Robz888 wins 3.5 - 2.5 over TheMirrorMan. This was one of the tensest tournament rounds I have ever played. All very interesting games and razor-thin margins of victory. I do think luck decided a lot of these games, unfortunately.
http://dom.retrobox.eu/?/20130831/log.50785f090cf28ed55d9d72bf.1377968256148.txtTransmute, Black Market, Lookout, Sage, Wishing Well, Feast, Procession, Worker's Village, Apprentice, Adventurer
Actually, this was the only not very interesting game. My strategy was fairly unfocused; there's just so little going on here. Of course the power vacuum makes Black Market a compelling purchase. He manages to pull Sir Michael (the discard Knight) from the BMarket which is sort of super strong since I have no Knights to counteract. I think that basically decided the game.
http://dom.retrobox.eu/?/20130831/log.50785f090cf28ed55d9d72bf.1377969320111.txtCrossroads, Hamlet, Black Market, Scheme, Bishop, Throne Room, Bazaar, Ghost Ship, Hunting Party, Minion
A more interesting game, although Black Market luck decided it once again. Our strategies do diverge from the get-go, though. He opens Bishop/Silver. I don't think I like that--the trashing will help me, and hitting $5 is so important! So I'm BM/Silver. He does hit $5 though, and gets into gear pretty quickly. Luckily, I pull Goons for the BM deck, and my deck comes roaring back. I really, really make use of the extra buy VP chips (I'm getting like a Duchy's worth of extra points every turn), and he's in a bad way by the end.
http://dom.retrobox.eu/?/20130831/log.50785f090cf28ed55d9d72bf.1377970180115.txtCourtyard, Lighthouse, Warehouse, Navigator, Spy, Wandering Minstrel, Golem, Library, Venture, Nobles
I lose this game, but I would play it exactly the same if we did this set again. The engine just looks so weak to me without +buy or gaining, and Venture should be pretty good for the Courtyard BM play. Well, I never got a Venture, just because I never hit $5 until Duchy time, but I don't think that's such a big deal. Hate to blame shuffle luck, but all my good cards clumped at the end of my last shuffle, and that allowed him to go Province-Province-Province. Maybe you guys can tell me if I am wrong, and the engine is actually better?
http://dom.retrobox.eu/?/20130831/log.50785f090cf28ed55d9d72bf.1377970737437.txtCourtyard, University, Steward, Bridge, Remodel, Talisman, Bazaar, Jester, Rogue, Grand Market
I love sets like these. I notice the Bridge/University for GMs interaction right away, and I plan to build my deck for that purpose. He focuses more on Rogues, which could just be a symptom of his draws. Anyway, I really prioritize Steward trashing, I draw my Bridges at the right times, and my engine goes off big time. I drain GMs, Bazaars, and $0 Courtyards all at once to end the game in a decisive win. I played well, but I also drew really well here. Think his Rogues wouldn't have helped him enough here, though--you really want to be playing more Bridges and Courtyards.
http://dom.retrobox.eu/?/20130831/log.50785f090cf28ed55d9d72bf.1377971395561.txtDoctor, Masterpiece, Swindler, Conspirator, Farming Village, JackOfAllTrades, Throne Room, Inn, Mandarin, Adventurer
I get the 5/2, which is sort of manifestly worse here, I think. Should just be a Jack game. Again, there IS an engine here with Conspirators and Inns and Throne Rooms, but without +buy or gainers, it just seems too slow to me. So I'm Jack/nothing to his Jack/Swindler. I actually don't like the Swindler here against Jack. And then he ends up going for the engine anyway, which delights me. Well, maybe I underestimated it. What he CAN do is definitely Province every other turn (on the other turns, he buys Inn to set himself up). And he Swindles a bunch of my Silvers into Masterpieces, which is quite bad. But, I have enough of a lead that all he can do is take the tie.
http://dom.retrobox.eu/?/20130831/log.50785f090cf28ed55d9d72bf.1377972078694.txtPoor House, Apothecary, Mining Village, Rats, Remake, Apprentice, Baker, Counting House, Outpost, Hoard
I see Remake, but then I see that Poor House obsoletes it here. Well, there's Rats, but is Remake/Rates really a thing? I think not. Then I notice Apprentice, and Apprentice/Rats is definitely a thing. The Baker token makes it sort of interesting, what order to do what. The presence of Shelters makes an opening Apprentice a little less appealing. I go for that anyway. He opens Baker instead. Yeah, Baker is pretty good, I've found. I spike an early $6 and grab Hoard--Gold trashing with Hoard and Apprentice is really nice. My Rats come a little unevenly, but soon I have it under control and my deck is going nicely. He has a bunch of Bakers, and that's good, too, but what I am doing is just a tad better. I play my last three turns very cautiously, taking Duchies instead of risky trashes, because I assume he can't Province-Province (he is too reliant on Baker tokens). That works out, I trash my Hoard, and win.
I think my opponent played really well; he definitely went for the zanier option a couple times, and was often rewarded for it. I do think most of the games came down to luck (specifically Black Market twice).