Some games require all kinds of adroit thought, slick wits, and a holy reverence for strategy. Other games are best played when all players love to carry on, prone to gambling, and given to fits of noise and well-displayed anguish. Diamant (German for "diamond" I assume) is the latter.
All players represent Indiana Jones-type explorers. Their aim is simple: to win the game with the most jewels (represented by diamonds and rubies). The game is played in 5 rounds, with each round proceeding as follows:
1. Each person places their Indiana Jones Meeple on the table. The first player flips a card from the stack of cards. It is either a hazard (poisonous gas--popular in our house, rockslides, explosions, scorpions, snakes, etc.) or a treasure card. If it is a treasure card, all players divide up the number of gems (if the card indicates a 10, and 3 people are playing, each player receives 3 gems), with the remainder staying on the card.
2. Each player then takes their Indy into their hand and then, on the count of 3, all players open either an empty hand (indicating that they are going to head back to camp with their treasure intact) or a hand with their Indy in it (indicating they are daring enough to keep exploring deeper into the cave).
3. A new card is flipped. Again, it is either treasure or hazard. If it is a hazard that matches a previously flipped hazard, all explorers in the cave are terrified, they turn and run, leaving all of their treasure in the cave, and the round is over. If it is treasure, however, the explorers still in the cave divide the number of gems indicated on the card, and they again decide to turn back or explore deeper yet. If they decide to turn back, they pick up any extra gems left behind on the previous cards.
4. Each game consists of 5 rounds. A round ends when either a second hazard is encountered, or all explorers turn Nancy and run, leaving the cave for the safety of Kum-bay-ya and smores.
5. All cards are then picked up, shuffled, and a new round of exploration begins.
I have played this game 3 times. I love to egg players on to be more daring, I love to stay in the cae and find huge amounts of jewels (as other players leave, explorers still in the cave get larger and larger shares of treasure). After 3 games, I ended with a grand total of...no treasure. I went home broke, alone and forsaken by the good men who funded this expedition of mine. I was too tempted by the prospect of great riches and deeper fortunes. Belinda, however, surprised me more than once by taking the safe route and turning back early. I guess she does not like asps or poison gas. The first "push-your-luck" game I have ever played, I absolutely loved it, every minute of Diamant.
Now if I could only learn to "...choose....wisely".
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Anger, knots, and victory
I am a competitive person. My wife, LaTanya, is incredibly competitive. It does not matter what game we are playing--both of us play to win. There is no such thing as letting anyone off the hook in our house. No game brings this out more than Ticket to Ride: Marklin. A retooled version of the venerable Ticket to Ride, it features tension, decisions, and entertainment in spades.
Each player is given the task of connecting various cities of various distances apart, each assignment given through different ticket cards. This connection is done by collecting colored cards that correspond with spaces (routes) on the board. Each turn, you are allowed to either (1) draw more colored cards, (2) place trains connecting two cities, (3) draw new destination tickets, or (4) move passengers along your routes, collecting tokens that count as points.
The tension comes from two places: either you take one of the above options, at the expense of the other, or one of the other players takes a route that you intended to occupy, which oftentimes forces you into rerouting your trains, ostensibly throwing a wrench into your entire plan. The anger comes from one of the tension-inducing options working completely against you. The accomplishment of victory, however, is very sweet indeed. In many games, you compete with yourself as much as your opponents.
During sessions of Ticket to Ride, I have been called various names, I have thrown cards and trains, I have refused to tally up my final scores out of sheer frustration, I have cheered as new players cruised to victory, have stood in anxiousness as my intended routes were nearly snatched up before I got to them, have slumped to the ground as my best laid plans came down in smithereens around me, and raised my hands in a hard fought victory from a bloodless but gory battle. It is easy to learn for many ages, the artwork is fantastic (second I believe only to Mr. Jack in my collection), and strikes a perfect balance of strategy, luck, and tension. One can learn to play in 10 minutes, and it is criminally easy to become addicted to its narcotic mixture of joy and anguish.
Each player is given the task of connecting various cities of various distances apart, each assignment given through different ticket cards. This connection is done by collecting colored cards that correspond with spaces (routes) on the board. Each turn, you are allowed to either (1) draw more colored cards, (2) place trains connecting two cities, (3) draw new destination tickets, or (4) move passengers along your routes, collecting tokens that count as points.
The tension comes from two places: either you take one of the above options, at the expense of the other, or one of the other players takes a route that you intended to occupy, which oftentimes forces you into rerouting your trains, ostensibly throwing a wrench into your entire plan. The anger comes from one of the tension-inducing options working completely against you. The accomplishment of victory, however, is very sweet indeed. In many games, you compete with yourself as much as your opponents.
During sessions of Ticket to Ride, I have been called various names, I have thrown cards and trains, I have refused to tally up my final scores out of sheer frustration, I have cheered as new players cruised to victory, have stood in anxiousness as my intended routes were nearly snatched up before I got to them, have slumped to the ground as my best laid plans came down in smithereens around me, and raised my hands in a hard fought victory from a bloodless but gory battle. It is easy to learn for many ages, the artwork is fantastic (second I believe only to Mr. Jack in my collection), and strikes a perfect balance of strategy, luck, and tension. One can learn to play in 10 minutes, and it is criminally easy to become addicted to its narcotic mixture of joy and anguish.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
OK, time for the first game
MR. JACK
I begin with this game for the simple reason that I find it nearly impossible for me to defeat Barb (my wife, whose name has been changed for protection). A difficult to find game, I am very glad that I sought it out.
The BASIC PREMISE: One person plays Jack the Ripper, the other plays an erstwhile inspector trying to apprehend Jack. Jack tries to escape by one of three means: escaping through one of two open exits at a corner of the board, eluding capture for eight rounds, or through a false accusation from the inspector.
I will post a longer description of the game later, but for now, all you need to know is that Barb has either escaped as Jack or nailed me as the inspector for each of the last 7 games. She has won several times as the inspector. I have never caught her as Jack. She is so cunning and sly, sticks to shadows well, which is why I love her. But one of these days, I will nab her and her red blade.
I begin with this game for the simple reason that I find it nearly impossible for me to defeat Barb (my wife, whose name has been changed for protection). A difficult to find game, I am very glad that I sought it out.
The BASIC PREMISE: One person plays Jack the Ripper, the other plays an erstwhile inspector trying to apprehend Jack. Jack tries to escape by one of three means: escaping through one of two open exits at a corner of the board, eluding capture for eight rounds, or through a false accusation from the inspector.
I will post a longer description of the game later, but for now, all you need to know is that Barb has either escaped as Jack or nailed me as the inspector for each of the last 7 games. She has won several times as the inspector. I have never caught her as Jack. She is so cunning and sly, sticks to shadows well, which is why I love her. But one of these days, I will nab her and her red blade.
An blind swipe at a stab in the dark
This is the first post I have ever attempted on a weblog. I am going to attempt to describe what I am going to attempt with this mess of thoughts. Here goes:
1. This blog will primarily be about boardgames. The occassional video game might slip in there somewhere, but my aim is to simply track my thoughts on my latest passion: boardgames.
2. I am also going to attempt to track what games I play, who I play them with, and who emerges victorious. Most of my games are with my wife, who is gracious and cool enough to play along with me. Though most of the times, she wins.
C. I can get kind of verbose at times.
4. If you don't like it, then get lost. Actually, I strongly believe that if anyone gives boardgames any sort of chance, one will find that they are quite possibly the most rewarding form of entertainment.
End of post
1. This blog will primarily be about boardgames. The occassional video game might slip in there somewhere, but my aim is to simply track my thoughts on my latest passion: boardgames.
2. I am also going to attempt to track what games I play, who I play them with, and who emerges victorious. Most of my games are with my wife, who is gracious and cool enough to play along with me. Though most of the times, she wins.
C. I can get kind of verbose at times.
4. If you don't like it, then get lost. Actually, I strongly believe that if anyone gives boardgames any sort of chance, one will find that they are quite possibly the most rewarding form of entertainment.
End of post
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