WW 3 - 0 ragingduckd (AI)
http://dom.retrobox.eu/?/20131010/log.5101a6c4e4b02b7235c3860f.1381442932025.txt
(http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/f/f6/Silk_Road.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Silk Road) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/c/cb/Spy.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Spy) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/9/96/Haggler.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Haggler) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/0/01/Soothsayer.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Soothsayer) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/7/7e/Fairgrounds.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Fairgrounds)
(http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/4/4f/Lighthouse.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Lighthouse) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/3/3f/Vagrant.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Vagrant) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/f/f7/Wishing_Well.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Wishing Well) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/5/5e/Advisor.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Advisor) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/0/0c/Envoy.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Envoy)
Lighthouse, Vagrant, Wishing Well, Advisor, Envoy, Silk Road, Spy, Haggler, Soothsayer, Fairgrounds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxIez767KiQ&feature=youtu.be
I immediately look at shiny fairgrounds, with Haggler and Soothsayer as good support, and Silk Road not bad. We both go 5/2 Soothsayer/lighthouse and... then he diverges for a bunch of duchies. I really don't understand this, as he goes for them quite solidly over fairgrounds (which had to be worth at least 4). My only guess is that he was looking for a quick 3-pile, and Silk Road, and Soothsayer actually does give good longevity, but I just wasn't going to be obliging that, and it ended up just taking forever...
http://dom.retrobox.eu/?/20131010/log.5101a6c4e4b02b7235c3860f.1381443481013.txt
(http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/f/f9/Wandering_Minstrel.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Wandering Minstrel) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/9/92/Merchant_Ship.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Merchant Ship) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/0/01/Soothsayer.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Soothsayer) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/f/fd/Treasury.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Treasury) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/8/81/Grand_Market.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Grand Market)
(http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/2/2c/Candlestick_Maker.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Candlestick Maker) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/5/55/Fortune_Teller.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Fortune Teller) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/8/8a/Fortress.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Fortress) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/8/8c/Gardens.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Gardens) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/6/61/Treasure_Map.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Treasure Map)
Candlestick Maker, Fortune Teller, Fortress, Gardens, Treasure Map, Wandering Minstrel, Merchant Ship, Soothsayer, Treasury, Grand Market
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QPMFbcbgN4&feature=youtu.be
I can't resist gardens on a board like this. It's really important to note that the only draw here is the opponent's Soothsayer. With said curser around again, I don't think a Grand Market Plan is really going to cut it - you just go for money. And I dip into Gardens what might be a good little bit early (I really like candlestick maker for gardens, plus soothsayer gives you longevity and lots of cards, but still...), but he follows me, and I don't think his deck was nearly as well set up. From there, it's just trying to snuff out any possibilities he was going to have, keeping tight wraps on everything.
http://dom.retrobox.eu/?/20131010/log.5101a6c4e4b02b7235c3860f.1381444189557.txt
(http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/f/fc/Plaza.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Plaza) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/2/2b/Remake.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Remake) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/3/37/Mystic.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Mystic) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/0/00/Tribute.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Tribute) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/c/cc/Wharf.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Wharf)
(http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/4/4f/Lighthouse.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Lighthouse) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/b/b2/Doctor.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Doctor) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/9/97/Oracle.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Oracle) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/5/5a/Village.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Village) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/2/22/Alchemist.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Alchemist)
Lighthouse, Doctor, Oracle, Village, Alchemist, Plaza, Remake, Mystic, Tribute, Wharf
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEVGtMaWBsI&feature=youtu.be
Definitely the closest of the three, and I relished my first turn here. Wharf is obviously key, and with Remake, Village, and Plaza, engines look pretty clear, too. The difference is basically that he goes for all wharves, whereas I opt for a gold over my 5th, allowing him to win the wharf split 6-4. On the other hand, he doesn't have quite enough villages and, more important, there really isn't any payload here but money. I double province, double again, and... whiff. Actually, I didn't calculate almost anything that I should have, relying way too much on feel (which was a correct feel, but still). If he has a good hand there, Province+duchy+estate ties, or province+duchy+duchy wins. Well, okay, he doesn't really have the money for that, as he never had time to get it, so I guess there wasn't that much danger. But well, I like the money a little better (i.e. I think he slightly overbuilt), and first turn really was big here.
WanderingWinder 4 - 2 PitrPicko
Game 1:
http://dom.retrobox.eu/?/20131017/log.514b5511e4b0b79c883b5e3b.1382043335183.txt
(http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/2/29/Highway.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Highway) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/9/91/Ill-Gotten_Gains.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Ill-Gotten Gains) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/b/b4/Outpost.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Outpost) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/3/36/Trading_Post.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Trading Post) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/8/8d/King's_Court.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/King's Court)
(http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/4/48/Familiar.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Familiar) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/4/42/Conspirator.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Conspirator) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/6/63/Noble_Brigand.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Noble Brigand) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/c/cf/Talisman.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Talisman) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/2/20/Apprentice.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Apprentice)
Familiar, Conspirator, Noble Brigand, Talisman, Apprentice, Highway, Ill-Gotten Gains, Outpost, Trading Post, King's Court
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3F-PQ4UTZE
This one is quite interesting. There is IGG, but there is familiar, trading post, KC, highway, conspirator, and most of all Apprentice. I think this would be the clear play, only the only +buy is outpost. I go for this plan anyway, opting without Familiar, he gets 5/2 and heads for straight-up IGG. I think he plays that plan pretty darn well, mine I am less sure. Anyway, it ends up very close, and I could take the last duchy and lose off of the untrashed starting estates, but go for the penultimate province instead... and he has the last one. To be fair, even Duchy obviously wins for him there, so I was just in a bad spot. But a close and interesting one.
Game 2: http://dom.retrobox.eu/?/20131017/log.514b5511e4b0b79c883b5e3b.1382043995645.txt
(http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/1/10/Duke.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Duke) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/9/98/Library.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Library) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/6/68/Mandarin.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Mandarin) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/7/74/Pillage.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Pillage) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/0/01/Soothsayer.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Soothsayer)
(http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/f/fb/Embargo.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Embargo) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/f/f7/Develop.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Develop) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/9/97/Oracle.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Oracle) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/c/c2/Watchtower.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Watchtower) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/d/d6/Cartographer.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Cartographer)
Embargo, Develop, Oracle, Watchtower, Cartographer, Duke, Library, Mandarin, Pillage, Soothsayer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QkGygok9FU
Another interesting one. I think you pretty obviously want Soothsayer, but beyond that... Duke? Pillage? Mandarin to help you smooth and province? Cartographer? Cheap terminals? I anyways go for watchtower, whereas he goes oracle (picking up a watchtower later). Well, the idea was to defend from curses, and I think this is the right call, but I actually end up getting pretty decent boons when it collides with my soothsayers anyway (bonus!). But he gets a pillage and... well, the question is whether you want to go provinces, or really focus on duchies. I sort of do something between, figuring golds will give longevity, and so does he, but he focuses (eventually) more on duchies, winning the split 5-3 as I go for provinces. I totally miscount the provinces and drive myself to a loss, though I guess I was in bad shape by then anyway. I feel this is the kind of board I'm supposed to be good on, but I played pretty bad (though I still think WT>Oracle)
So I'm down 2-0 and need to win 2 in a row and 3 of 4....
Game 3: http://dom.retrobox.eu/?/20131017/log.514b5511e4b0b79c883b5e3b.1382045250636.txt
(http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/2/2b/Remake.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Remake) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/f/f7/Bazaar.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Bazaar) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/9/9a/Knights.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Knights) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/3/35/Stables.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Stables) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/e/ef/Venture.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Venture)
(http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/f/fa/Black_Market.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Black Market) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/5/55/Fortune_Teller.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Fortune Teller) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/b/b4/Bishop.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Bishop) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/8/8a/Fortress.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Fortress) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/4/42/Pirate_Ship.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Pirate Ship)
Black Market, Fortune Teller, Bishop, Fortress, Pirate Ship, Remake, Bazaar, Knights, Stables, Venture
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YcXYWw3ZrY
So, I go pretty much straight for remake into Bishop/Fortress golden deck here. He detours somewhat, and though I have a few worries for a little while, they're pretty slight, and his comeback is basically always just falling short.
Game 4: http://dom.retrobox.eu/?/20131017/log.514b5511e4b0b79c883b5e3b.1382046393280.txt
(http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/5/51/Band_of_Misfits.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Band of Misfits) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/1/1c/Harvest.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Harvest) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/1/1b/Jester.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Jester) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/0/06/Margrave.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Margrave) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/6/6a/Hunting_Grounds.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Hunting Grounds)
(http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/f/fe/Moat.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Moat) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/6/67/Native_Village.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Native Village) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/f/fc/Oasis.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Oasis) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/7/70/Sage.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Sage) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/8/8a/Fortress.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Fortress)
Moat, Native Village, Oasis, Sage, Fortress, Band of Misfits, Harvest, Jester, Margrave, Hunting Grounds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uu7UTeRrKs
Okay, so this one was fun. Just an exercise in engine-building. I go jester first, to give me money longevity and hopefully snipe some stuff (really I want like fortresses before they're gone). You want HG>Margrave here, after the first, except you actually need extra buys. And Native Village and Moat (yeah, moat's really not bad) are pretty key. Well, I'm not really sure I can point to some specific thing I did better here, but I felt good, felt confident, and pulled through without too much issue, though I didn't feel I was just crushing like in the last game...
Game 5: http://dom.retrobox.eu/?/20131017/log.514b5511e4b0b79c883b5e3b.1382047169233.txt
(http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/c/cd/Catacombs.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Catacombs) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/9/96/Haggler.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Haggler) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/6/60/Saboteur.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Saboteur) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/d/d7/Forge.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Forge) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/8/8d/King's_Court.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/King's Court)
(http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/1/1c/Cellar.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Cellar) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/5/56/Pearl_Diver.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Pearl Diver) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/0/0e/Masquerade.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Masquerade) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/8/8d/Sea_Hag.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Sea Hag) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/1/12/Trader.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Trader)
Cellar, Pearl Diver, Masquerade, Sea Hag, Trader, Catacombs, Haggler, Saboteur, Forge, King's Court
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIh1v_2GMqo
So here there be King's Court, and with Masquerade, I am looking for a way to make that work, but I don't think it really does. Saboteur, though, appears to be a yes. Actually I'm not 100% on that, because there are a number of decent counters (trader, haggler, catacombs). Well, anyway, looks good and we both go for it. I am ahead early, but then he pulls to what seems like a pretty decent lead. I guess I have more actions, or he has bad draws, or maybe my Hagglers were really important. Or maybe it is just luck. Anyway, I spy the end of the game in sight and transition for duchies at what I *think* was a good time. Well, the problem with saboteur is that they pile out on you before you can take so much advantage of your deck advantage, and that's what happens here - except I'm also the one with the deck advantage. This felt clean, though other than a Haggler, I'm not sure what I'd tell him to do here.
Game 6: http://dom.retrobox.eu/?/20131017/log.514b5511e4b0b79c883b5e3b.1382048054079.txt
(http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/7/7a/Procession.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Procession) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/a/a1/Count.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Count) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/8/82/Journeyman.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Journeyman) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/0/00/Tribute.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Tribute) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/8/8d/King's_Court.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/King's Court)
(http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/7/74/Ambassador.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Ambassador) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/1/11/Loan.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Loan) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/2/22/Alchemist.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Alchemist) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/7/7d/Cutpurse.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Cutpurse) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/images/3/38/Jack_of_all_Trades.jpg) (http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/JackOfAllTrades)
Ambassador, Loan, Alchemist, Cutpurse, JackOfAllTrades, Procession, Count, Journeyman, Tribute, King's Court
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQeyen8ShxY
I get 5/2 to his 4/3 and he's first player, and I am NOT confident. He goes for the sort of obvious ambassador play here, only one when he sees I don't counter, and grabs alchemists for actions and KCs. I figure I just have to straight-up race the green and go with Count into Jack, which really isn't so bad. Well, he is right there greening at the same time as me, and I figure I am toast, but I actually think this was a little bit of a mistake - if he builds a little more, he is going to sling my deck full of curses, can stuff it with coppers and cutpurse away, count to gain all the duchies, and THEN finish off the provinces. Anyway, he should still be in very good shape, but his potion is the one card he doesn't draw on some turn, thing start falling away as he sputters a little (more bad luck), and he needs to start grabbing duchies as I'm heading toward 50% VP. So he grabs a count and actually gets there, though now I am starting to threaten towards three piles, and he needs the last two provinces fast, and... well, my deck is still good enough that it gets a reasonably lucky (though not CRAZY) $8 (actually it was 9), and I grab a province, sealing the deal on points. I do feel he misplayed a little, but I also got insanely lucky (after the start was slanted pretty well his way on the draws, I think).
Anyway, a well-fought, very tense, very close match, with just very few non-close or non-interesting games, and I'm both happy and relieved to be on to the final - should be the first tournament final I've actually played in, if you can believe that.