Serenissima

Since Sam and Andrew are unable to make this Tuesday's games night, a weekend fixture was arranged. With four hungry gamers around the board, a truncated game (only eight rounds) of Serenissima was chosen as this evening's feast. This game mixes co-operation with warfare in a delicately balanced recreation of two hundred years of trading history across the Mediterranean using specially designed boats that sink the moment the last sailor steps off them.

Adam and Jonny were the first to build up their reserves, making a deal to sell into each others' capitals for 1000 ducat bonuses. The extra wealth went to Adam's head as he built two galleys full of men and set forth to Istanbul to take Andrew's capital, only to find his path blocked by Jonny who had plans to sell there for another 1000 ducat bonus. His plan scuppered, he never quite got back into the game.

Soon after that, in round five, the sight of five newly built war galleys flying under Sam's flag were sighted on the Lybian coast. Everyone took evasive action as battle commenced, such that Sam couldn't get through his opponents' blockade to their capitals. Unable to deliver a knockout blow, he struggled against his newly distrustful trading partners despite offering to make tea. Round eight rolled around, and Andrew made sure of victory by filling his capital with goods and swooping in for a last minute raid on one of Jonny's full warehouses. Final score: Andrew 42, Jonny 34, Adam 32, Sam 25.

So Andrew, in an uncommon run of form, picked up his second win in as many games nights. Although it cannot be described as a great victory considering Jonny had never played it before, Adam thought he might have played it but wasn't sure, and Sam was clearly not on best form as he spent most of the evening forgetting colours and words.

The Leaderboard

	Played	Points
Joe	10	15
Adam	11	12
Sam	7	10
Andrew	13	10
Jonny	6	8
Steve	3	6
Quentin	1	1
Hannah	1	1
Will	1	1

From now there'll be a new scoring system, whereby the amount of points you get for a win depends on the number of players. So in a four-player game, first place gets four points, second place gets three, third gets two and last gets one. That way, everyone gets something for turning up. Which is also why all the people on zero points last time have now got points for being there. I know, in theory, everyone else should also get points for attending, but I'm too lazy to go back over the emails and work out the scores again.