Bashing the Emperor

A 7.30 start in theory became a slightly more staggered affair tonight. I was first, prompt and on time, and we were expecting Joe and Katy shortly with Martin at 8.00 and Ian at 8.45. Sam set up the oddly named Viva Java: the coffee game: the dice game as a filler until Martin got here..

But Katy and Joe were a little late so we didn't get the rules explanation underway for a while and just as we were starting to murmur about how interesting it looked, Martin turned up, fifteen minutes early! Viva Java: the coffee game: the dice game was put away since it didn't play five. Pity. I had enjoyed saying "Viva Java: the coffee game: the dice game."

In its place we played Sakura. This Knizia game involves trying to be as close to the Emperor as possible without actually colliding into him (which gave us the phrase now adorning this week’s blog entry). Each player plays a card simultaneously, and carries out the orders on it, be that move the Emperor, or yourself, or the furthest forward or back.

It's a little gem of luck pushing and screwage, as players try to put themselves at the front but not so close that would put them in danger if the Emperor took a couple of steps back. I was pleased to win, especially so when I found out that Katy was under the impression that she had come comfortably in first.

Andrew 12
Katy 10
Joe 7
Sam 6
Martin 5

After this delightful episode, we wondered what we could play until Ian arrived. We chose Zero Down, the game of picking up cards to achieve a scoreless hand.

As I recall, Martin was quickest to knock and not necessarily to his advantage. I thought I did well. At least, much better than before. I still came last, though. On the other hand, Katy discovered that another sure win was spoilt right at the end.

Joe 13
Katy 13
Martin 21
Sam 22
Andrew 23

We ended when Ian arrived and we reorganised into two groups of three. Ian, Martin and Katy played Azul while Sam, Joe and I had a Heaven and Ale rematch. I had actually been hoping this would be suggested, since I couldn't stand having the humiliation of the last game hanging over me.

I began the game scoring categories early, on the assumption that although they wouldn't score as much, I needed to get something on the board. Sam went for monks and Joe catapulted his Brewmeister up the score track with a low scoring shed.

I just read that last sentence back. Frankly, I'm amazed that board games are as popular as they are.

Meanwhile, on Azul, Katy had had a nightmare start. Her slow beginnings turned into a becalmed section midgame followed by a bit of a lull at the end. Ian, though, surged into contention and scored something like 30+ points in the last round to give Martin something to worry about. But Martin had the bonuses from three complete colours to see him home.

Martin 101
Ian 97
Katy 62

We were still midgame, so they began Krass Kariert, a card game of playing increasingly good hands. Or something. To be honest, most of the game and the accompanying conversations were completely opaque to me. I had no idea what was going on. They ended when we finished our game, and it stood (albeit unfinished)

Ian 2
Katy 2
Martin 1

Heaven and Ale finished with a sudden dash for glory from me. On the final round I was very single-minded and selfish, as I jumped from one scoring token to the next, triggering bonus cards and, eventually, barrels. Joe had to skip half the board when he saw this, just to grab the last token. Sam, I think, picked up tiles to finish off areas at his leisure.

Sam's early dominance was too great for me to overhaul. Joe finished by admitting that the game still hadn't quite clicked with him.

Sam 28
Andrew 27
Joe 10

Now Joe bowed out for the evening, despite it only being ten o'clock. A shocking decision but, in his defence, he had driven all the way from Totnes to be here tonight. Fair enough.

As a five piece, we chose Voodoo Prince. A very excellent and very mean trick taker from The Knizia. Everyone got shat on, except Martin who avoided going out first or last all game. However, despite her one failed round, Katy scored top points in three out of the five rounds and came second in the fourth for a narrow win. But spare a moment of sympathy for Ian who started one round with a four black and found that everyone either undercut him or couldn't follow suit so he won that trick, sending him out of the round. Vicious.

Katy 45
Martin 44
Andrew 33
Sam 33
Ian 24

Then, despite the late hour, we craved one more game. The Mind is advertised as being for two to four players. But why not five, we asked. Using the declining rate of rounds according to number of players, we decided that six rounds was an appropriate number for five players. It was a triumph and someone needs to tell the designers that they're selling themselves short.

Round one was easy, since Ian had 2 and Sam had 100. We lost a life in round two, but battled through a fraught round three unscathed. In that round, Sam and Katy both moved to place a card at the same time causing a significant pause for thought, and later I had to move fast to get my 53 under Katy's 54. It ended in fine style with 78, 82, 85.

Then round four was cleared without loss of life, despite ending 94, 95, 98. But our luck hit a pothole in round five, where we lost two lives, perhaps distracted by Katy's pronunciation of "6nimmt" as "6nimpt". At this late hour and under this kind of pressure, we found that hilarious.

We cleared round six with the loss of only one life, and so we set off into the Dark Mind with two lives still intact. This level of challenge is an absurd idea. Yet tantalisingly possible. You play as normal, except you play each card face down. How do you know how far to 100 you are? Read the atmosphere. Take your psychic bearings and then hope for the best.

To our delight, we cleared round one! But we failed on round two, losing our last two lives. Regrettably, we still had a shuriken card we could've used, but didn't.

And so, at half past eleven and with me thinking Joe might have done the right thing, but pleased I got to experience five-player The Mind, we set off home. Thanks all, for another special evening.