Breese blocking

Typical Bicycle playing cards with Air-Cushion finish (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

MrW was unfortunately absent this week but this did mean that the group didn't split and we all played the same game. I was a bit worried as it was the game played by the other half of the group last week: Richard Breese's Keythedral. This meant that three of my opponents had played it very recently while I hadn't played it for several years.

Petra Pan arrived without ever having played it before so comprehensive teaching took place and I was able to play it reasonably effectively. In fact I ended up second on 44 points although it must be said that it was a distant second to ProfMudlark's 59. There had been some serious blocking during the game and so the final round when, thanks to a card played by Petra Pan, I managed to place seven men out to gather resources, was something of a relief after failing time and again to use some of my buildings.

The penalty cards in standard Hearts (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I remembered the game as being one of the earliest I played with Crabro's game group after I fortuitously met them at the first "Pasteboard and Plastic". I also remembered that I liked it but that was about all that I recalled. It is, I suppose, typical of Richard's "Key" games: Very cleverly thought out, with interesting mechanisms and balance. It is also a very nice game to look at, in my opinion. I love the artwork (by Juliet, Richard's sister) where every tile is different e.g.,while all the forest tiles clearly match, the illustration on each one is unique.

Ace of hearts. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Petra Pan headed home after this but the rest of us felt there was time for a short game and decided on a conventional card-game for once, continuing our aborted game of Black Maria (or Hearts if you must) from the previous week. It's a game, dating from 1850 according to Boardgamegeek and one which I've played many, many times in my own distant past. It felt very natural to have a handful of playing cards again.

Knowing the game so well, I wasn't too surprised to find myself going two rounds without picking up any penalty at all but both Crabro and MaOldie were showing signs of wanting to get the benefit of taking ALL the penalty cards. The second time this was attempted I panicked and sacrificed myself to stop Ma giving us all 26 penalty points. Unfortunately I did this rather too effectively and picked up four. In the final round with no opportunity to pass unwanted cards on I found myself with the high spades including her majesty. Despite my best efforts, I ended up keeping the queen for 13 points. I believe the Prof. won again. A very successful evening for him despite the fact that earlier on it was remarked that he was usurping my whinging crown.