scissors 2.

  7. Kaff blocks with Climb 7.

  8. Schlock block with Roll 8, a departure from the previous game. No idea how this will play out.

  9. Kaff blocks with Scissors 3. Would the Ace have been better?

  10. Schlock blocks with Climb 6.

  11. Kaff blocks with Ace.

  12. Schlock blocks with Swoop 9.

  13. Kaff blocks with Scissors 2.

  14. Schlock blocks with Climb 7.

  15. Kaff blocks with Climb 6.

  16. Schlock blocks with Ace.

  17. Kaff blocks with Swoop 9.

  18. Schlock can break the cycle with Scissors, but does it pay to do that here? No, because 2 Climbs would follow with Kaff playing the Roll 8 to take the round. Block with Scissors 3.

  19. Kaff blocks with Climb 7.

  20. Schlock blocks with Climb 6.

  21. Kaff blocks with Roll 8 to attempt to get both Scissors.

  22. Schlock blocks with Scissors 2.

  23. Kaff blocks with Ace.

  24. Schlock blocks with Climb 7. This is the mistake which gives the game to Kaff, Schlock should have blocked with Swoop 9.

  25. Kaff blocks with Climb 6.

  26. Schlock blocks with Roll 8.

  27. Kaff blocks with Scissors 2, Scissors 3.

  28. Schlock blocks with Ace.

  29. Kaff blocks with Climb 7.

  30. Schlock blocks with Climb 6.

  31. Kaff blocks with Roll 8 taking Round 1.

Score: Schlock 0, Kaff 9.

Round 2

Let's try this hand again, opening with a Break instead of a Climb.

Schlock gets Roll 8, Scissors 2, Climb 7, Ace, bids Swoop 9.

Kaff gets Break 4, Climb 6, Scissors 3, Break 5, bids Roll 10.

Out of play: Swoop 11, Joker.

  1. Kaff opens with Break 4.

  2. Schlock blocks with Roll 8.

  3. Kaff blocks with Scissors 3.

  4. Schlock blocks with Climb 7.

  5. Kaff blocks with Climb 6.

  6. Schlock blocks with Ace.

  7. Kaff blocks with Swoop 9.

  8. Schlock blocks with Break 4.

  9. Kaff blocks with Break 5.

  10. Schlock blocks with Scissors 2, Scissors 3.

  11. Kaff blocks with Climb 7.

  12. Schlock blocks with Climb 6.

  13. Kaff blocks with Roll 8 taking Round 2 and game.

Score: Schlock 0, Kaff 19.

This is interesting. I need to replay this where Schlock gives up the Ace early in the game to try and get it back before coughing up a pair of Scissors.

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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.