Round 1: soulnet 4 vs Masticore 2
We played veto with identical starting hands and point tracker extension available. We played mostly mirror or almost mirror matches, without any great engine going on (maybe with the exception of game 5). Even though we both got some advantages at some games, none of them felt decided until fully finished. Several were really close and we both play suboptimally (maybe not in the BM games, but in all others).
Masticore confesed that he dropped several levels lately, and for this games, I feel we probably are of a similar skill on Dominion. He was open to chat and discuss games a little bit (although I fell bad for being more critical on his game than he was on mine, even after I invited him to criticize). Most importantly, was really fun to play more seriously!
Game 1:
Masticore 36 - soulnet 31 http://dominion.isotropic.org/gamelog/201212/06/game-20121206-080922-7a1a2e74.htmlcards in supply: Apprentice, Cellar, Explorer, Herbalist, Oasis, Sea Hag, Tactician, Tribute, Tunnel, and Watchtower
We both open SH / WT, and go heavy on playing the SH, with some Oasis for cycling and trying to get more of our WTs. He hit me hard an early, making me miss my SH for a whole reshuffle, while I got his WTs a couple of more times. After that, I try switching to Oasis/Cellar/Tunnel to overcome the point deficit and hopefully build enough economy, and he gets an Apprentice that accelerates his endgame (in retrospect, I think he getting a Tactician would have let me hopeless, because with a Prov every other turn I would never been able to catch up, with all the curses and tunnels in my deck). In any case, the plan with the tunnels worked and let me behind but within <6 point range with just one province to go, but his deck was much more likely to get it and that's what eventually happened.
0 - 1
Game 2:
soulnet ?? - Masticore ?? Missing log (we were both collecting them and we both forgot).
Province game. Key cards where Monument, Throne Room and Fishing Village. I went for a simple. Big Money + Monument, with some extra support I don't remember. He tried an engine to play more monuments (bought 3 to my one) and TRs and FVs, but also relied on treasure for money (less than me, of course). He got a substantial VP chip lead really quick, a little over the 6 barrier but not getting close to 12. I got way more money (4 more golds or so) and his deck stalled after the first couple green cards, to let me get to just 1 province left with more than 6 points ahead, which made the endgame much more confortable for me. After duchy dancing a little bit, his deck was definitely stalled and mine was also too green, but having more golds gave me more variance which eventually let me buy the last province for the win.
1 - 1
Game 3:
soulnet 55 - Masticore 42 http://dominion.isotropic.org/gamelog/201212/06/game-20121206-082823-ba78d7ae.htmlcards in supply: Border Village, Embargo, Fairgrounds, Haggler, Haven, Library, Mandarin, Mint, Mountebank, and Treasure Map
Another junky game, especially after we both open Haven/Mountebank. He got a lucky start after I bottomdecked my Mountebank and got no 5 in turns 3 or 4. With a curse and copper into my deck and two Mountebanks in his to my one, I thought it was going to be hard. I picked up a Mountebank and a Bordervillage+Mountebank to try to catch up, and with a little luck with curse-discarding deffense we end up tying the curse split. When curses are out I have been spenting my buys on building economy mostle, getting Silver and Gold with the hope that Haven and Mandarin will let me wiggle my way to Province despite the overfull of junk deck. He picks up several more different cards, trying to get Fairgrounds to 6 VP, which shows to be an impossible task. In the end, we both have 4 VP fairgrounds but I'm also in better position to get them and we split them. Since I was already greening and rushing the fairgrounds he does not have a chance to pick up the more different card he needs to make them 6 VP and has to contest me for them, but my better economy let me split them while also getting Provinces more often. I think I won this one just for sticking to a single strategy while he jumped around a little bit.
2 - 1
Game 4:
Masticore: 69 - soulnet: 48 http://dominion.isotropic.org/gamelog/201212/06/game-20121206-085224-62597bb1.htmlcards in supply: Adventurer, Colony, Counting House, Crossroads, Develop, Hoard, King's Court, Mandarin, Masquerade, Native Village, Platinum, and Royal Seal
Even though the score does not show it, this was a close match up until the last couple of shuffles. We both go BM+Masq. After not seeing mine on T3, I decided I'll get a second Masq early (gambling a little bit) and it pays off because they do not collide much. This gave me a little advantage, but I play a HORRIBLE endgame, after thinking I am going to lose due to first player advantage and getting a bad draw with Masq (3xGold, Prov, 2xColonies) I pass a Province to avoid him getting the last Colony and end up with an impossible to catch up disadvantage in points. I should have passed a Gold, which was dangerous, but probably less than this stupid manouver. Anyway, at least it was not just luck what decided the game.
2 - 2
Game 5:
soulnet: 34 - Masticore: 33 http://dominion.isotropic.org/gamelog/201212/06/game-20121206-091304-03a110f8.htmlcards in supply: Cache, Cellar, Farming Village, Festival, Potion, Smithy, Spice Merchant, Talisman, Trade Route, Transmute, and Witch
This was by far the most interesting board. He is less lucky with the shuffles and also makes a game-losing mistake in T4 drawing with spice Merchant instead of getting the cash to get to $5 and get the witch. I, on the other hand, am able to get Witch and Silver while cycling with the SM. After this we both get 2 witches but I win the curse split 6-4 and also build a small economy with a partial engine of Farming Village, Festival and Smithy (FV being great to cycle some green and curses). I rushed too early into greening instead of building more of my engine, not getting a single cellar or Trade Route until really late. He builds better while I get a big point lead, but he almost was able to catch up in time, being $1 short on a big turn to win the game. He finishes the game to his demise due to forgetting to count a trashed estate (ohterwise, we would have snatched a tie). He confessed he got a couple of lucky draws in his final two turns, but it would have been an epic come back if he pulled it off. Should I have been more careful as to build a better engine before greening, he probably would not have had a chance after the much better start I had.
3 - 2
Game 6:
soulnet: 39 - Masticore: 23 http://dominion.isotropic.org/gamelog/201212/06/game-20121206-092904-0ae891c1.htmlcards in supply: Ambassador, Bureaucrat, Golem, Jester, Moat, Potion, Scout, Silk Road, Throne Room, Venture, and Woodcutter
We both go double Ambassador + BM + Ventures to take advantage of copper pseudotrashing. I considered Silk Road rush to counter, but felt it was not going to be fast enough and it would stall too early against Ambassador, even if getting SRs to 5 VP was possible.
I have WAY more luck, never colliding my Ambassadors while he gets lots. After this, he is never able to recover, because Ambassador luck both makes my deck better and his worse, so it kind of doubles the difference of luck with other also powerful cards. I have several golds and a couple of Ventures with few coppers, so I start greening without stalling. He tries duchy dancing with 1 province to go, but I have a strong economy so I keep buying Provinces without trouble until the end.
4 - 2
Thanks Masticore for the games! And thanks the organizers for putting this up, its my first tournament ever (including IRL play) and its proven to be much more fun than casual play on Iso.