Today the talk of Bristol was only about one thing. Would Adam be able to win two games tonight and thus acquire the mythical “perfect five” of five ones in a row on the form table.
The core four arrived at Joe’s on a cold rainy Spring evening. I arrived a little late and found the three of them with a game already set up on the table between them. Taluva is a game of placing huts and building up layers so you can place more huts on higher levels and and maybe some towers and temples, too. The idea is to rid yourself of two types of buildings out of the three in your stock: Towers, temples and huts. Lots of huts.
Sam and Joe had played several two-player games against each other, so it was new to me and Adam. Adam adapted quicker than most, and was even correcting Sam about the rules on his first go! I couldn’t work out a tactic or strategy and was placing stuff almost at random. This does not reflect well on Sam, who came joint third with me.
Joe was poised to win, when Adam unleashed an awesome move that allowed him to place many huts. After that, he only needed one more turn to win. Joe couldn’t stop him nor finish the game himself. Oh, the heartbreak.
1. Adam
2. Joe
3= Andrew
3= Sam
So the next game. Adam was one step away from immortality. What would it be? We had to chose well. Joe seemed up for a game of Lords of Vegas and, since no one came up with anything better, we agreed.
Lords of Vegas is practically a role-playing game. At least, it is when we play it. Mafioso accents and over-the-top reactions, coupled with absurd goomba-speak catchphrases (“Hey, you don’t touch the custard!” meaning: you can’t compete with Adam) meant the first half of the game sped by. We trash-talked each other, bitched about the casino business, and decided that smelling another man’s burp is the same as kissing him.
But before long, I realised I was in last, despite some decent luck on my side (winning a $10m bet at Joe’s casino, accompanied with an Andrew Dice Clay-style “BOOM!” when I won) I struggled. And Lords of Vegas is a game where you don’t want to fall behind. The frequency of comedy Italian accents started to tail away.
As the game entered its closing stages, Joe was already far ahead. Sam managed to steal second place from Adam while I remained last. A close last, but still last. I just needed my casinos to pay out one more time, and I’d have been on Easy Street. But how many bums on Sunset Boulevard have the same story?
Lords of Vegas. Just beautiful, man.
Joe 44
Sam 32
Adam 26
Andrew 23
Despite falling short of perfection, Adam is still top of the table, with Joe rising to third after a good evening.
| Points | ||||||
| Adam | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| Sam | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 12 |
| Joe | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 14 |
| Hannah | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 14 |
| Anja | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 15 |
| Steve | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 15 |
| Andrew | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 18 |
| Jon | 2 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 20 |
| Will | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 23 |
No news from Bracknell so far this week. In the meantime, here's the Lords Of Vegas table...
I had a very lucky game of LoV - I didn't need to reorganise once, and all Adams attempts to oust me failed. And i rolled a double six whilst gambling in his casino...
ReplyDeleteAs noted, the end can be a little abrupt, and given that catching up is a fairly incremental process, it can feel as though your fortunes were poised to change. Maybe that's just Vegas. But I wonder what would happen if, after you'd turned the game over card, you did a final payout (just points, not money) for all the remaining cards.
So if there were 3 greens left, and you had a 4 tile green casino, you'd jump 12 pts. Perhaps it wouldn't work, but it might be worth investigating.
Thanks for a fun evening chaps!
I think you have to leave the remaining cards unused - otherwise it's a game of maths rather than chance. (Not that I'd mind that, but I think it's not what is intended...)
ReplyDeleteI'm still cursing my luck that your dice turned up six three (was it four?) times in a row! The later ones probably didn't matter, but if I'd taken that casino off you on the first 50/50 throw it could have been very tight at the top. As it was you were strong in the important colours and along the strip, so I don't think it was luck... Well played!
Maybe we should play LoV again soon while Adam and I can remember the rules. I've yet to find the game really enjoyable but maybe that's because every time we play it feels like the first time. It was fun, but am I alone in also finding it frustrating? I guess as Joe says: that's Vegas, baby.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy it, even when it's a struggle - but it is hugely luck-based. Despite what Adam says, his bad luck was my good, and I also got very lucky with the plots I drew - all my casinos on the strip were handed to me rather than negotiated. Still, as I thought last night, that was my first win - I do enjoy it even when I'm not in with a chance.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't want to play it every week, but it's a good fun contrast to some of the heavier games we play.
Yeah I'd agree with that. If I wasn't unhealthily obsessed with trying to get anywhere near Adam on the leaderboard, perhaps I'd enjoy it more....
ReplyDelete