Crossroads, Great Hall, Market Square, Scheme, Island, Mining Village, Rats, Festival, Margrave, Roguehttp://gokologs.drunkensailor.org/static/logprettifier.html?20140530/log.505dbd3c0cf280b7ad38c8f4.1401467622506.txtMy opponent gets out to a huge lead when he hits my only Margrave with his Rogue. The result is that after T7 I am down 2 Margraves, Rogue, Festival and Crossroads to my single Festival and single Crossroads. I do have one extra card set aside and an extra silver but in terms of engine build up it looks extremely bleak.
My opponent makes some questionable purchases and starts greening on Provinces way too early. Great Hall, Island and Duchy give me VP such that I can avoid Provinces and still have VP left in the supply. My opponent however continues to lead despite his sub-optimal play and I am constantly on my back foot trying to catch up.
In your games always ask yourself, what is required for the to win on this turn. Had my opponent asked himself that he could have won. At the start of his
Turn 18 there are 3 Islands and 1 Crossroads left with an empty Great Hall pile. This requires $14 and 4 Buys. The score is tied at 23 points apiece. During his turn he has played a Festival, has 3 Mining Villages in hand and has both a Copper and Silver in hand. This gives him $11 if he trashes all the Mining Villages. In those 3 draws he needs to get $3 and he can win. It is risky as you have to start trashing before you can play all of them but if you don't start trashing immediately you don't have a chance. He opts to not go for the 3-pile win. In the end he would have obtained exactly $14.
As a result, I am able to get the 3-pile myself 3 turns later for a slim victory.
So the lesson is to always watch for potential ways to win. In the event that luck hands you lemons, continue to play your hardest. Either your opponent could misplay or could get unlucky giving you another chance.
