Games Played in 2009

This entry is based on something I wrote for BGG.

Normally I'd check out the Friendless Extended Boardgamegeek Stats Server for info about my plays for 2009, but it is not reachable at the moment .

So directly from my Boardgamegeek records I played 318 face-to-face games, made up of about 137 distinct games and expansions. Slightly down on 2008's 323 plays of about 140 distinct games and expansions.

• Expedition tops my play list with 33 plays - its been my "go to" gateway game for 2009 (and the second half of 2008).
• Chicago Express is second on 16 plays - this is my game of 2009. A share-buying, network-building railway game that plays in 60 minutes or less and which is more about getting others to help you more than you help them.
  
• 10 Days in Europe hit 10 plays, together with it's African cousin (6 plays) they are the most played filler games of 2009.
  

The nickels (fives) list is headed by Brass and On the Underground with 8 plays each.

• Brass was 2008's game, and I achieved the same number of plays this year (though twice this year I suffered the pain of coming second on the tie-break).
• On the Underground was Anne's Christmas present though many of 2009's plays were with Peter's copy prior Christmas. This train game is about gaining points through the often conflicting goals of connecting particular stations (or making loops) and meeting the needs of the travelling public.
  

I like card games almost as much as board games, I was introduced to climbing card games this year through Frank's Zoo and Tichu and if the player numbers are right Tichu may be a hit game of 2010. Other games I played for the first time this year, which will hopefully be back on the table regularly, are:

• Dschunke - A Michael Schacht game from 2002, it has blind bidding which is not my favourite auction form but I find this game intriguing
  
• Nefertiti - Another auction game set in, wait for it..., ancient Egypt
  
• 1960: The Making of the President and Twilight Struggle. These last two lent to me by different Andrews are the culmination of a quest to find a good game for me and Anne in the 1-3 hour category. Though we still haven't decided which one to buy.
  

I played 3 different prototypes this year: Andrew Rea introduced me to Dawn of Nations - a print-and-play dice game which is more interactive than Roll Through the Ages: The Bronze Age. Earlier in the year I played the latest versions of Jarratt's Age of Steam map and his Letter's of Marque.

There were a stack of game that I only played once. Many of which I'd like to play more, such as: Galaxy Trucker, Hansa, Modern Art, Patrician, Princes of the Renaissance, Sticheln and WildLife.

I regret not playing an 18XX game in 2009, not playing Stephenson's Rocket and playing far too little Age of Steam. On the other hand I did manage to reduce my unplayed games list to single digits.

My main gaming achievement for 2009 is establishing a regular gaming group at our place usually meeting on Friday nights.

The new gamers I played with in 2009 include:

• Andrew and Anna refugees from Brisbane and laid back Tichu fans who I met at Wellycon Warmup and are regulars on Friday nights
• Brandon a refugee from Auckland, introduced to me by Travis, and who has an unfortunate aversion to train games
  

For best days of gaming I'd have to choose between Wellycon Warmup, Wellycon Saturday, a couple of games of Die Macher and various birthday game sessions.

Thankfully I can report that I survived 2009 having been nagged into playing only 4 games of Dominion and 1 of Pandemic: On the Brink