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[vulturesrow]

http://dominion.isotropic.org/gamelog/201201/13/game-20120113-210109-d2139670.html

Other than the obviously dumb (ending the game when I was behind, that will teach my not to keep better track of VPs) what could I have done to better manage my game here? How much was just luck of the draw?

[catsclaw]

Your opponent isn't playing especially well, and got pretty lucky with the Pirate Ship (hitting Silver, Silver, Copper, Silver, Gold, then Silver).  I might have bought a Tactician instead of the two Wharfs, but in general I'd think your strategy is more likely to win in the long run.  Especially since you'd expect the Pirate Ship to help clear out a few Copper from your deck, at least at the start.

[sjelkjd]

I agree that you started with terrible luck.  His turn 3 and your turn 4 are brutal, but once you see him buy a second pirate ship on turn 5, going mostly money against pirate ship, especially since you're already behind, is just going to play right into his hands(not that you had a choice on this board).

I tried using the simulator and it does appear that big money + witch should beat big money + pirate ship roughly 60-40, so you had the right strategy, and victory was most likely determined by losing your early treasures, and repeatedly hitting $4, where you buy silver, which is inefficient.  Much better if you hit $3 and $5(or even $2 and $5, since courtyard is on the board).

[Anon79]

Turn 4 or Turn 5, you might consider getting an Oracle; you're losing due to dumb luck already, might as well try more swingy strategies and keeping some good coin out of his ships' reach.

But try not to read too much into this game; while there are things you might have done differently, sometimes the better strategy loses. You just have to move on.

[DrHades]

You were unlucky, but IMO you also made some mistakes:

1. When your opponent is not going for the cursing attack, you don't need to rush it so much. 2 Witches are probably still better than one, but you can wait for the second one.

2. You have 4 terminal actions in deck. Plus all of them draw cards! And on top of that - Pirate Ship is making the deck smaller!!! That is just too much. Definitely Tactician over Wharf.

3. I am not sure about the Silverbuying when you are facing Pirate Ship.

[DG]

By turn 6 your deck is Witch, 3 silver, 7 copper, 3 estates. Your opponent has Tactician, 2 Pirate Ships, courtyard, 2 silver, 7 copper, 3 estates with 2 tokens on the pirate mat. That's not going to go well even if you swap the witch for an embassy or wharf. Maybe you could have taken a courtyard on turn 4 but this game is pretty much lost before you started.

The witches get worse the later you buy them so this isn't really pirate ship vs witch. An embassy or wharf might be able to play through the pirate attack when the pirate trashes an odd copper as well as silver.

[Anon79]

2. You have 4 terminal actions in deck. Plus all of them draw cards! And on top of that - Pirate Ship is making the deck smaller!!! That is just too much. Definitely Tactician over Wharf.

3. I am not sure about the Silverbuying when you are facing Pirate Ship.

So you don't want to buy drawing terminals, and you don't want to buy Silvers, what are you buying with $4 may I ask? Estate? Potion?

[ehunt]

Let's reemphasize that this is a disaster of a turn 3, turn 4, luckwise, and that this swamps any minor tweaks we can give to your strategy.

Still, I'd open courtyard silver, not silver/silver, in this game (and most witch games). Unlike the folks above, I'd prefer ghost ship to tactician, wharf or a second witch. (So I'm imagining a total of three terminal drawing cards in the deck! Then, probably, picking up tactician if you can't afford a gold at some point.)

Edit: maybe I should take the ghost ship back - it's a mean attack, but it's more likely to help your opponent in this game than in most, because it can separate his pirate ships.

[DrHades]

2. You have 4 terminal actions in deck. Plus all of them draw cards! And on top of that - Pirate Ship is making the deck smaller!!! That is just too much. Definitely Tactician over Wharf.

3. I am not sure about the Silverbuying when you are facing Pirate Ship.

So you don't want to buy drawing terminals, and you don't want to buy Silvers, what are you buying with $4 may I ask? Estate? Potion?

1. I didn't say I don't want to buy Silver, I just said I am not sure if it is the best idea to buy so many Silvers against Pirate Ship.

2. Buying nothing is sometimes a very good option.

3. My strategy would involve Tactician, so I wouldn't have $3 and $4 so often.

4. You can go with Loan (a bit risky since you need treasures, but still probably good against Pirate Ship).

5. I don't think that "You were unlucky, keep on good work" helps anyone. Your strategy should be based also on what your opponent is doing...