Space in Vegas

Nine of us arrived at Steve and Anja’s this evening. Apart from the hosts, we were: myself, Sam, Andy, Matt, Katy, Ian, and Joe. We discussed what to play, initially thinking that a 3x3 way split would make sense. But then Katy saw the dazzling bright lights of Lords of Vegas that Joe, me and Ian had chosen and asked to join in. The others went for a five player game: Istanbul.

Lords of Vegas was, as usual, a roller coaster of moaning about your luck and complimenting yourself on facing down Lady Fate. Katy, the newcomer, shot off into an early lead thanks to her twin three-point silver casinos bouncing her merrily along the score track. But when she got to the four-point end of the track, she stalled, and it was just a race to if we could catch her up before the game ended.

While we wheeled and dealed (or dealt, as spellcheck is insisting), the fellows of Istanbul finished their game.

Matt 5
Sam 4 + 23 cash
Andy 4 + 12
Steve 3 + 31
Anja 3 +26

Lots of money in that game, apparently due to a last minute dash for cash to try and get the upper hand in the tie-breaker.

Back in Vegas, it was a close run thing, with Katy ending the game owning no casinos at all. But the Game Over card came out just in time to save her. Joe needed one more turn to illegaly expand his huge casino onto Sunset Strip, but it was not to be. We all said how close it was, except Katy, who pointed out she had $39 million in reserve and would’ve won any tie-breaker. She also made sure I wrote that down.

Near the end of LoV: I finally managed to take over Katy's casino

in the bottom right. Joe was unable to get his brown five-tile

casino to expand onto the Strip

Katy 32
Andrew 29 + cash
Ian 29
Joe 26

An exciting game. And if that weren’t enough Vegas for your, they were playing Vegas Boulevard on the other table (the expansion to Vegas)!

Matt 490
Andy 460
Steve 430
Sam 390

Our dice quota had all been fully satisfied, but what about our card quota? Clearly, there was still room for one more game: a rousing nine-player 6nimmt! With everyone standing! As games should be. Either that or perched on a shooting stick, pipe in mouth, with hair slicked across in a sensible side parting.

It was a quickish two-round affair and Ian upset the form book by not being last. That role was filled by Sam who came last in both rounds and picks up a painful eight on the form table. Katy scored nothing in the first round, and her second would have been clear, too if she hadn’t listened to us and made a last minute change on her choice.

1. Katy 11
2. Joe 13
3. Steve 15
4. Andrew 29
5. Matt 33
6= Andy 35
6= Anja 35
7. Ian 36
8. Sam 53

And with that, we were on our way back home. Tired and, just for a change, mostly sober. The form table looks like this, with no one really putting any space between them and the rest. Still, it’s early days.

						Points
Andrew	4	2	4	3	1	14
Andy	6	2	3	2	2	15
Sam	8	4	2	1	1	16
Katy	1	1	5	5	5	17
Matt	5	1	1	5	5	17
Steve	3	3	4	5	5	20
Joe	2	4	5	5	5	21
Anja	6	5	3	4	5	23
Ian	7	3	5	5	5	25

Oh, and the blog title is meant to be a pun on Space Invaders, in case you didn't notice.