November 11th: Gathering of Friends 5

Gathering of Friends 5

updated: 11/9, changes/additions in RED

It's time for another game get-together. Saturday, November 11th is the day. A couple of weeks before the madness for those affected by the retail season, just when it's starting to get really cold.

It's been difficult (almost impossible) to get everyone together during the summer, due to the nice weather, vacations, picnics, and graduation season. A few attempts that I've made have not been successful - although I've had some nice opportunities to break out a few titles (and Grayson and I have been busy trying out a few new titles, like Masons and The Great Space Race).

Here's what I had in mind for November:

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Gathering of Friends 5
Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania
November 11th, 2006
1pm to 10pm

The Gathering of Friends 5 will be a more open format than in previous years. Instead of a strict tournament format, this year will be more of a "convention" format, with games hosted by individuals at various times. Also, space will be provided for "open" gaming, so that friends can simply decide upon a game when they chose, and can match up opponents from who's available.

Times:
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Start: 1 pm
Finish: 10 pm?


Games with a host:
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David, Mare Nostrum, 5-6 players, 3 hrs
David, Antike, 4-6 players, 2 hrs
Taber, Capitol, 3-4 players, 1.5 hrs
Kevin, Caylus, 3-5 players, 3 hrs
Kevin, Mykerinos, 4 players, 1.5 hours
Michael "Willy Joe" K., Settlers of Catan, 4-6 players, 2 hrs
Al J., St. Petersburg, 3-4 players, 90 mins
Doug F., Power Grid, 3-6 players, 2 hours
Doug F.,Puerto Rico, 3-5 players, 2 hours
Kim F., Ticket to Ride, 3-5 players, 1 hour
Jared M., San Juan, 4 players, 90 minutes

Some possible games needing a host:
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Alhambra, 3-5 players, 1.5-2 hrs
Through the Desert, 2-5 players, 1.5 hrs
Quiddler, 4-8 players, 1 hr
Scrabble, 3-4 players, 1.5 hrs
Risk, 4-6 players, 2-3 hrs

The announcement on 11-9 is posted here.
http://brettspielcafe.blogspot.com/2006/11/gof5-in-39-hours.html

Okay, it's finally here. Who will blink?

Okay, Roads and Boats has finally arrived (has it been years since it's been available to buy from a store?). Here's where I've been able to find it:

Boards and Bits, $89.66 + $35.71 for @cetera (the mandatory expansion), +$9 shipping = $134.37

Thoughthammer, $96 + $30, or $126 for the set + FREE SHIPPING = $126.

Okay guys, who's going to grab this one?

Man vs. Machine

From an article in Chessbase.com:

In November classical chess world champion 30-year old Vladimir Kramnik plays a 6-game match against the computer program Deep Fritz. The prize fund is one million dollars, and the title sponsor the giant German energy concern RAG.

Ask about his chances, Kramnik reacted cautiously: "Fritz examines millions of moves per second. It is extraordinarily difficult to play against such a calculating monster. Right from the start you are walking on a very narrow ridge, and you know that any inattentiveness will be your downfall. It is a scientific experiment and I will have to fight very hard for my chance. The great chess duels between human and artificial intelligence, played at the highest level, have always fascinated the public."

In 1997 former World Champion Garry Kasparov (Russia) lost in New York against Deep Blue. Kramnik, who defeated Kasparov in their world championship match in 2000, achieved a draw against Deep Fritz in Bahrain in 2002, just as Kasparov did a year later in New York.

Source: Chessbase.com

New Power Grid Expansion: Benelux & Eastern Europe

New Power Grid expansion on the way! (Doug and Jared will like this). Titled: Benelux & Eastern Europe, it's available at Funagain.com for preorder, at $11.95. I could be talked into playing this expansion.

(no picture... yet. Funagain sez it will be available in October, 2006)

Another important note, Roads and Boats is available for pre-order at Boards and Bits. Retailing at $120, this one's only $89.66 on preorder apparently. Check out the expansion, &cetera for $35.71 (retail $45). I've written about this monster several times in the past... perhaps it is time to spring for this out-of-print-until-now baby?

They have it due to be shipped on August 21st.

Thurn: got it

Tammy surprised me with a gift of a game I had been talking (hinting?) about: Thurn und Taxis, the Spiel des Jahres (game of the year) winner for 2006.

Looks good!

Here's some facts about the game:

1) Designed by Andreas Seyfarth (Puerto Rico) and his wife, Karen.
2) Published by Hans Im Gluck and Rio Grande.
3) 2-4 players, transportation theme.
4) $21.42 from Thoughthammer.
5) Rated 79th on the 'Geek (as of August, 2006), average rating 7.6
6) Has a "heaviness" rating of 2.45 (Ticket to Ride is 1.83, Settlers is 2.37, Caylus is a 3.73).

Check out this neat "making of Thurn and Taxis" (machine translated from German to English) posting.


Ready to play?