Absolutely Aces 113

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Another day in the salt mine. I thought I'd get fresh air and poke at some dogfighting intermittently, a round here, a round there.

Let's get started:

Schlock: Climb 7, Roll 10, Climb 6, Break 5, bid Swoop 11.

Kaff: Break 4, Scissors 3, Swoop 9, Ace, bid Joker.

Out of play: Scissors 2, Roll 8.

  1. Kaff opens with Swoop 9.
  2. Schlock blocks with Break 5.
  3. Kaff blocks with Break 4.
  4. Schlock blocks with Roll 10, setting up for Break 4.
  5. Kaff blocks with Scissors 3.
  6. Schlocks blocks with Climb 6, Climb 7.
  7. Kaff blocks with Ace, looks like a Break 5 win for Kaff.
  8. Schlock blocks with Swoop 9.
  9. Kaff blocks with Break 5, going to Schlock with Scissors 3…?
  10. Schlock blocks with Break 4.
  11. Kaff blocks with Roll 10.
  12. Schlock blocks with Scissors 3.
  13. Kaff blocks with Swoop 9, Swoop 11!
  14. Schlock blocks with Break 5.
  15. Kaff blocks with Break 4.
  16. Schlock blocks with Roll 10.
  17. Kaff blocks with Scissors 3.
  18. Schlock blocks with Ace.
  19. Kaff blocks with Break 5.
  20. Schlock blocks with Break 4.

We're in a cycles, 2 points to each.

Score:

  • Schlock 2
  • Kaff 2

Round 2

Schlock: Break 4, Break 5, Scissors 3, Ace, bid Swoop 11.

Kaff: Roll 10, Climb 7, Climb 6, Swoop 9, bid Joker.

Out of play: Scissors 2, Roll 8. Again!

  1. Kaff opens with Swoop 9.
  2. Schlock blocks with Break 4.
  3. Kaff blocks with Roll 10.
  4. Schlock blocks with Scissors 3.
  5. Kaff blocks with Climb 7.
  6. Schlock blocks with Ace.
  7. Kaff blocks with Swoop 11.
  8. Schlock blocks with Break 5.
  9. Kaff blocks with Break 4.
  10. Schlock blocks with Roll 10.
  11. Kaff blocks with Scissors 3.
  12. Schlock blocks with Climb 7.
  13. Kaff blocks with Climb 6
  14. Schlock blocks with Swoop 9, Swoop 11.
  15. Kaff blocks with Break 5.
  16. Schlock blocks with Break 4.
  17. Kaff blocks with Roll 10.
  18. Schlock blocks with Scissors 3.
  19. Kaff blocks with Climb 7, and it looks like a cycle induced.
  20. Schlock blocks with Climb 6.
  21. Kaff blocks with Ace.
  22. Schlock blocks with Roll 10, possible win with Climb 7?
  23. Kaff blocks with Scissors 3, Schlock can't get the Climb 7 win.
  24. Schlock blocks with Climb 7.
  25. Kaff blocks with Climb 6.
  26. Schlock blocks with Axe.
  27. Kaff blocks with Ace.
  28. Schlock blocks with Scissors 3.
  29. Kaff blocks with Climb 7.

Cycle, score 2 for each.

  • Schlock 4
  • Kaff 4

Round 3

Schlock: Climb 6, Roll 10, Climb 7, Scissors 3, bid Break 4.

Kaff: Swoop 11, Roll 8, Break 5, Scissors 2, bid Joker.

Out of play: Ace, Swoop 9.

  1. Kaff opens with Swoop 11.
  2. Schlock blocks with with Scissors 3.
  3. Kaff blocks with Break 4, Break 5, opening with Swoop 11 was probably an error.
  4. Schlock blocks with Roll 10.
  5. Kaff blocks with Scissors 2.
  6. Schlock blocks with Climb 6.
  7. Kaff blocks with blocks with Roll 8 taking Round 3.

Opening with Swoop 11 was the correct move.

Score:

  • Schlock 4
  • Kaff 13

Round 4

Schlock: Climb 6, Scissors 3, Climb 7, Roll 10, bid Joker.

Kaff: Scissors 2, Roll 8, Break 4, Ace, bid Swoop 11.

Out of play: Break 5, Swoop 9.

  1. Schlock opens with Climb 7.
  2. Kaff blocks with Roll 8.
  3. Schlock blocks with Scissors 3.
  4. Kaff blocks with Ace.
  5. Schlock blocks with Swoop 11.
  6. Kaff blocks with Break 4.
  7. Schlock blocks with Roll 8.
  8. Kaff blocks with Scissors 2
  9. Schlock blocks with Climb 6.
  10. Kaff blocks with Climb 7.
  11. Schlock blocks with Roll 10.
  12. Kaff blocks with Scissors 3.
  13. Schlock blocks with Ace.
  14. Kaff blocks with Swoop 11.
  15. Schlock blocks with Break 4.
  16. Kaff blocks with Roll 8.
  17. Schlock blocks with Scissors 2.
  18. Kaff blocks with Climb 6.
  19. Schlock blocks with Climb 7.
  20. Kaff blocks with Roll 10.
  21. Schlock blocks with Scissors 3.
  22. Kaff blocks with Ace.
  23. Schlock blocks with Swoop 11.
  24. Kaff blocks with Break 4.
  25. Schlock blocks with Roll 8, Roll 10, an attempt to extract Break 4 and win.
  26. Kaff blocks with Scissors 2.
  27. Schlock blocks with Ace.
  28. Kaff blocks with Scissors 3 and will win with Climb 7.
  29. Schlock blocks with Climb 6.
  30. Kaff blocks with Climb 7 taking Round 4 and game.

Score:

  • Schlock 4
  • Kaff 21
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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.