GNN 2007.12 Session Report
From GTF
Tichu
3 out of 4 of us had never played Tichu, so Kieron spent a few minutes teaching us the mechanics while playing a practice hand. It is basically a 'trick gathering' card game you play with a partner. For the match, it was Leroy-Jeff vs. Drew-Kieron. The standard Tichu game plays until a team reaches 1,000 points. We cut it back to 500 to shorten the play time.
As we got started, it was clear Leroy had the 'lady luck' with the cards. Initially, you are dealt 8 cards. Any individual player can declare 'Tichu'. This is basically making a bet that you can get rid of all of your cards before anyone else. Given you only have a portion of your hand, it is risky. This is referred to as a 'Grand Tichu' and is worth 200 points if you can pull it off. If you can't, its -200 points and a pissed off partner! 8-) Once you've had a chance to look at your cards, you are then dealt an additional 6 cards. Now you have your full hand. At any time before you lay down your first card, you can declare 'Tichu'. This is basically the same bet as define above, except it is only worth 100 points given you can see all your cards at this point.
Leroy barks out Tichu and away we go. He got'r done and the Leroy-Jeff team was up 150 to 50 in the first round. The game progressed and Leroy continued to lap the field. There is a 'dog' card that allows your partner to pass the 'lead' to you. Jeff stayed out of Leroy's way and kept dropping the dog card. Leroy continued to run up the score. It's getting late in the game and the score was, Leroy-Jeff: 435 Drew-Kieron: 150. It was a period of desperation for the Drew-Kieron team. The next hand comes out and Kieron decides to go-for-broke. He declares 'Grand Tichu'. Leroy-Jeff are thinking we can work together and coast across the finish line, but Kieron would have none of that.
To the amazement of the crowd, OK...that's Kieron's 5 cats and sick child sleeping in the other room, Kieron pulled it off. He was able to drop all of his cards before anyone else with only a few tense moments. After that round, the significant lead for the Leroy-Jeff team had evoporated and the moment had shifted to the Drew-Kieron team. Score....Leroy-Jeff: 465 Drew-Kieron: 425
It was a tense last round of cards, but the Leroy-Jeff team was able to prevail. Final Score, Leroy-Jeff: 520 Drew-Kieron: 490
A well played match and a fun game!
Landlord
A very simple, funny card game to play. The basic premise, build apartments, place rent paying tennants and screw with your competition! The Howell needs to get in on this one. You don't blow stuff up, but I'm sure he'd enjoy making hay for his local landlords!
The game gets started and Jeff gets out to a quick lead, but quickly falters and falls to the back of the pack. Leroy emerges from the pack, but quickly gets pounced on by the others. Jeff continues to remain a headache for all three of them by Bombing Leroy's building, stealing tennants from Drew and slapping 'no rent' cards on Kieron's apartments. As the game progressed, Drew began to build up quite a lead and it looked as if he'd run away with the game. Kieron & Leroy had to act fast as the cards were running out (an end condition for the game). Kieron & Leroy slapped all kinds of badness on Drew and he began to faulter. Fortunately for Drew, their efforts weren't enough to topple him from the lead. In the end, the score was something like 56 (Drew), 52 (Leroy), 50 (Kieron) and Jeff limped in at 26.
