Game Night: Saturday 12-2-2000

The evening started lean as Ed showed up with his copy of 'Carolus Magnus' in tow.. again.Trying to get Ed to NOT want to try this game is like beating a dead horse... with a chainsaw.Don't know what that means?Me neither, but rather than explain it to Ed, we decided to take the high road and appease him.And were lucky we did.This 2-4 player game is what 3-D chess was supposed to be like when Spock played it on Star Trek.It was a thinking strategy game, that did not actually exist.But now it does.  And unlike 3 level chess, it works.And it's way simpler to follow.  And you don't need to be Spock to play.Jen and Ed trounced me mercilessly though, as I was more like fodder than a third player.It works like this:  There is a circle of regions that have one of five colored 'paladins' in them.  (note: they could be called ANYTHING as the theme barely enters the game).  In each of the five colors, whomever has a majority of 'paladins' in their 'court' controls that color.Move the emperor to a region where you have a majority and you conquer it.Conquer 8 and you win.Here is the cool part.Conquer adjacent regions and you can push them together into one larger region. This makes it harder to be conquered, just like in real 'paladin' life.Each turn you recruit paladins to your court, maybe move a couple out to defend regions and move the empire.That's it.The complexity of these basic steps is a complex as a chess match or a Monday Night Football game (one without the Bengals). Who won?I forget, it was very close...except for me. Game was a tie, Ed and Jen, so Ray came in second place!

Just as we finished, Pete and Michelle showed up fresh from Pete's black tie work holiday party.Since they were wearing formal garb, we fixed them straight drinks and decided to play something we already knew.We taught Jen and Pete to play 'Aladin's Dragon'.This is the new game that games magazine had as 'game of the year'.It really is good, and simple to learn.The trick is to remember that the ONLY goal is artifacts, the rest is just building blocks on the road to victory.Unfortunately for me, I got a flat tire.I was so far in last that I actually realized I lost 2 turns before the end.Argh.Again, I do not know who won, but it was not me. Winner was Ed, Second Place was Jen.

Lastly we decided to wrap up with a game of Condottiere.Once again, a player with a commanding lead (Pete) lost to a sleeper (not me).This game is just so good for a card game, I just can't get over myself. Again the details of the victor is lost to me.Maybe I'm just too much into the spirit of playing.Or maybe coming in last all three games makes my brain mushy.No matter, I am sure Ed the editor can punch up in brackets who won what. I am not sure who won this one. I want to say it was Jen, but I could be wrong.

Hail Caesar.

Any new years plans yet?

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Game Night: Saturday 12-9-2000

Saturday night brought what should be the last of the clear weather game nights.In attendance were Tim & Beth, Ed, John, Pete & Michelle.  Before Pete and Michelle arrived, we decided to play a game of RA.I just need to say that "This losing streak sucks".Once again, I was a distant LAST.I suck!Ok, enough.It was a well played battle, but I just could not get out of the first turn rut that had two of us not even able to use all our bids before RA arrivals ended the round.Who won?  Again, I need to take some BASIC notes.I'll start doing that, mean time our editor Ed will fill you in. Hmmm., I, like Ray, had a bit too much to drink. I can not remember 

Ed brought a fabulous pair of premixed liquor.A fifth of Long Island Ice Tea mix, which lasted about 45 minutes, yum - and a fifth of 'sex on the beach', which was less popular (sweet) and some still remains.We were 'toasty'. Yes, I did love the Long Island Ice but I will pass on the Sex On The Beach, next time. (Unless a female is involved!)

Nextwe added Pete & Michelle, dropped Beth and Jen and played a game of the long lost Cosmic.Cosmic is a game of politics hidden is a shroud of war.Politics is time consuming however, and again another Cosmic game started to drag.At that point, Michelle snuck in as an ally and we missed the fact that she was about to win.So, she did!Cosmic is still fun, but not unless your not drinking, want a longer game, and like politics.  Michelle does not really care for it, so it is especially nice that she won.

We wanted to get in some shorter games now, so we went to 'citadels'.This is the cool game where you attempt to build 8 buildings.Each turn you take on the role of one of 8 possible influential people.Each allows you to do something that the others can not.Well obviouslyI kept selecting the loser role as once again I came in dead last.Ed was brilliant early, taking advantage of his blue cards and the apathy towards the 'preacher' to build a quick lead.I believe he won quite handily despite Tim ending the game.The only cruel thing about this game is that the player to the right of the king get to choose between 'warm dogshit' and 'cold dogshit' as he gets to select from the roles that no one else wanted.If only the last player could choose a 'revolution' card... I did win, but I think it was Tim that ended the game. Beth was a close second.

Lastly we ended the night with 2 games of Liar's Dice. I won the first game, breaking my long, long losing streak. The second game, however, I reverted to coming in dead last.Long live the King! Ray did win the first game, Tim handed me my ass in the second game, I think I had four dice to his 2 or 3. Ah well, this is not one of my favorite games, but it's not too bad.

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Dinner at Buca di Beppo's Restaurant (Big Joe's Basement): Wednesday 12-13-2000

Ok, we have been talking about this restaurant for a long time, tonight, Ray, Jen, Jacqueline and I finally went. We loved it, if you like Italian, you will love this place, if you don't like Italian, you may learn to love it. The decor makes this restaurant, pictures, statues and fountains festoon the walls (don't miss the fountain of the urinating child). When you are shown to your table, you get to walk through the kitchen, that is a sign of a good restaurant (you worry about the ones that don't let you see behind the curtain. The bathrooms are a gas, from the pictures of kids peeing over the urinals to the picture of.... no, I will let you see who is on the behind the stall door. The menu is on the wall, so you are forced to get up and walk around (they encourage you to do this) Dinner started with a salad with the works, I believe it had, Mortadella, Kalamata and Green Olives, Feta, Roasted Red Peppers, Pepperoncini and a nice light dressing. The appetizer was a very nice Foccacia, the tomatoes tasted nice and fresh and the bread was great. For our entree, we had a fantastic Calzone, the mixture of Italian Fennel Sausage and cheese was a delight to the taste buds. To top this all off and to cleanse the pallet between the courses, we had a fine, house wine, a lot of wine. Jacqueline decided to give me a new nickname and scream it for ten minutes. The new nickname, Mako, (at least that is how I think it is spelled) like the shark, not the car painters.

We made reservations at the Pope's table on Saturday the 30th at 6:00 for dinner. The minimum is 12 at the Pope's Table, max is 18. Let us know who is coming.

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Game/Dinner Night: Saturday 12-30-2000

Wow, what a bash!We started at the restaurant, where the noise level was deafening.I brought a portable tv so I could see the Saints hold off the Rams on a two inch screen."what's the score?"I can' read it!  "How much time left?"I can't tell!!  "Who's playing?"I think it may be a commercial.Food was plentiful and ordering was difficult, but in the end we were all stuffed like pigs.

After leaving the restaurant, which was both expensive and fun, we migrated back to the house.Somehow, later, we picked up our missing couples Tom & Jeanette and Pete & Michelle.It was definitely a full house.  Ed, Tim, and John snuck downstairs to play 'Carlos Magnus' before the big crowds hit.(The game was a hit with Tim, who would later acquire the nickname of 'rum boy'. )Ed won, but I don't know the details.

When people did come downstairs, the ones that didn't play with the slot cars played Condottiere.Since Russ and Eva were at their first game night, Russ was dealt in after a crash course in the rules.Much jest was made of the fact that I was the last one to even win a territory.The winner snuck up on us.We didn't even see it until the game was declared over!  (Who was it?) Here we go again, next week, I bring a note book!

This is about the time frame where Tom & Jeanette and Pete & Michelle showed up.And Tom had new games!We broke out "Trailer Park Gods", which was the equivalent of a 'cheap ass' game.Only fun.  We liked it, but the replay ability is in doubt.Your a loser God, who only has 30 followers left in the world.And they're losers too.Try to get your status up to become the God of the trailer park Gods, before you lose ALL your followers.If you do lose them all (which happened to Beth), your out and the conqueror (Tim), gets your accomplishments.Silly fun.  Pete won in a landslide.(although I would have won on MY next turn also...woulda coulda shoulda)

We were going to play the new 'Gother than thou", but Beth wisely invoked the 'no new games after 11pm" rule and saved us from ourselves.

I had asked Tom to bring 'Modern Art', so that was next.Ed and John left after trailer park, so it was Tom, myself, Beth and Steve.Beth didn't quite understand why Tom and I INSISTED on stories with our auctioned paintings, but Steve did.Who wants to buy a painting with no story?!But alas, we spent so much time worrying about purchasing, that we failed to notice that Beth was selling at a huge margin.She won, but bought the fewest paintings!!!I bought the Most paintings (including the lesbian ones) and thought I was a 'shoe in' to win, but came in second.

I convinced Tom to stay by pulling out Family Business, while rum boy, Suzanne, and Jen played Ra.(Theresa and friend Yvonne bowed out for the warmth of the hot tub.)My Capone gang went out first, but since the game only lasted one card after that, I can't feel to bad.Beth (NYC) mowed down the lot of us while we were discussing terms of the inter-mob picnic, scheduled to take place later in the year.Once again though, I came in DEAD LAST<.

I hope we have more game nights like this one, the social atmosphere was excellent !!!


Ok, that's it for this year, next week, Y2K1! (I know, 2001 is the same amount of characters, but Y2K1 sounds cool!)

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