Round 2: DESTROYER wins against Mergus 4-2 (plus one tie). Since my opponent last week was a no-show, this was my first tournament match ever, and it was INTENSE! Mergus was a great opponent, and I feel
very lucky to have scraped through to the next round.
Game 1 - DESTROYER wins: ...and it's the one game log that seems to be missing. I was first player and Sea Hag was out, so I'm sure you can guess how this one went.
Game 2 - Mergus 70 - DESTROYER 60:
http://dominion.isotropic.org/gamelog/201212/12/game-20121212-193226-f047cf20.html Governor, Throne Room, Warehouse, Monument, Platinums & Colonies... this one gave me a headache. I haven't played much with Governor, and lost this one despite winning the Governor split because Mergus just flat out played better.
Game 3 - DESTROYER 48 - Mergus 48: http://dominion.isotropic.org/gamelog/201212/12/game-20121212-194647-6acafe53.html Silk Road, on the other hand, is one of my favorite cards. When alt-VP is around I decide before making my first move whether or not I'm going to pursue it, and with Island and Crossroads out, the choice seemed easy here. I open Island instead of Young Witch mostly because Crossroads is the bane and I know I want it immediately, and I'm less concerned with cursing than with getting a jump start on green cards. It would've been nice to incorporate Worker's Village and even Scout at some point, but I'm not entirely sure when I would've been able to. I get lucky when Mergus ends it on a tie - I would've only had $1 on my next turn.
Game 4 - DESTROYER 43 - Mergus 30:
http://dominion.isotropic.org/gamelog/201212/12/game-20121212-200334-d671c901.html This was a fun kingdom with lots of options - tons of cheap engine pieces for Scrying Pool, Jack, Steward, Spice Merchant and Upgrade for plenty of trashing, and Sea Hag sitting right in the middle. Opening Upgrade/nothing pushed me toward a hybrid doubleJack/Village/Steward thing that works out pretty well. Would've been over turn 17 if I had just trashed Province with Upgrade and bought the last one, but I realized this about ten seconds too late.
Game 5 - Mergus 42 - DESTROYER 5:
http://dominion.isotropic.org/gamelog/201212/12/game-20121212-201556-9f48df31.html Maybe it's just me, but you know how every once in a while you play a game that makes you think you just might be the worst Dominion player in the world? Yeah...
Game 6 - DESTROYER 39 - Mergus 38:
http://dominion.isotropic.org/gamelog/201212/12/game-20121212-202349-611e1ac2.html This was an interesting game, with Horse Traders, Fool's Gold, Mountebank and Gardens all key cards. After I get to Mountebank first and win the Fool's Gold split, Mergus smartly goes for Gardens, knowing that I have the clear advantage in a Province race. I do my best to stay the course and deny him at least a few of the Gardens, and my eventual win is as razor-close as they come, with Mergus just one card away from bumping his Gardens up and my single play of Monument actually making a difference.
Game 7 - DESTROYER 30 - Mergus 25:
http://dominion.isotropic.org/gamelog/201212/12/game-20121212-203221-8f3cd158.html This one was fun, if only for the fact that in a simple kingdom we both went different directions, and the outcome could've really gone either way. In the end Steward/Caravan beat out Lookout/Cutpurse, though I'm not sure if my open was actually the right call in this situation or if I just got lucky draws.
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