Pensacola Beach, Florida
February 19 – 22, 2004
Although we hold Gulf Games every six months, it seems as though years pass between each one. I am always SO anxious to get together again with all of the wonderful people, that the wait seems interminable. Of course, when we are actually planning the event, making decorations and name badges and tending to the myriad of details that help make each Gulf Games so special, there never seems to be enough time!
FRIDAY – TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14 – 17TH
Once again, Gulf Games began early for me. James Miller escaped the frozen tundra of northern Ohio and journeyed down to the bayou for several days of sight-seeing and Mardi Gras madness in the Big Easy. We were 2 bachelors for a long weekend, as Gail had departed on Thursday for 4 days in the Big Apple with some friends.
James and I spent Friday sight-seeing in the French Quarter, enjoying the sights, street performers and food. Later that night, Westbank Gamer Jim Fairchild joined us for a few games: Railroad Dice and Nuggets. This was my first playing of Nuggets and I found the game quite intriguing, although a bit prone to the “cone of silence” syndrome. In other words, lots of staring, thinking and little chatter. Still, I’m not averse to such games, and this one was enjoyable.
Railroad Dice: Jim 54, James 48, Greg 42
Ratings: Jim 9, Greg 8.5, James 8
Nuggets: James 26, Greg 17, Jim 5
Ratings: Greg 6.5, Jim 6.5, James 6
On Saturday, we visited the outstanding National D-Day museum. I’ve visited the museum numerous times and always am mesmerized by it. The quality of the museum is on par with the Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C. I’ll never tire of visiting it.
We returned home for some rest before heading over to meet my good friends Tom & Ann Cortazzo for a Mardi Gras parade. This was James’ first carnival parade and he really enjoyed it, catching an abundance of beads, doubloons and cups. After the parade, we returned to the Cortazzo home for a few games, including Traumfabrik.
Sunday brought another Mardi Gras parade: the Krewe of Alla. It was a chilly day, but the sun shone brightly, giving both James and I a bit of a sunburn. We caught lots of loot from the generous riders. We returned home and were joined by fellow Westbank Gamer Dave Atwood and the Scottish clan of Ian Borthwick, Desmond Middleton and Moira Baxter. It was great to have Ian and Desmond back at the bayou bungalow, and a true pleasure to meet Desmond’s fianc Moira.
I taught the group Oasis, and we closed with a 5-player game of Wildlife. Moira was a bit tired from their Birmingham – New Orleans journey, so she opted to crash on the sofa and watch a bit of television.
Dez destroyed us in Oasis, while I managed a come-from-behind victory in Wildlife.
Oasis: Desmond 143, Mona 94, Ian 74, Dave 68, James 53
Ratings: Desmond 8, Dave 7, James 7, Ian 6, Mona 5
Wildlife: Round-by-round scores:Round 1: James 33, Greg 24, Desmond 22, Ian 15, Dave 11Round 2: Ian 55, Desmond 53, Greg 53, Dave 45, James 43Round 3: Greg 87, Dave 78, Desmond 78, Ian 69, James 67
Ratings: James 8, Desmond 8, Greg 7.5, Dave 7.5, Ian 6.5
Monday was a work day for me, so James did a bit of shopping and sight-seeing while I was occupied. That night, we packed the bags in preparation for Gulf Games. We also managed to get in a few 2-player games, including Carcassonne: The Castle. Once again I failed to scoop the special tokens, which cost me the game. Still, I thoroughly enjoy this 2-player version.
After a bit of work on Tuesday, we headed to Pensacola that afternoon. The drive is fairly short, just over 3 hours. We arrived in time to freshen-up and meet-up with Ian, Desmond and Moira. We opted for dinner at Flounders, which was unusually crowded for a Tuesday evening. After dinner, we returned to the game room, where Tim & Vickie Watson and Joe Huber were waiting.
We were a bit surprised by the layout of the game room, and it was Vickie who discovered that the hotel had mixed-up the three page room diagram she had FAXed them. So, we had to rearrange the room, a chore which took a bit of time. Not too much time, though, as we managed to play a few games before retiring for the evening.
Ark of the Covenant.
Yet another installment in the Carcassonne franchise. This one has some interesting twists and is my favorite of the series. The addition of the Ark gives players another option on their turn and does add another strategic element. Ian, Desmond, James and I traveled back to the time of the Old Testament.
Finals: Greg 103, Ian 76, Desmond 51, James 49
Ratings: Ian 8, Greg 7.5, Desmond 7, James 6.5
King Me.
We closed the evening with a 6-player game of King Me. In spite of having a healthy dose of “bluffing”, an element I usually am not terribly fond of, this game is light enough that I am not bothered by this. Vickie proved the most astute at maneuvering her candidates up the ranks of the King’s court.
Finals: Vickie 756, Greg 64, James 63, Tim 61, Joe 56, Ian 48
Ratings: Ian 7, Vickie 6, Greg 6, James 6, Tim 6, Joe 5
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH
Wednesday was preparation day. A ever-growing crew spent the better part of the day decorating the room. James Miller managed to get the electric air pump operating and spent several hours blowing-up the nearly 100 inflatable sea critters that we hung from the ceiling. Joe Huber was assigned the task of attaching the ceiling clips to the critters, while I used my favorite toy – the ceiling pole – to hang the inflatable critters from the ceiling.
After the ceiling decorations were hung, it was time to construct the tiki hut. When Vickie first suggested the idea of constructing a hut, I was, well, skeptical. She always has some wonderful ideas, but the amount of work required frightened me. As we struggled to tie the bamboo polls and get them straight, I must admit that my skepticism increased. However, things managed to come together and soon we had a very authentic tiki hut to serve as our Beach Bazaar. It really did add to the atmosphere and was quite impressive. Bravo, Vickie!
Many other volunteers helped with the decorations, which made the process go smoothly. Still, it did take us the better part of the day to complete. The outcome was well worth it. The room was stunning and very, very festive.
A large group of us enjoyed a dinner together at Crabs, a seafood restaurant near the hotel. I really enjoy the time spent with the wonderful folks who attend Gulf Games, and going to dinner with some super friends just adds to the experience. We joked, we laughed and had a fantastic time. It was especially amusing when Chris Comeaux cracked a king crab claw and a piece flew off, striking Ian Borthwick in the head!
After dinner, it was time for a few games. Well, in my case, one game played twice.
Tongiaki.
This was my “most played” game of the convention. I think that only Jay Jones played it more than me. I had played it only once previously, and that was a 6-player affair at a Westbank Gamers session. Truth-be-told, I wasn’t very impressed after this playing, as the board changed so drastically from turn-to-turn that I felt there wasn’t much control. However, I was still planning on playing the game with 4 and 5 players to see if one’s control – and my opinion – improved. Fortunately, after numerous additional playings, I found that the answer was “yes” on both accounts. I found myself enjoying each subsequent game more and more, and actually looking forward to playing it again after each playing. Sure, there is still a decent element of luck involved, but there is more control and strategy present than initially meets the eye.
My first game involved Ward Batty, Ed Rozmiarek, Jay Jones and myself. Ed proved to be the best explorer.
Finals: Ed 30, Ward 25, Greg 18, Jay 18
Ratings: Ed 7, Jay 7, Ward 6.5, Greg 6.5
Jay and I stuck together for an additional playing, being joined by Chris Comeaux, Stven Carlberg and Chris Jones. My opinion of the game improved, in spite of losing yet again.
Finals: Stven 28, Jay 25, Greg 22, Chris C. 20, Chris J. 5
Ratings: Jay 8, Chris J. 7, Stven 7, Greg 7, Chris C. 5.5
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19TH
Thursday marked the official opening of Gulf Games 13. All of the preparations had been made and the room was festively decorated. The atmosphere was exciting and the months of anticipation had finally come to fruition. Let me tell you, Gulf Games is simply fantastic and the excitement when one begins is titillating.
Lots of folks arrived on Thursday. It is always fun to watch folks enter the game room. I enjoy the expression on their faces as they look around and are amazed by the decorations and the overall atmosphere. Plus, it is fun to greet each one, welcoming old friends and meeting new ones. It is truly magical.
The big event on Thursday was our Welcome Party. Since we were meeting in Pensacola Beach, it was only appropriate that the theme of the event would be ‘Back to the Beach’. Thus, it was only natural that our Welcome Party required everyone to be in “beach attire”! The results was amazing and highly entertaining. There are some super photos of folks in their “beach best” up on the Gulf Games website and I encourage everyone to take a look:
www.gulfgames.org
Some highlights: Kim McCarthy in her turn-of-the-century (early 1900’s!) swimwear; Mark & Mindy Engelberg as snorkelers; Henry Hunger (who won the “bravest” award!) in swim trunks and towel; Ian Borthwick and Desmond Middleton in bizarre, early 1900’s beach attire, complete with handkerchiefs on their heads; and, of course, Lee Hendee wearing a grass skirt and shell brassiere. That photo will come back to haunt him one day!
Stven Carlberg was our master of ceremonies and kept things moving along nicely. Our group Take It Easy contest was won by Philip Sasse with a score of 186. The clever group “mixer” had everyone scurrying about the room trying to find folks who had the same answers they did . and in the same location. I tied with Mark Engelberg (I believe), but he had more answers in a row than I did to capture the victory. Kudos to Stven for another fun Welcome Party.
Now for a summary of the games I played on Thursday:
Take it Easy (2x)
Always a fun, quick, puzzle-like game.
Game 1: Joe Huber 141, Vickie Watson 119, Ethan Huber 103, Greg 101 Game 2 (contest): Tim Watson 126, Susan Rozmiarek 118, Greg 114, Bradford Gaalema 70, Jeff Stephens 65, Larry Levy – disqualified (he forgot to place a tile!)
Oasis (2x)
I played and taught this new UberPlay release numerous times throughout the convention. While some complain of the “luck of the draw”, I find the game immensely fun and challenging. I look for it to receive a nomination for the International Gamers Awards and the Spiel des Jahre.
Game 1: Ty Douds 91, Greg 78, Kenny Douds 62, Calvin Douds 42, Dave Vander Ark 37
Ratings: Ty 8, Kenny 8, Calvin 8, Greg 7.5, Dave 6
China Moon
A game that seems as though it should play fast and quick, but actually is prone to over-thinking. It also has a nasty “king-making” problem that rears its ugly head too often. My opinion of the game has dropped from my early playings.
Finals: Chris Lohroff 8, Elaine Lohroff 7, Julie Weston 4, Susan Rozmiarek 1, Greg 1
Rome – Circus Maximus
Although very basic, I still find this Reiner Knizia chariot racing game from GMT’s Rome compilation to be quite intriguing and challenging. It is amazing how each game feels different from previous ones. I’m still searching for the perfect chariot racing game, though.
Winner: Greg
Ratings: Leon Hendee 8, Greg 7.5, Ian Borthwick 7, Jeanette Vander Ark 6, Desmond Middleton 6
Tongiaki
Along with Oasis, this is the game that I taught the most different people how to play. Yes, there is luck of the draw and an increasing lack of control when playing with more players, but I find the game to be interesting and intriguing. There are some clever moves and tactics one can employ, particularly when playing with 4 or even 5 players. I don’t recommend playing with 6.
Finals: Jay Jones 21, Susan Hendee 16, Michael Weston 14, Julie Weston 12, Greg 10
Ratings: Jay , everyone else 7
Bonobo Beach
I never had the opportunity to play Cronberg, so pestered Kevin Gonzalez to teach Bonobo Beach to me. Bonobo is the same game as Cronberg, but with a beach theme. How appropriate! Yes, the game is light, easy and very straight-forward. Still, it was reasonably enjoyable and just might be something Gail and her parents would enjoy.
Finals: Shay Douds 33, Greg 14, Michael Weston 4, Kevin Gonzalez 2
Ratings: Kevin 6, Shay 6, Greg 6, Michael 5
Maya
An abbreviated game as we only completed 2 rounds prior to aborting the game due to the approaching Welcome Party. I find the game very enjoyable with lots to think about. Some have claimed this is a “brain-burner”, but I just don’t see it as being that intense.
Finals: Jim Cobb 24, Greg 23, Peter McCarthy 22, Ty Douds 16, Lenny Leo 10
Die Steven Segal (Die Sieben Seagal)
I am very, very intrigued by this clever trick-taking game from Steffan Dorra. Sometimes I feel I have a good grip on strategy, while at other times, I feel as though I’m a fish out of water. This was one of those times as I was left gasping for air by my more astute opponents.
Finals: Christine Simundson 7, Rick Thornquist 9, Derk Solko 9, Greg 15, Jay Jones 25
Ratings: Rick 8, Derk 8, Greg 7.5, Christine 6.5, Jay 6
Guillotine
It has been a long, long time since I played this very light, yet quite fun card game of chopping off heads. I did miss using the miniature guillotine that I use with my set!
Finals: Greg 15, Sheldon Smith 14, Laura Smith 13, Derk Solko 12, Joe Bennett 11
Terra
When last visiting with Tim & Vickie Watson up in Madison, Mississippi, Gail, Tim, Vickie and I played this game 7 times in succession. We finally overcame all of the world’s problems in the 7th game! Although the game admittedly has some problems, we all had a good time and found it to be quite enjoyable. Sadly, the group I taught it to here was far less enthused, as the world collapsed into chaos very quickly.
Players: Ward Batty, Craig Berg, Sheldon Smith, James Miller, Jeanette Vander Ark, Greg
Stalking the Perfect Tan
The ever-clever Joe Huber designs a game for each Gulf Games he attends. This edition’s game had an appropriate theme – searching for the perfect tan. The game was a clever dice-rolling, push-your-luck affair.
Finals: Sheldon Smith 260, Joe Huber 220, Ben Baldanza 200, Greg 180, Joe Bennett 90, Larry Levy 90