I played Svenisntb today, whose rating was a bit out of my comfort zone but I thought I was up for the challenge. These two games happened.
Game 1 (log (http://www.gokosalvager.com/static/logprettifier.html?20150510/log.5483b0c4e4b018d7e0009e87.1431307786649.txt))
(http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/1/12/Trader.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Trader) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/b/b9/Baker.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Baker) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/0/06/Margrave.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Margrave) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/f/f1/Rabble.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Rabble) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/d/d7/Forge.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Forge)
(http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/2/2c/Candlestick_Maker.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Candlestick Maker) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/e/ed/Fool's_Gold.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Fool's Gold) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/6/69/Apothecary.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Apothecary) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/7/7a/Procession.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Procession) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/c/cb/Spy.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Spy)
Candlestick Maker, Fool's Gold, Apothecary, Procession, Spy, Trader, Baker, Margrave, Rabble, Forge
I don't understand how I did so badly in this game. We both opened Margrave/Fool's Gold, and even got a 5/2 so I could save my Baker token. The Fool's Gold split was even. I got a Trader (which is the only possible mistake I can see - it seemed like a good idea at the time because fewer Coppers meant more FG plays) and a couple of Spies (which are nonterminal, cantrips, AND directed draw) while he got more Margraves than me (because I wanted to err on the cautious side of the terminal count) and Silvers (which is just what??? I don't see how Silver is useful in a FG game and they only made a difference twice). And yet I seemed to never see my Fool's Golds while he looked like he was playing his every turn. So... cycling? Trashing addiction? I really just want to say I got screwed by bad shuffle luck but f.ds might have more to add.
Game 2 (log (http://www.gokosalvager.com/static/logprettifier.html?20150510/log.5483b0c4e4b018d7e0009e87.1431308537698.txt))
(http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/d/d9/Scavenger.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Scavenger) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/f/f6/Silk_Road.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Silk Road) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/f/f9/Wandering_Minstrel.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Wandering Minstrel) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/b/bc/Mint.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Mint) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/e/ea/Prince.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Prince)
(http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/f/fe/Moat.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Moat) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/7/74/Urchin.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Urchin) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/8/8c/Gardens.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Gardens) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/c/c8/Horse_Traders.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Horse Traders) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/a/a0/Militia.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Militia)
Moat, Urchin, Gardens, Horse Traders, Militia, Scavenger, Silk Road, Wandering Minstrel, Mint, Prince
I'm proud to say I pulled it back in this game. With no reliable draw and two sources of slog-friendly alt-VP on the board I decided to forego any thought of an engine and start by rushing Gardens. Svenisntb didn't seem to get that memo. Not only did I successfully apply the Stef Rule (make your opponent struggle to empty the entire Province pile) but I finally got to see how discard attacks aren't that effective against slogs and even block them with Horse Traders. Patience won out and I ended with 4-point Gardens, 6-point Silk Roads, and a smile. Would there have been a way for him to beat my slog?