Wow, what a great night of games. We again got started late (what's up
with that?) and started the evening with a 3 player game of Landlord. Ed,
"Alias Johnny", and myself. This game is really good. Now that we don't
have to look at the rules, it really moves along. The poker chips replaced
paper scoring in all games, adding to the visual impact. We will continue
to do this with all games from now on. I won the first game by building 3
buildings full of musicians and screaming babies, whist stealing Johnny's
lard ass tenant family on every turn. Phil joined us the second game and
put together a huge 18 point turn which would have won him the game except
I was holding a "withhold rent" card and played it on his big money tenant.
Then I put together 2 turns of 14 points which ended up the difference.
When the second game finished, Ed declared, "I like this game better than
the bean game". Wow.

When we were finished, Pat and Dawn showed up. Little did Pat know, that
later in the evening he would be monikered with game nights second nickname
(the first being "alias Johnny"). More on that later. We brought out
Mamma Mia! again and this time played a fully open handed game, which
worked very well. We did play one order wrong, and sort of a second wrong,
but now we know about that "pizza minimale". I think we all enjoyed the
game and next time will play a normal, close handed game. Ironically, I
think playing open handedly did make little difference here.

Jen was making drinks and talking up to this point. She made, "Albino
Monkeys" (needs REAL banana), Some cool Blue drink, and a "summer breeze"
with ice cream, which tasted better than the monkeys, but looked the same.
No one lowered themselves to beer (nose in air).

Now with Jen done, we had 8 people and didn't want to split into 2 games.
So, Ed brought out Take 6. That annoyingly simple card game of avoiding
number traps. We played one open handed round to teach Pat and Dawn. Pat
then started to analyze the intricacies of the game. During this time,
there were a lot of "butt" joke as usual, especially the one about the long
lost ping-pong table stored somewhere in either my butt or Phil's pants.
(I guess we'll never know). We needed a ping-pong table to try "Carabande"
again. Anyways, at one point during another Pat analysis, Dawn says, "Pat,
your over anal-izing." From here on out, I think the name of "Anal-izing
Pat" will stick as his game-night moniker. That and taking a very high
point trick being described as a "red hot poker up the ass trick". Oh yes,
and I am genetically referred to as, "off the shelf".

Sandy and Dawn won the Take 6 games, by big margins I might add. The game
is fun for 7+ people, I don't think it's as fun with less. Pat ate some
popcorn like he just got back from being lost in the jungle. Engulfing
even part of the cardboard container. Truly a sight to behold.

We played with card tables (including a real poker table) in the basement
and the initial response has been, "this is better". So, next week we will
again try playing in the basement with the card tables. We have rearranged
some of the furniture to provide a lot of open space.

We broke up around 2, with everyone scrambling to leave before Pat
attempted to start the "death trap on wheels". Hope to see you all next
week!!!


Game Night: Saturday 5-8-1999

Once again a glorious night of fun. Steve and Suzanne came all the way
from Lansing. Which is a big deal, since Steve is (was) a self proclaimed
"not liker of games". Luckily, we have warmed him up. Ed and Alias Johnny
showed up early so we could set up a Carabande (flick the disc cars) track
before anyone arrived. By the time any one else got there, we had already
run 3 races! The climax was when Ed, with a single flick, launched himself
over a ramp and around a turn and across the finish line ahead of me who
was inches away. After a second of shock, we all stopped and applauded.

Next it was back to Landlord, a game we then taught to first Steve and then
Suzanne. We finally figured out what the flat roof was for, but
ironically, it never got used. We were playing a third game when Tom and
Jeanette and Pat and Dawn arrived.

Tom amused Pat and Dawn with a quick game a Guillotine while we finished
our last game of landlord. I forget who won, but I was a far last with
nothing but vacant housing. Ouch.

The drinks started flowing as Jen made Bushwhackers. Excellent drink. Sort
of a Mudslide on ice. We broke off into two games, one of which always
seems to be the bean game. The trouble here is that Pat is a altruistic
socialist, who grants beans to other players like a Russian on Vodka. So,
scoring can be very high. Nevertheless, I hear it was a very fun game.

Four of us played another game of Medici, and Tom has embraced it now as I
have. An excellent, sort game. "3 turns? That's it?" I hear you say...
but I lost by a score of 104 (ed) 90 and 90 something (everyone but me) to
43(me). OUCH!

Tom also noticed for the first time my "I Suck" Scott Mitchel poster. He
was greatly amused. AND I also got to once again answer queries about
"Watery Grave Ken" artwork, of which Dawn had never laid eyes on before.

We then tried to pay our first game of "El Caballero". It was a long game
for that late at night though. 7 turns takes about 90 minutes. We
finished, but the jury is still out on the game. But, we DO know how to
play now.

I don't know what happened to Phil, he was carving up old carpet earlier in
the day at his new place. Me, I am off to finish a couple of white papers
for work. I hope you can all play next Saturday.

Maybe Jeff will play with us when he visits in a couple of weeks. I am
sending him a cc: of this.


Game Night: Saturday 5-15-1999

Another evening of fun, full of ass pennies!!! Well, it was Tom & Jeanette
(I saw the outside of your new house, it's fabulous!), Pete & Michelle, Ed,
Alias Johnny, and me (Jen was at a wedding). We stuck to larger player
games, starting with Medici. My cheapass strategy was not working however,
as Tom and Ed dominated the cargo shipments for 3 straight days in game
one. In game two, I lost by two Florins (Ass pennies), to Tom, who tried
to ram my ship. Bastard. We would have only played one game, but Jeanette
and Michelle INSISTED on going out for beer. Then, Ed offered to load the
beer into the fridge for them, provided that they carried the fridge over
to him and opened it for him. So, Michelle loaded the beer....

We then played a rousing "bean game" with much "kibitzing" and
gnashing of teeth as trading was ruthless. I forget who won, but it wasn't
me. Then, we decided in out wisdom to try "The Isle of Bean" expansion
complete with Pirates (ARGH) and shipping lanes. Jeanette fled screaming
from the table early, and Michelle was heard repeating "It's too late at
night for this..." a few times. Well, they were both right! It was too
late at night, and it added complexity to a simple game. Plus, the rules
were as vague as a David Lynch movie. So, maybe we'll put that back for a
while.

I am going to look for more game that support 6+ player. Help me out if
you have any leads. Here's to this Saturday. Hope you all can make it.
I'm off to see if I can find a copy of Chinatown...



Game Night: Saturday 5-22-1999

Well, as fate would have it.... Phil brought a friend he met and work
(Eric) and his wife (Pat). They were joined by Phil and Sandy and Jen's
sister Theresa. We cut there teeth on the "bean game", now the inaugural
game for all new players. Pat proved ruthless right from the start and we
had the highest score I could remember. 3 people had 13 and two people
(Eric and I) had 15.

We followed it with a cheapass game of "get out!". the game of trying to
"get a life". Cute game, nice concept. But as it unveiled itself, it
became sort of a "talisman" lite. With the game lingering on too long. We
shaved back the victory conditions and mercifully, Jen got the best life by
moving out of her parents basement, getting a good job and renting an
apartment. She edged out Pat who just seems to keep losing either her job
or apartment. Me, I spent a record 26 weeks just trying to GET a job and
never succeeded in moving out into an apartment.

The most difficult part is finding games for 7-9 players, when you want to
stay in one group. Too many games stop at six players or sometimes like
the bean game 7. My quest for more 8 play games begins.

Next Saturday is Memorial Day Weekend and already Tom & Jeanette have said
to count them out. Will anyone WANT to play this Saturday, or should we
make alternate plans? Let us know!

'Till next time.

"Dawn's never had sex in a car"!!! Ok, with that out of the way....

The holiday weekend initially expected a cancellation and instead ended up
with a full-boat. At 10, every one started pouring in, and since the
children were already asleep, the games began. Since Pete and Michelle, Ed
and Johnny, Phil and Sandy all showed up at the same time, we decided to
start with a game of "Banana Republic". Jen went to make Pina Colada's, by
far the favorite game night drink. So far, I am amazed at Jen's penchant
for drink making. She loves playing hostess. Last week I offered to make
the drinks and she simply mocked me. Now, I just make requests.

Banana Republic is the game were you try to get the 7 voting entities to
elect you el-presidente'. Don't like how there going to vote? Kill them.
Or bribe them more than your opponent. Or send a bodyguard to protect
them. As the game progresses, memory plays a greater role and everyone's
strategy falls apart due to alcohol. After all the votes were in, I won
and had the other candidates ceremoniously shot. Not a great game, but
only 2 seconds to set up and only 25 minutes to play, it makes a nice game
to play whilst people arrive.

We wanted to play a game for 8+ people, since Tom and Jeanette and Pat and
Dawn showed up, so we grabbed "Mana Burn". A Cheapass game that finds a
home for some of those old Magic the Gathering(tm) cards. But, Pat had
played Fluxx in California and was eager to share it with the group. So, we
split into two games. I don't know what happened in Fluxx, but suffice it
to say that there was much noise and yelling. They enjoyed it so much,
that they played all evening, leaving us to run through different games on
our own. Hopefully, someone has a story to tell (hint).

Anyway, Mana Burn was simple and easy. Everyone except Sandy actually
played twice, a novelty for a Cheapass game. I thought it was alright, but
lacked the excitement of a "screw your neighbor" type game that we have all
come to love. Pat also said they purchased "Kill Dr. Lucky" a sentimental
favorite of mine. I hope they want to play it soon. Mana burn was won by
Johnny, then Ed. I think the "Mana Burn" pile in retrospect should be a
DIFFERENT pile than the discard pile. That would explain why as soon as
you got the mana burn pile in our games, you pretty much won. Oops.

We still have over half a dozen Cheapass games were have never even opened,
plus "Bit'n off the heads" needs to be replayed with shot glasses full of
schnapps". Dinosaur gets his head bitten off? Drink your shot. Fun!

Since Fluxx would not break up or create vacancies (luckily Ed has this
game also for next time), and Phil and Sandy had to go "paint", we broke
out Manhattan (4 players only). Although this has been a game night
favorite, Pete said it left him empty, and he much preferred the "camel"
game. So noted. I built up an early lead but using all my best buildings
in the first two turns. My hope was that no one could catch me. I was
right, but only beat Johnny by 4 measly points. It looks like that
strategy won't work again.

Since we had some time left, we tried our first attempt at "Twilight". The
game were the "sun" cult is trying to capture more souls than the "moon"
cult. Eerie but fun, with the scoring strategies becoming readily
apparent. If you capture souls and build temples, the souls multiply your
score. The rub, you can only play cards of your own cult. Need a card to
play? You have to ask the other cult to play on your behalf. Each time
Pete and I thought we had it worked out, Ed and Johnny took all the souls.
We lost handily 3 straight rounds and had to join the sun cult. Woe is us.
Ed and I liked the 4 players only game a lot, noting that there are still
lots of undiscovered strategies even though the game rules are very simple.

At this point it was 2am and we called it an early night, since so many
people were tired from the days events. (carnival, gardening, and pulling
carpeting were common themes) I ordered some new games, Ed has "Tikal",
but Tutankammen (sp) remains MIA. I ordered a second copy of "Take 6"
since it travels well and is easy to teach non gamer types.

Some noteworthy items: Can anyone figure out why I can't pour drinks with
out depositing a majority of staining liquid all over the furniture? I am
mystified by my inability to solve this dilemma. Personally, I think
watering down the drinks may help.

Also, Funagain.com just got there new shipment in. Sign up for their
email newsletter of their website. Till next week, enjoy the missive. Too
bad there weren't too many good sayings to repeat for this one, except the
jab at Ed. "Well that's great advice Ed, considering he finished ahead of
you."