Whose Thurn Is It Anyway?

Just like last week, I arrived late and caught the other gamers (Martin, Joe, Katy, Ian, Adam, Sam) in the middle of a fraught game of For Sale. In amongst all the complaining about their fate, Katy made the observation “I won’t tell you what my four lowest cards add up to, but it’s quite low,” to which Joe responded “Is it a single figure?” I guess Martin was really distracted because he didn’t point out that the four lowest cards can’t possibly add up to a single figure. Ian won, swooping in on the last round by picking up a 15 card with only a 21 bid.

Ian 54

Adam 49

Sam 47

Joe 44

Martin 39

Katy 21

Next we split into two groups. And, just like last week again, Joe, Adam and I joined up while the others went off and had fun somewhere else. There fun was called Mamma Mia, which Sam won.

Our fun was Thurn and Taxis, a game I wasn’t sure I’ve ever played but it looked familiar. Anyway, Adam gave a quick rules refresher and we were off! Well, Adam was off: picking up a province in his first turn. Joe and I did our best, but it was never to be. I lost a route when I couldn’t add to it. Joe, meanwhile, tried to tie up the entire central province in one long trail. Eventually he closed it with one city left because Adam sportingly told us he was about to end the game.

Adam 23

Joe 6

Andrew 3

Adam admitted to having played a lot against Steve and Anja. I’d like to play it again soon, before the rules slip away again.

In the other team, Mamma Mia had given way to American Bookshop. Katy won with 20 while the rest “collectively” got -10. Ian and Sam retired after this game, so Katy and Martin moseyed on over to our hangout to watch us finish off a quick game of Kingdomino. I don’t remember much about this game (and my notes are pretty illegible) but I do recall being amazed that I had the highest ELO points for this game. Before we started playing, that is.

Adam 64

Joe 59 (+ tiebreaker)

Andrew 59

Lastly as a five we had what is possibly the most exciting game of Texas Showdown I’ve played. After round one I was already in last, with four tricks. Then Katy had a run of bad luck: she kept choosing me to lead and then having to take the trick. She also had some connection problems that threatened the game. We asked who her provider was and discovered it was the Post Office. “No wonder it’s so slow,” we chorused, no doubt all imagining the postman delivering each download by hand.

Just after the start of round four, Joe and I were joint last with 8 tricks while Adam and Katy and Martin were joint first with 7. It was far too tense and the game went on for four or five more hands until one of us (Joe, I think) hit his 10th trick and triggered the end of the game.

Martin 7

Andrew 8

Katy 10

Joe 10

Adam 10

An excellent end to the evening. Well played all.