SpielByWeb

[smlait]

We really do need a nicknames field - it always feels weirdly formal when people call me "smlait".
-Susan

[stargate]

[stargate]

map choice --- map-112
it just went public and has only 5 games played so far
there is a good chance none of the tournament players
have played on this map

[Rebelslayer]

Thanks for the kiss of death stargate!

[stargate]

[gische]

3C1 - gische over Djura 271 - 264
3C2 - Djura over gische 155 - 155 (money tiebreaker $21-$2)
3C3 - gische over Djura 221 - 213

Very close games, all.

[t_o_m9]

is this tournament still going on?

[Kanga]

Yes, unfortunately my game with Alashar is dragging behind a little bit. It is in the closing stages, but we average 2 moves each a day, and it might still be a few days before completion. I think I am going to win at least 2 of the games; I have an unassailable lead in one game and I think I am well clear in the other. Once it becomes a little more certain I'll start the next round.

I have not yet decided the map - I've purposely avoided making a definite decision until we are ready to go. My shortlist scribbled on a piece of paper here says 145, 112, 116, 74 and 15. Any others... last chance for suggestions.

The final I think will be played on the original chewed dogbone map (3 or 4), so that there are no advantages to anyone (we've all played it enough).


As an aside, I'll also run a couple of multiplayer Hac tournaments shortly, once the 5 player progresses to the final.

[Kanga]

Kanga defeated Alashar 3-0, each game the margin was around 20-30 points in the end.

That means the semi finals are

Rebelslayer vs gische
Kanga vs t_o_m9

Because I am in the semi final, Djura will choose the map from the short list above, and post the map shortly..!

Good luck everyone.

[Rebelslayer]

So we can still make it an all Australian final if we can both win Kanga!

[Djura]

I like map 112 for the symmetry and lack of "pampas advantage", plus it is not too big so some interaction should come naturally.
May the best players win!!
and fun for all
Djura

[Kanga]

Typical, she chooses the one I like the least lol.

The games can be called

2 player semi A1/2/3 for Rebelslayer v gische
2 player semi B1/2/3 for my match v tom.

Password: semifinal

[Rebelslayer]

Reb vs gische created ... gl + hf

[Kanga]

Kanga v tom

A great series of matches!

After looking at my tiles in the 3 games I thought I was history. I had no pampas at all in any game, and at least 4 of one land type with 2 other voids in each game. However the map turned out not to punish those without pampas as other maps we've tried have done. As it turned out, it was Round 10 (!!!) before I drew my first pampas in any game.

The variant one game saw me get an amazing run of horses early in the game. I was dealt 3 and picked up 4 more in the first 3 rounds. Tom made moves to block my horses, but I had too many and ended up making large amounts of cash. Tom was unable to collect many of a single type and was always playing catchup. The halfway margin of 13 points ended up at 41, helped by me picking up a further 4 horses after the halfway mark.

The no variant game was a classic contrast in styles. Tom went about touching markets like they were going out of fashion. I started building a large land mass along the right bottom edge of the main land mass. Tom they proceeded to run a line of sheep along below the centre two markets, cutting me off, as it turned out permanently. I had to settle for touching other markets with my now large land chain. At the halfway mark, Tom had touched 9 markets to my 5 - but I had more cash and had bought more water and hacienda points, and amazingly scores were tied at the halfway mark.

Tom in the second half of the game touched the 10th market and then played a series of blocking moves to completely seal me out from the centre two markets. This seemed to give him a game winning lead. About two turns before the end he had a 10 point lead by my calculations, however Tom miscounted, thought he led by more and bought out animals, allowing me to pinch the game with my last move. Had he bought and played more land, I dont think I'd have caught him.

Looking back, I think the game swinging move for me was buying the last hacienda and placing it on a single land tile. At the time, Tom had a 3 tile land mass he could have hacienda'd the turn before. That 3 tile land mass ended up 11 tiles long.

The variant two game looked like being the decider for most of the match, as I assumed I was going to lose the no variant game. It was touch and go all game. At no stage in the game did one player look in control. We both reached all the markets in this game. Oddly enough, after not drawing a single pampas until Round 14, my 3rd and last pampas, played on the last turn between two waters on my hacienda chain, boosted me to a 1 point victory.

Great games tom, and bad luck on the narrow loss.

[t_o_m9]

Great games. Hope we do this again