Games in a Pub - 4th September 2011

The numbers hold up and we play 12 games in one evening

With so many ups and downs over the last 9 months as we have tried to build a group of Social Gamers in Crowborough I approached last night with some trepidation. We had had a really good turnout for the event two weeks earlier but would the numbers hold up and would people who said they had enjoyed themselves return or as has occurred in the past disappear into the distance.

Meeting Martin in the car park as I was carrying in the games for the evening (somebody who was joining us for the first time but had spotted our Facebook page and ‘Liked it only the day before) was surely was a good sign?
So it turned out. When we got into the pub Karen our prize winner from the Crowborough Directory was already waiting for us along with one of our regulars Malcolm and then Sophie and her friends plus appeared slightly later in the evening. With apologies received from others who plan to be at future evenings but were away on holiday my fears were obviously unfounded.

Sensing that our early attendees would appreciate a light but thematic game I pulled Patrician from the boxes and quickly got this renaissance tower building game going for the 5 of us although I dropped out myself just before it began as Oliver had arrived. With Patrician well under way and Effie now with us, she and I played three games of Quixo which I lost by some margin.

Two of the players having not played Patrician before, I took it as a good sign that when they finished their first game they had enjoyed it enough to immediately set it up for a second game but with the break in Patrician we juggled people around and Oliver joined Effie and I for the ever popular card game Dominion, described in detail in one of my earlier posts here.

When Sophie and her friends arrived they wanted to have another go at Braggart so the room seemed filled with the buzz and humour of games.

When the second game of Patrician ended Martin offered to show the group Manila, a game he had with him and one I have heard good things about but not played. Described as “Barges, freight and profits are what it's all about in Manila, a speculative contest for 3 to 5 players 10 and up. Goods shipments, intended for transport along sea routes, are in danger of gathering dust in the warehouses or being lost at sea in a storm. While the players speculate about success and failure, the ultimate fate of the ships will be determined by the dice.” Martin obviously did a good job of explaining this game as it got thumbs up from the other players and Gwen even asked if it was on or could be added to my wish list of games. Maybe she should start her own wish list!

With Dominion finished, Oliver and I played a quick game of Hey! That’s My Fish a game that looks almost childish but has a tactical nature that belies its simple appearance as you try to cut off your opponent’s penguins.

Bringing two of the three groups together as games ended I suggested a game of the zany dwarven mining game Saboteur, where players have hidden identities and are either seeking to find the gold or stop them (the Saboteurs). Played over three rounds with the inevitable false accusations and verbal repartee that always surrounds this game Nick was the eventual winner – well done.

With time now short and Manila having finished I convinced Gwen, Malcolm and Martin to have a go at Hey! That’s My Fish which must have gone down OK as they played it twice.

By the smiles everybody seemed to have a really good evening and fingers crossed many may return, maybe with more friends, in two weeks time when we return to the Blue Anchor on 18th September at 7pm. More details as ever can be seen on our Facebook page ‘Social Gamers – Crowborough’.

We also raised a further £11 for the World in Need Famine Draught Relief Appeal – Thanks guys.