Match Report 17th August 2011

Our biggest crowd yet and 11 games in one evening!

Although we continue to miss some of our regulars, away on holiday or studying for re-takes, we had a record turn out with 12 people (13 if you count a little friend who is staying with us and played two very quick games at the beginning of the evening). We welcomed Chris and Sinead for their first visit plus Daniella, Leonie, Crispin, Effie, Liza, Ben, Claire, Brian and obviously the lovely Gwen.

Other things of note were that we had four family groups (parent and child or husband and wife) and again the majority were ladies not men, 8 to 4.

With so many people and two of the number professing to being very tired (one because of a health issue and the other youthful excess) picking the right games that would work for everybody was always going to be a challenge.

We even prepared an extra table in case we split into three games, but in the end although we played 7 different games, 2 of them twice and 1 three times we managed to keep it all around one table – cosy!

The evening started with the early arrivals being lured into a couple of quick games of Pinguin Party with one of our great nephews before he headed off to bed. A simple card game with some really vibrant and amusing images of penguins where players seek to get rid of all their cards as they all collaborate in building a penguin pyramid, something penguins obviously specialise in!

As more people arrived they were convinced, doubtfully at first, to play
another Penguin game we had out because of our young guest - Hey! That’s my fish! On the face of it this is a very childish game about moving plastic Penguins around an ice flow and eating fish. However as Sinead demonstrated very quickly to both her father and Ben whilst it is a simple game there are some neat tactics behind not only eating fish but as importantly trying to cut of the other players from the supply of fish so they run out of ice flow and equally not being cut off yourself. With Leonie and Daniella’s arrival this was set up again for a second game and again the ladies triumphed.

At the other end of the table we had a quick 4 player game of Quoridor which Claire won, well Crispin and I took the eye of the ball / focused on stopping each other as is so often the case, leaving the field open for other players and so Claire snuck through.

With everybody now arrived we had a game of Nottingham (described in last times Match Report) at one end of the table which to everybody’s surprise / consternation I won, whilst at the other end Leonie won a very closely fought game of Bohnanza.

Now was the time honoured moment (9pm ish) for coffee and munchies. On this occasion we were blessed with Leonie’s Malteaser cookies and Crispin’s Lemon Drizzel cake – THANK YOU as ever to both of you for the scrumptious cakes.

With the evening nearly over and so many people we considered two possible games Werewolves of Millers Hollow or The Great Dalmuti. Leonie was given the heavy responsibility of deciding and plumped for The Great Dalmuti, with 11 players! She must have known she would excel at this because although she didn’t start the game as the Great Dalmuti she soon rose to this high office. It is a daft and completely unfair game but great fun and a good way of bringing everybody together in one game.

It should perhaps be noted that whilst we were playing multiplayer games Brian sat quietly wrestling and succeeding with the puzzle game Katamino.

Thank you to everybody that came and made it such a great evening and more photo's can be seen here.

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Our next Sunday meeting will be on 21st August anytime after 7pm at the Blue Anchor, details can be seen here on Facebook.

There is a nominal £1 charge for attendees and with the continuing plight of those suffering the effects of draught in East Africa monies received this Sunday will go towards the Crowborough based international charity World in Need who have been providing relief aid, education and development support for 20 years. More details of their work can be seen here. Please tell your friends and come along if you can.