Absolutely Aces (101)

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It's been over two months since I had a game of anything on the table. That's pretty bad. I'd like to say it's accompanied by success at work, but that's not true. In fact, the last two months have been about as low as any time at my current job, past the first couple of months.

In any case, in the interest of getting at something on the table, let's take Schlock and Kaff out for spin.

Dealing…

Schlock gets Break 4, Ace, Swoop 9, Swoop 11, bids Joker.

Kaff gets Roll 10, Scissors 2, Scissors 3, Climb 7, bids Roll 8.

Out of play: Break 5, Climb 6.

  1. Schlock opens with Swoop 9.

  2. Kaff blocks with Scissors 2.

  3. Schlock blocks with Ace.

  4. Kaff blocks with Roll 10 taking Round 1. Schlock made an error in the opening. I should play this hand again on Round 2.

Score: Schlock 0, Kaff 11.

Round 2

Same deal.

  1. Schlock opens with Break 4.

  2. Kaff blocks with Roll 10.

  3. Schlock blocks with Swoop 9, Swoop 11.

  4. Kaff blocks with Scissors 2.

  5. Schlock blocks with Ace.

  6. Kaff blocks with Climb 7. I smell a cycle.

  7. Schlock blocks with Roll 8.

  8. Kaff blocks with Scissors 2, taking Round 2. No cycle. I'm cold at this game.

Score: Schlock 0, Kaff 14.

Round 3

Schlock gets Climb 7, Scissors 2, Roll 8, Break 5, bids Scissors 3.

Kaff gets Ace, Climb 6, Roll 10, Swoop 11, bids Break 4.

Out of play: Swoop 9, Joker.

  1. Kaff opens with Climb 6.

  2. Schlock blocks with Climb 7.

  3. Kaff blocks with Roll 10.

  4. Schlock blocks with Scissors 2.

  5. Kaff blocks with Ace.

  6. Schlock blocks with Break 5 taking Round 3.

Score: Schlock 5, Kaff 14.

Round 4

Schlock gets Break 4, Scissors 3, Swoop 9, Ace, bids Joker.

Kaff gets Climb 7, Climb 6, Scissors 2, Swoop 11, bids Break 5.

Out of play: Roll 8, Roll 10.

  1. Schlock opens with Scissors 3.

  2. Kaff blocks with Climb 6.

  3. Schlock blocks with Break 4, Break 5 taking Round 4.

Score: Schlock 7, Kaff 14.

Round 5

Schlock gets Swoop 9, Break 5, Break 4, Ace, bids Roll 8.

Kaff gets Scissors 2, Swoop 11, Climb 6, Scissors 3, bids Joker.

Out of play: Climb 7, Roll 10.

  1. Kaff opens with Climb 6.

  2. Schlock blocks with Ace.

  3. Kaff blocks with Scissors 3.

  4. Schlock blocks with Break 4, Break 5.

  5. Kaff blocks with Roll 8 taking Round 5 and game.

Score: Schlock 7, Kaff 23.

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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.