Birthday Games (13 February 2010)

It was a bit hectic the weekend before my birthday with the Wellington Sevens plus being out of town for half the week, so I organised my birthday games for the following weekend.

Peter, Michelle, Abbey, Lara and Lance were the first people to arrive. They arrived at the same time that my friend Graeme rang up and by the time I was off the phone On the Underground was on the table. Even though Peter has owned this game much longer than Anne has, it was Michelle's first time.

Michelle 34
Ian      31
Lance    30
Anne     29
Peter    28

While we were playing Abbey and Lara played some Mancala, and more people arrived. Brandon brought a huge box of games including Hoity Toity which he played with John B, Craig, Leonie and Nigel.

After On the Underground Michelle played Trans America with Siobhan, Abbey and Lara. While I taught Peter Sylla, Christians were persecuted, the slave revolted and the Senate was purged. John was first Consul, I was the second, John was third, Lance fourth and I the last and Peter stayed out of politics.

Lance  61
John R 59
Peter  50
Ian    50

Meanwhile yet more people had arrived and John B taught Craig and Luke Hansa Teutonica, Brandon introduced Leonie and Anne to Villa Paletti. Then Siobhan, Abbey, Lara and Michelle had a go. The third game involved 3 pairs Brandon and Anne, Siobhan and Leonie, Michelle and Lara.

It was heading towards dinner time and Peter, Michelle and girls left, so we were looking for short games Brandon pulled out High Society and Luke, Nigel and I joined him. At 5:30pm I optimistically thought that I could teach and play Traders of Cathage in 30 minutes. Lance got one more VP than John R but neither actually counted their VPs!

After a pot luck dinner involving Craig's Guinness pie, Brandon's pasta, Luke's chicken curry, Claire's vegi-curry, Anne's cake, and my quiche, we went back to games. Brandon, Luke, Travis and Nigel played Ys. Leonie, Craig, Frog and John R played Factory Manager. While I pulled out another of my unplayed games: Owner's Choice. This turns out to be a really light dice based share trading game. In game one:

Lance  $1190
Claire  $880
Anne    $840
Ian     $790

In game two we made much more money

Lance  $1430
Ian    $1400
Anne   $1300
Claire $1060

Siobhan was keen on joining a game so we played Villa Paletti a colourful Jenga-like dexterity game which she played with no fear. After all she was the only one of us who had played before. Who cares who won?

Claire left, as did Craig, Leonie and Siobhan and Nasia had arrived in time to play Traumfabrik with Anne, Frog and John R. Meanwhile who knows why Nigel was keen on Reef Encounter, but it had been so long since any of us had played with had to relearn it (even Lance). When Lance pulled off a sneaky coral dominance move Nigel himself started to doubt the wisdom of wanting to play this game.

I did well with my first piece of coral but lost my way after that. While Luke made an amazing run from the back to win in his first game.

Luke  73
Lance 64
Nigel 59
Ian   50

It was close to 2am before Anne and I got to bed after a very successful birthday games. And the tradition of the birthday boy not winning on their birthday continues unbroken.