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My WBC gaming flops and eating adventure
Loc Nguyen
United States
groton
Connecticut
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I was introduced to euros in fall of 2008. I was addicted and decided to go to the WBC last year. Even though my total plays at the time was in the 70ish range, I was pretty successful in the few games that I knew. So this year, I was expecting a great leap in expectations. Instead, I faced the dreaded Sophomore Slump.
This year I promised myself to get better food than last year's burger lunch and hot dog dinner. So I scheduled when and where I'd go for food.
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1.
Board Game: Hotels
[Average Rating:5.34 Overall Rank:7507]
Loc Nguyen
United States
groton
Connecticut
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Wednesday:
Unlike everyone else who made a geeklist, I did not stay at the Lancaster Host. I stayed at the Holiday Inn Express down the street. It was pretty bad for the price that they charge. I prepaid $124 a night and encountered some bugs, a big crack in the bath tub, and a very small swimming pool. (The previous year, I stayed at the Knights Inn. Super cheap but you get what you pay for.)
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Loc Nguyen
United States
groton
Connecticut
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[Heat 2]
The first event I enter every year is March Madness. I learned it 5 minutes before a heat last year and had some bad rolls. This year I got 2007 Ohio St versus 59' Cincinnati. I had a 33 to 22 halftime lead due to being able to play more cards. The second half was terrible as I couldn't roll for any new cards and traded my good Man to Man coaching card for an Uptempo card. I ended up losing 58 to 72.
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Loc Nguyen
United States
groton
Connecticut
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At 11, I went to check into my hotel. Even though there was only 8 cars in the parking lot, they still wouldn't let me check in early. So I ended up at DJ's Taste of the 50's. I got their Creamed Chip Beef on Home Fries and a Vanilla Shake for about $10. Pretty good, will probably go back for lunch next year.
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Loc Nguyen
United States
groton
Connecticut
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[Heat 2]
I made the Semifinals lat year in this event with a win on the USA map. This year, the USA map used the new deck. There was one clear leader to my left throughout the game. In the last round we battled pretty hard for a 5 city plant which I paid 76 for. The next 3 plants drawn could also power 5 which meant I wasted alot of money and how I ended up 4th. 4 people could power 14 but my plants were a 6-5-3 capacity while everyone else had a 5-5-4 so I needed one more round for the win.
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Loc Nguyen
United States
groton
Connecticut
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[Heat 1]
I've only played this with 5 players before the WBC while the heats were 4 player games. I went last most of the time which was more beneficial since I probably had the most experience at the table. I made some bad choices in round 3 that let my opponents catch up and won by a mere $4.
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6.
Board Game: Agricola
[Average Rating:8.25 Overall Rank:2]
Loc Nguyen
United States
groton
Connecticut
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[Heat 1]
The first heat used the E-deck which I'm most familiar with. My gaming group plays with the E-I-K-O-Z decks mixed along with the Through the Seasons expansion. One opponent was new to the full game while the others was experienced with all of the decks. I forget how I won but it involved the Merchant and Carpenter.
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Loc Nguyen
United States
groton
Connecticut
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I actually got done with Agricola in an hour and a half. So, I decided to drive down RT 30 and noticed a Waffle House. I got a Waffle, scrabbled eggs, and bacon for a decent price. If I end up back there, I'll have to try their Buttermilk Waffles.
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Loc Nguyen
United States
groton
Connecticut
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[Heat 1]
This was played in Vista C with the A/C off. I signed up early and decided to wait outside til sign-ups were done. That almost cost me an opportunity to play due to the limited number of games. Fortunately, two people decided to play this in the colder open gaming room instead of the tournament. This isn't my strongest game, but I was doing surprisingly well with a max family strategy. In the end though, the cards I needed were taken by whoever went first and the winner was the ignored hut builder.
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Loc Nguyen
United States
groton
Connecticut
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[Heat 1]
I tried to play Dominion Prosperity but we only had a time for about half of a game of a preset cards. Everyone else went to Can't Stop. I decided to try St. Petersburg.
This was my fourth time playing the game and it was the most unusual. It lasted a total of 5 rounds ending on lack of blue point buildings. I was a man down on green money after the second round and came in last with a score of 20 while the winner had under 30.
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Loc Nguyen
United States
groton
Connecticut
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Thursday:
The previous weekend was laundry day. For the convention, I packed my spare underwear and t-shirts. However, I forgot pants/shorts. So this morning was spent at Target getting cargos.
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Loc Nguyen
United States
groton
Connecticut
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[Heat 3]
This also was the fourth time playing this game. I started high on the power card and opened the game with Decay of Authority (the one that sent all back). This gave me a big court but I was the last one to score any points. I steadily moved up the scoreboard in rounds 4-6 while everyone was worried about the runaway leader (who was also the GM). I ended up coming in 3rd (105-98-97) to the GM.
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Loc Nguyen
United States
groton
Connecticut
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[Heat 3]
This time I played the Italy map. I played my usual Italy strategy of controlling the middle region. My turn order flopped between 1st and last every round. Unfortunately, I was faced with the same problem as yesterday. I was first in the turn order and only one 5 capacity plant was out. This time I let my opponent grab it for 72 giving him 15 total capacity. But the next plant was a four. I put it up for auction and obviously won it. The next 2 plants then were 5 capacity. So I ended up with another 4th place but realized I could of paid up to 94 for that first plant and win.
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Loc Nguyen
United States
groton
Connecticut
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I had an hour to spare so I drove to Texas Roadhouse and found out it was closed. So, I walked a little bit to Olive & Jasmine Asian Bistro. I was expecting some kind of Asian-French fusion lunch, but it's an ordinary sushi restaurant (which I'm not a big fan of). Their lunches come with Miso Soup and a Spring Roll. I got the Japanese Fried Rice, and it tasted like any ordinary Fried Rice.
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Loc Nguyen
United States
groton
Connecticut
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[Heat 2]
This was played on the Monaco map. I started 4th but had very low dice rolls and ended up last (8th) for most of the first lap. I'm still use to the new rules rather than the old. I managed to finish the 1st lap at 6th place (first time I've ever completed a lap) due to others spinning out or needing to stop the last turn another time. I skipped the pit since I was losing and ended up losing to many tire points for last place.
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Loc Nguyen
United States
groton
Connecticut
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I had an hour and a half before Puerto Rico so I went to Sonic for happy hour. My game fuel was a Rt44 Green Apple Slushy and a small tater tots for $2.28. Just amazing.
During this time, I went to the Tanger Outlets for for pants and shorts at Ralph Lauren and Aeropostle. I also got some polos at American Eagle and work-out shirts at Nike.
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Loc Nguyen
United States
groton
Connecticut
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[Heat 1]
(Well first I have to thank my friend Joe Aghia for letting me borrow his copy of the game.) Last year, Puerto Rico was probably the most frustrating game, but for some unlikely reasons. Heat 1, I didn't count one of my big buildings which would of given me the win by tiebraker. Heat 3, I ended up winning against some solid players. I was set on quitting PR because I made the Dominion final. However, that was postponed so I decided to play the quarterfinals. I got paired with Aran Warszawski (who finished 6th). I misjudged my lead in round 15 and gave Aran a 7 point swing by crafting instead of ending the game with Mayor and losing by 1.5 points.
Anyway, this game I played against Lexi Shea's dad who knew I was a decent player. I started in my best seat (1st Indigo), but there was 2 corn and a sugar in the first set of plants. The worst player at the table was in seat 2 and crafted as Governor round 2. Despite this, I was in the lead for most of the game as I was the first to coffee. This was until round 10 where I had a Harbor and a Residence and the bash the leader started. The corn players crafted and shipped the same round every round. I ended up with a second big building but so did everyone else and lost 63 to 59.
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Loc Nguyen
United States
groton
Connecticut
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[Round 1]
I forgot to mention that last year's PR game lasted longer than I expected so I forfeited the Dominion Final. The two games today featured Militia and Woodcutter (why woodcutter, no one bought it). I was in the second seat to start and opened Silver-Militia along with the first seat. The third seat went Silver-Workshop while the 4th player had a 5-2 start. I was able to take advantage of my Library and ended up tied with 4th seat.
The second game, I opened Silver-Smithy and bought a Moneylender turn 3 (which I feel is better than Silver-Moneylender than Smithy as all of last year's finalists opened.) I again ended up with a tie but this time was the new 4th seat (1st seat in the last game). So this made me the table winner with two seconds against 2 people with a win-third. However, all 3 of us made the next round anyway.
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18.
Board Game: Agricola
[Average Rating:8.25 Overall Rank:2]
Loc Nguyen
United States
groton
Connecticut
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[Heat 2]
Today's heat was with the I-deck which is my least experienced deck. I sat in the fourth seat (my worst seat) while a newbie sat in the first seat. Colin Davis and Aran (who both made the semi's) were in seat 2 and 3. This was a horrible performance by me as I played Chamberlain, Clay Hut Builder, and Bricklayer and still came in last.
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Loc Nguyen
United States
groton
Connecticut
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Friday:
The biggest eurogames are today. Good thing the hotel put me in the handicap accessible room which had extra pillows for a good night's sleep
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Loc Nguyen
United States
groton
Connecticut
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[Heat 3]
I started this heat as my usual max family strategy. This was derailed as the player to my right who initially went for high farming switched to having babies. This left me struggling for most of the game and playing defensively. I ended up coming in last by a wide margin.
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Loc Nguyen
United States
groton
Connecticut
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[Quarterfinals]
The two games today featured Gardens (my weakest game). The first one had Workshop while the second had Chapel and Witch. Despite it being a quarterfinal, most tables were 3 player games. The very last person to show up obviously drew our table to make it a 4 player game. That person was Rob Renaud who is friends with one of last year's finalist and also recognized my name from the Dominion forums (I still don't think I post that much in the Dominion forums). Also at the table was Geoffrey Pounder and Rob Kircher. Rob R and Geoffrey went for the Workshop-Garden strategy. I went Silver-Chancellor and managed to get 3 Provinces in a row but wasn't enough to beat the gardens as they depleted Gardens, Workshops, and Estates. I came in third to Rob's and Geoff's 31-24-21.
The second game, everyone opened Chapel-Bureaucrat while I went Silver-Bureaucrat. I got unlucky as my turn 3 was 3 estates and 2 coppers forcing me to take a late Chapel. I made a amateur mistake in forgetting to take a Silver for my Bureaucrat and getting hit with 2 of them myself in round 8. Rob R was able to get 2 early Provinces before the Witches started attacking. I immediately switched to Gardens in a catch up attempt. I bought a couple of worthless Woodcutters that cost me the game. I ended up with 48 cards (for my 5 gardens while everyone else had 2 or 3 point gardens) for 27 points to Rob R's 29 points
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22.
Board Game: Agricola
[Average Rating:8.25 Overall Rank:2]
Loc Nguyen
United States
groton
Connecticut
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[Heat 3]
I was 14th on the list prior to this game so was hoping for a 1st or 2nd to secure my spot in the semis. Sitting to my left was Richard M. Shay whose son came in second last year. I had some pretty bad occupations and only played Piece Worker, Pig Whisperer, and pretty useless Fence Overseer. I was quite poor throughout the game until the last 2 rounds where it seemed everyone didn't take any resources. It allowed me to build my remaining 11 fences, build a 6th clay room, and grab a lot of sheep. Although, I ended up 2nd by a few points (42-39 I believe).
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Loc Nguyen
United States
groton
Connecticut
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[Heat 2]
With the Factory Manager semifinals squeezed between PR and hour before and Agricola an hour after, I decided to the two more prestigious games than one easier game.
Sitting to my right was Haim Hochboim who finished 5th last year. I got the 2nd corn seat (first time playing corn in any tournament game). I got an very great start with a turn 5 wharf. It was actually useless as I only had 1 quarry, 2 corn, and a sugar and the first seat got a Harbor that same turn. I was doing pretty bad in the middle rounds so decided to go back to back Settler-Corn actions. This let me catch up to Haim who later had 3 corn and a wharf and the Harbor player to my right. I was second to the big buildings and got the coveted Customs House and won by 2 points.
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24.
Board Game: Agricola
[Average Rating:8.25 Overall Rank:2]
Loc Nguyen
United States
groton
Connecticut
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[Semis]
I peeked into the Factory Manager game to watch some of the action and was surprised that only 9 people showed up.
This round used the K-deck with a draft. My strategy on cards focused on wood and baking. I was definitely the least experienced of all the semifinalists (played about 40 times) and had to ask the next table over if certain card combinations were acceptable. I ended up playing Brushwood Collector and the bad Forester. My opponents had one of the 3 Power cards of Wet Nurse, Lover, and Reed Hut. I was shut out of both ovens and had to feed by my Sawmill, Pottery, and Basketmaker's Workshop. I was also last to family growth leaving me last 43-42-41-24 for 16th place in the tournament. Which isn't bad considering the previous year's WBC was the second and third time that I've played the game.
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Loc Nguyen
United States
groton
Connecticut
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Well I don't like Princes of Florence and didn't read the rulebook to the Adventurer's like I said I would. So I decided to go down Rt 30 after the crushing defeat. I stopped at Jennie's Diner. I got a Chicken Parm sandwich with fries. It looked and tasted like chili rather than marinara sauce, but I liked it. The fries were served hot and oily (just the way I like). However, the reason I won't come back next year is because refills aren't free and I ended up paying more for OJ (which the waitress told me beforehand was the smallest size) than my meal. Refills weren't free at Waffle House but at least they told me that when I asked for one.
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New York
I didn't know Holiday Inn express can be that bad.