Absolutely Aces (108)

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Spring is springing, daylight is lengthening, the days are warming, and it's time to get back in the skies with our favorite cats for dogfighting. As usual, Schlock and Kaff are back at it. Who will win this day? Let's deal the cards and find out.

Round 1

Schlock gets Swoop 11, Swoop 9, Roll 8, Break 4, opens with Joker.

Kaff gets Scissors 3, Roll 10, Climb 7, Climb 6, opens with Break 5.

Out of play: Scissors 2, Ace.

  1. Schlock starts, opens with Roll 8.

  2. Kaff blocks with Scissors 3.

  3. Schlock blocks with Swoop 11, Swoop 9.

  4. Kaff blocks with Climb 6, Climb 7 to win the round.

Score:

  • Schlock 0,
  • Kaff 2.

Round 2

Schlock gets Break 4, Roll 10, Climb 7, Ace, opens with Swoop 11.

Kaff gets Break 5, Roll 8, Climb 6, Scissors 2, opens with Joker.

Out of play: Scissors 3, Swoop 9.

  1. Kaff opens with Roll 8.

  2. Schlock blocks with Ace.

  3. Kaff blocks with Swoop 11.

  4. Schlock blocks with Break 4.

  5. Kaff blocks with Break 5.

  6. Schlock blocks with Roll 8.

  7. Kaff blocks with Scissors 2.

  8. Schlock blocks with Climb 7.

  9. Kaff blocks with Climb 6.

  10. Schlock blocks with Roll 10.

  11. Kaff blocks with Ace.

  12. Schlock blocks with Swoop 11.

  13. Kaff blocks with Break 4.

  14. Schlock blocks with Break 5.

  15. Kaff blocks with Roll 8, Roll 10.

  16. Schlock blocks with Scissors 2.

  17. Kaff blocks with Climb 7.

  18. Schlock blocks with Climb 6 to take Round 2.

Score:

  • Schlock 7,
  • Kaff 2.

Round 3

Schlock gets Climb 6, Roll 10, Roll 8, Break 5, opens with Break 4.

Kaff gets Swoop 9, Climb 7, Ace, Scissors 2, opens with Joker.

Out of play: Scissors 3, Swoop 11.

  1. Kaff opens with Swoop 9.

  2. Schlock blocks with Break 5.

  3. Kaff blocks with Break 4.

  4. Schlock blocks with Roll 8.

  5. Kaff blocks with Scissors 2.

  6. Schlock blocks with Climb 6.

  7. Kaff blocks with Climb 7.

  8. Schlock blocks with Roll 10.

  9. Kaff blocks with Ace.

  10. Schlock blocks with Swoop 9.

  11. Kaff blocks with Break 5.

  12. Schlock blocks with Break 4.

  13. Kaff blocks with Roll 8, Roll 10.

  14. Schlock blocks with Scissors 2.

  15. Kaff blocks with Climb 6.

  16. Shclock blocks with Climb 7 taking Round 3.

Score:

  • Schlock 14,
  • Kaff 2.

Round 4

Can Kaff come back? He's way, way down. But stranger things have happened!

Schlock gets Swoop 9, Scissors 2, Climb 6, Scissors 3, opens with Joker.

Kaff gets Roll 8, Climb 7, Break 5, Roll 10, opens with Break 4.

Out of play: Ace, Swoop 11.

  1. Schlock opens with Swoop 9.

  2. Kaff blocks with Break 5.

  3. Schlock blocks with Break 4.

  4. Kaff blocks with Roll 8.

  5. Schlock blocks with Scissors 2.

  6. Kaff blocks with Climb 7.

  7. Schlock blocks with Climb 6.

  8. Kaff blocks with Roll 10.

  9. Schlock blocks with Scissors 3 taking Round 4 and the win.

Score:

  • Schlock 17,
  • Kaff 2.
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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.