The price of bananas goes bananas

I was late to Joe’s kitchen table but, for once, had missed no games. Apparently the first ten minutes of this week’s games night was spend in polite conversation. Not sure how to react to the fact that this ended once I’d arrived.

We were initially six, with Martin and Anja expected later. So Joe, Sam, Ian, Adam H, Katy and I began with Flip 7, the Pairs-esque card game with added dickishness. Katy played like someone who thought that the further you fell behind, the more you had to push your luck. Which is kind of logical but she ended with no points at all and made me think it might be a good thing if we never go to Vegas. Adam scored 73 in the single round to pass the 200-point finishing line.

Adam 202

Andrew 174

Joe 166

Ian 148

Sam 83

Katy 0

Then Martin arrived and while we waited for news from Anja, the seven of us played Puerto Banana. It’s actually a six player game but by using a clover from a nearby copy of So Clover, we were easily able to stretch it to cover seven.

In this game, we have to buy bananas and we get to chose whatever value we want. But, the twist is that the winner of each auction only pays the difference between the highest and second highest bid. However, if this price is too high then the winner loses everything and then the second placed bid is compared to the third placed bid and so on.

Very silly. Joe’s opening bid was 800, which was much higher than anyone else had put and, indeed, was the highest bid of the whole game. I somehow went through the entire game not winning or losing any bids at all and so ended with the same 10 money that I started with.

Late in the game, high bids become the norm.

Martin 206

Ian 118

Katy 86

Sam 53

Joe 36

Adam 28

Andrew 10

Then we split into two groups, bearing in mind that Anja would be here soon. The trio of Joe, Adam and Ian chose Tower Up - a shorter game with an eye to accommodating Anja when she arrived.

On the other half of the tabel, Sam, Katy and Ian played Pioneer. Place roads across the continent of North America and drop meeples as you go. Pick up different passengers (farmer, banker etc) and trigger their special action as a bonus. “What does a gold digger do?” asked Katy. “Dig gold,” replied Sam. Martin became frustrated at the fact he only had one action per turn late into the game, even though he was cash rich.

I won a sterling victory thanks to my extensive network. Pity it was a victory in a game whose rather blasé attitude to the colonisation (the game’s words) of the United States sat slightly uncomfortably with us.

Andrew 67

Martin 58

Sam 57

Katy 55

During this period, Anja arrived. Adam only had one roof left in Tower Up, so it wouldn’t be long before that game finished.

Adam 52

Ian 49

Joe 40

Then they played Sheepy Time, which Ian won.

Sadly, after Pioneer, my body clock had wound down so I set off home. In my absence, Katy, Sam and Martin played Khan of Khans

Sam 670

Martin 630

Katy 380

And then two games of Viking Seesaw with Sam and Katy winning one each.

On the other half of the table Joe, Ian, Anja and Adam played So Clover but I don’t know the results. But that’s okay. Does history have to know everything?

Lovely evening. See you all soon!