TheMirrorMan - Jean-Michel : 4 - 2.
Let's start with : Goko was unbearable tonight!!!
Not only did we have the "oh, let's push play game and then do nothing" ... It was slow as hell. And in the beginning of the fourth game, Goko Santa decided we had all been very naughty (Futurama, anyone ?) and threw us all off the server.
Thanks to Jean-Michel for being a great sport during the games - it worked on both our nerves.
I've had a serious drop of level in the last few days. Well, you know, one of those days where nothing really works in Dominion and shuffle luck is far away. So I was a bit more anxious to play ...
Game 1 : "International currency" : Jean-Michel wins.
http://dom.retrobox.eu/?/20140225/log.50785f090cf28ed55d9d72bf.1393352351354.txtMoat, Envoy, Feast, Feodum, Nomad Camp, Quarry, Remake, Talisman, Embassy, Jester
Meaning : It's
peanut butter jelly big money time. Either Remake to clean out the deck or Envoy/Embassy. We both choose BM, J-M goes Silver/Silver, I go Silver/Envoy. Idea was to not give him the extra Silver too quickly. Then again, what am I thinking here when he just bought 2 Silvers already
So I prefer J-M's opening. And I sense it during the game - I am starting to lack money power, so I buy an extra Embassy ... but it's already too late. The moment I can buy the last province, I'm 7 VP behind, so I need to do desperate stuff. Like buy a Jester and hope to hit a green ... And then it of course appears in my Embassy draw.
Clean win for J-M
Game 2 : "Harems and Hagglers" : Jean-Michel wins.
http://dom.retrobox.eu/?/20140225/log.50785f090cf28ed55d9d72bf.1393352730696.txtChapel, Fortune Teller, Workshop, Death Cart, Baker, Catacombs, Count, Graverobber, Haggler, Harem
We have the extra coin token to spend, so that makes it interesting enough on this board. Chapel/Count as trashing, no engine except Bakers ... So BM again. Or could the Death cart play a role here ?
We both split 3/5, J-M takes Silver/Haggler, I take Silver/Count, thinking that the rapid trashing will help me more. Well ... It does to an extent that you don't have too much stuff to use, whereas J-M picks up a lot of useful stuff with the Haggler (e.g. Harem + Count). And I trail the whole game ...
Not really sure what the best strategy is here.
Game 3 : "The green, green grass of the ironworks" : TheMirrorMan wins.
http://dom.retrobox.eu/?/20140225/log.50785f090cf28ed55d9d72bf.1393353428346.txtCandlestick Maker, Great Hall, Trade Route, Bishop, Ironworks, Quarry, Silk Road, Saboteur, Soothsayer, Hoard
So I've got to win the next two or I'm out. Oh nice, a "technical" board.
Although this is a Colony game, the Ironworks/SR/GH and Trade route combo (we'll be gaining quite soon) is just plain out quicker. And if you need higher VP, you can always throw in a hoard, buy a cheap one and get your money back up. But as the game shows, you don't have time.
Not really much to say here, luck gives me better draws here that J-M (I think). And I didn't trash an estate in the beginning (need it for SR). GH split : 5/3, SR split : 4/4. And since I have shoved a CM in, I can get some extra estates in the end.
Game 4 : "The temptation of a lady" : TheMirrorMan wins.
http://dom.retrobox.eu/?/20140225/log.50785f090cf28ed55d9d72bf.1393354136322.txtTransmute, Masquerade, Woodcutter, Baker, Cartographer, Catacombs, Knights, Mountebank, Stables, Possession
Sometimes you see that card where you think : I really need this. This will give me a decisive advantage.
We both have 5/3 split (baker coin token). And I see ... Miss Molly on top of the knights. But damn, J-M is to start. He gets Masquerade/Mountebank ... and ... yes, I can buy my beloved Dame Molly and two Masquerades to throw the junk of the mountebank back, right!
Well, let's see, what is wrong with this plan ...
1) There is no stuff to trash in the deck yet!
2) Where am I going to get money from ? Well, free coppers from the Mountebank of course </end sarcasm>
3) My Masquerades collide 2 times ...
As the VP chart shows, J-M starts racing quickly and I'm stuck behind with a card that hits nothing special. Is this the end of round 2 ... ?
And then, in the end, I pull off one of the biggest tricks ... I'm 7 behind, so I can't go out ... But then I masquerade over a curse (and don't get one back), swinging 2 points and buying the last Province.
I have no idea how I pulled this off, but my apologies were sent to my opponent.
Game 5 : "There's junk in the gardens!" : TheMirrorMan wins.
http://dom.retrobox.eu/?/20140225/log.50785f090cf28ed55d9d72bf.1393356052820.txtWarehouse, Philosopher's Stone, Gardens, Marauder, Sea Hag, Catacombs, Merchant Guild, Mine, Saboteur, Stables
Well, the biggest key card here is Gardens, since there are so many enablers : junking from Marauder/Sea Hag, Merchant Guild. And other than that, Philosopher's Stone works so well with this too.
I open Silver/Sea Hag, J-M opens Warehouse/Marauder. Of course you don't want to give too much junk ... But some junking is needed.
I think my opening is better here - you already get the minus points while Marauder only gives you temporary money - not really something you want when you're going for Gardens (but maybe J-M wasn't thinking of that in the beginning). I was doubting on the Warehouse. Maybe that was a better choice instead of Silver.
I get a very lucky turn 3, hitting five and buying a Merchant Guild. Stocking up on coin tokens.
Then the switch to the Philosopher's stone, but I buy my potion earlier (to no avail, as I hit 2+P the first time - that's what you get with the junk). It pulls itself off with all the junk (my PS is worth 7 in the end, where his are less valuable) and I can refocus from the Gardens split to the Provinces.
Game 6 : "It's hard to be tender" : TheMirrorMan wins.
http://dom.retrobox.eu/?/20140225/log.50785f090cf28ed55d9d72bf.1393356747420.txtCellar, Hamlet, Stonemason, Masquerade, Feodum, Pirate Ship, Sea Hag, Laboratory, Minion, Wharf
Not that much to say here. 4/3 for both, Silver/Masquerade for both. (Sea Hag with Masquerade is almost out of the question). Hamlet/Wharf is just too slow, so we come to the same conclusion : Minions. I win the split horribly, 7/3, due to lucky draws (7 coins = 2 Minions with Stonemason, then throw the SM over with Masquerade) and J-M's good hands getting hit. It's really harsh when you're on the other side - been there, done that. Luckily, J-M takes it like a sport, joking "oh I can buy a province" after I've bought 4 already. Good sport!
Mixed feelings about the matches - could have gone either way and I did make some pretty bad choices ... Better step up for next time ...