Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 23^rd February, at the Horse and Jockey pub in Stanford-in-the-Vale.  As usual, we will be playing shorter games from 7.30pm as people arrive, until 8pm when we will start something a little longer.

This week the “Feature Game” will be Kobayakawa, which is a Japanese micro-filler game in the mould of Love Letter.  We have chosen this game as it will leave plenty of time for something a little longer and we can choose what to play based on the people who are there.

– Image by boardGOATS

And speaking of Japan…

Recent reports indicate the Japanese banking crisis shows no signs of improving, if anything, it’s getting worse.  Following last week’s news that Origami Bank had folded, it was announced today that Sumo Bank has gone belly up, Bonsai Bank plans to cut back some of its branches and Karaoke Bank is up for sale and is going for a song. Meanwhile, shares in Kamikaze Bank have nose-dived and five hundred jobs at Karate Bank will be chopped. Analysts report that there is also something fishy going on at Sushi Bank and staff there fear they may get a raw deal…

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 9^th February, at the Horse and Jockey pub in Stanford-in-the-Vale.  As usual, we will be playing shorter games from 7.30pm as people arrive, until 8pm when we will start something a little longer.

This week the “Feature Game” will be Ticket to Ride, which, despite being from the USA is a poster child for modern, family-friendly, Euro-style games.  The game is based on a simple set collecting mechanic which players then use to build routes across a map in order to complete tickets.  Winner of the Spiel des Jahres in 2004, there are a lot of variants and expansion maps available.  So, since it is pancake night and there are likely to be some late arrivals, we thought we would go for a game that most people know, but where people can also try something new if they want to.

– Image by boardGOATS

And speaking of trains…

Jeff was travelling by train across Europe.  In Rome, an attractive young woman joined him in his compartment, so he engaged her in conversation.  He tried all his favourite chat-up lines and after a short while, the young Italian woman offered to show Jeff her legs if he gave her a two Euros. Utterly charmed by the flirty young lady, Jeff fished in their pockets for a two Euro coin and the girl pulled up her dress a bit to show her legs.

She could almost see Jeff’s tongue hanging out, so she went on, “If you give me ten Euros, I’ll show you my thighs.”  She hadn’t finished speaking before Jeff’s hand was in his wallet fishing for a note and his eyes were popping out on stalks as the girl pulled her dress up a little further reveal her legs in full.  Conversation continued, and Jeff couldn’t believe his luck when the young woman said, “If you will give me a hundred Euros, I will show you where I was operated on for appendicitis.”

Of course, Jeff couldn’t resist and almost without thinking he handed over the money.  The girl then turned to the window and pointed outside at a building they were passing, saying, “See, there in the distance? That’s the hospital where I had it done!”

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 26^th January, at the Horse and Jockey pub in Stanford-in-the-Vale.  As usual, we will be playing shorter games from 7.30pm as people arrive, until 8pm when we will start something a little longer.

This week the “Feature Game” will be Endeavor, which is a more complex game where each player represents a growing empire engaged in a glorious endeavor to expand their
influence and status at home and across the great oceans of the world.  Players earn glory by increasing their scores in Industry, Culture, Finance, and Politics, as well as by occupying cities, controlling connections between cities, and by holding certain Asset Cards and Building Tiles.

– Image used with permission of BGG contributor matthew.marquand

And speaking of Captain Cook…

Jeff was at chic gathering and struggling to make polite conversation.  The person he was talking to was a psychiatrist, so, after a minute or two, Jeff asked him, “Would you mind telling me, how you detect a mental deficiency in somebody who appears completely normal?”

“Nothing is easier,” the doctor replied. “I ask him a simple question, which everyone should answer with no trouble at all. If he hesitates, that tells me just what I need to know.”

“What sort of question?” Jeff asked.

“Well,” replied the psychiatrist, “I might ask him, ‘Captain Cook made three trips around the world and died during one of them. Which one?'”

Jeff paused a minute and thought for a moment before he replied, “You wouldn’t happen to have another example, would you? I must confess I don’t know much about history.”

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 12^th January, at the Horse and Jockey pub in Stanford-in-the-Vale.  As usual, we will be playing shorter games from 7.30pm as people arrive, until 8pm when we will start something a little longer.

This week the “Feature Game” will be Las Vegas, which was once described as, “An easy, dice-rolling, fun-and-luck game with a lot of interaction and ‘schadenfreude’.”  A shiny new “Christmas game”, being short and light this seems a nice gentle way to start the year.  Or perhaps not quite so gentle…

– Image used with permission of BGG contributor jsper

And speaking of casinos…

It was his first time in Las Vegas and Jeff was doing the touristy thing visiting a casino.  He passed roulette wheels and people paying Black Jack, and at the far table a poker game was under way.  Upon taking a closer look he saw a dog sitting at the table. This peaked his curiosity and he walked closer and saw cards and chips in front of the dog.

When the next hand was dealt, cards were also dealt to the dog.  Much to Jeff’s surprise, the dog acts in turn with all the other players, calling, raising, discarding, in fact, everything the other human players were doing. Jeff was spell bound, however none of the other players seemed to pay any attention to the fact that they were playing with a dog, they just treated him like any other player.  Finally Jeff could no-longer hold his tongue so between hands he quietly said to one of the players, “I can’t believe that dog is playing poker, he must be the smartest dog in the world!”

The player smiled and replied, “He isn’t that smart, every time he gets a good hand he wags his tail.”

Following the success of last year’s New Year party, we are having another one this year be on Thursday 31^st December.  As it is New Year’s Eve we will be meeting at Barney’s Home in Stanford and starting slightly earlier at 7pm with food.  Please get in touch if you would like to come along so we know how much pizza to make.

The plan is to start off early with the “Feature Game”, which, as has become traditional, will be the gorgeous, dexterity car-racing game, PitchCar.  After that, we will be eating, playing more games and maybe set off some fireworks at midnight, depending on how cold it is!

– Image by BGG contributor visard

And talking of cars…

A policeman sees an elderly woman driving incredibly slowly on the motorway, so he pulls along side and notices her knitting in the driver’s seat.  She remains focused on the road and keeps knitting and driving.

He beeps his horn to get her attention, but she is oblivious and carries on.

Getting more frustrated, the policeman turns his siren on and, as she finally notices him, he signals for her to wind the window down.

After a time she finds the button and down goes the window.

Incensed, the cop yells, “PULL OVER!”

“Oh, no sweetie,” she replies.  “It’s a scarf, see?”

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 29^th December, at the Horse and Jockey pub in Stanford-in-the-Vale.  As usual, we will be playing shorter games from 7.30pm as people arrive, until 8pm when we will start something a little longer.

This week the “Feature Game” will be Broom Service which won the Kennerspiel des Jahres this year.  The game uses the role selection mechanic from Witch’s Brew (a game we played a few weeks ago), but adds much more with a board and a delivery mechanic.

– Image used with permission of BGG contributor punkin312

And speaking of brooms…

It was just before Christmas and Jeff and his wife had to have that conversation.

“My mother is coming to stay with us for a few days over Christmas,” said the lady of the house, bracing herself for Jeff’s protests.

Much to her surprise, however, Jeff sounded positive, “That’s good,” he said, “Seeing as the vacuum cleaner has just broken down.”

Jeff’s wife was a little offended by this. “Well, she’s not going to be doing any cleaning if that’s what you mean,” she responded.

“Oh no,” said Jeff, “But we can borrow her broomstick…”

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 15^th December, at the Horse and Jockey pub in Stanford-in-the-Vale.  As usual, we will be playing shorter games from 7.30pm as people arrive, until 8pm when we will start something a little longer.

This week the “Feature Game” will be Between Two Cities.  Set in the early 1800s, a time of immense construction and urbanization, this is an unusual game as players are paired with a partner with whom they discuss and execute their grandiose development plans.  We chose this quick, interesting, partnership-driven tile-drafting game as it should leave us with plenty of time to play other games.

– Image by boardGOATS

And speaking of city planners…

A judge, a bishop, and a city planner were having a discussion. All three were rather vain , and their talk soon turned to the question of which of them was the greatest.

“Well,” said the judge, “my position is one of dignity and power. When I walk into the courtroom, the bailiff says, ‘All rise!’ and all the people stand to pay me honour.”

“That’s very nice,” responded the bishop. “People stand in your honour, but when people have an audience with me they kneel, kiss my ring, and they address me as ‘Your Eminence.'”

The city planner snorted and said, “I think I’ve got you both.  When I walk into any room as a consultant, the people look down, put their hands over their eyes, and say ‘Oh, my God!'”

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 1^st December, at the Horse and Jockey pub in Stanford-in-the-Vale.  As usual, we will be playing shorter games from 7.30pm as people arrive, until 8pm when we will start something a little longer.

This week the “Feature Game” will be Pandemic: Contagion.  Pandemic is a very well known cooperative game where everyone plays together to defeat the tide of disease that is overcoming the world.  Pandemic: Contagion is a lighter game and almost the complete opposite:  players are the diseases and compete against each other to be the most effective and take over the world – there is no cure.

– Image by boardGOATS

And speaking of diseases…

Jeff went to the doctor for the results of his blood test.  When he arrived, the doctor asked him to take a seat, before he took sat down himself and took a deep breath.

Jeff said, “Well, come on then Doc, give it to me straight.”

After a moment, the doctor replied, “OK Mr. Pie, but would do you want the good news or the bad news first?”

Jeff thought a moment before he responded, “Um, give me the bad news first please.”

The Doctor paused again, took another deep breath and said, “Okay well, I’m very sorry, it’s the worst possible news.  There’s nothing we can do for you.  There’s no easy way to say this, but you’ve only got days left to live.”

Jeff was obviously very shocked.  Lip trembling, after a bit he said, “Well, so, what’s the good news?”

The Doctor brightened up a little suddenly and replied, “Well, it’s actually very interesting and we’re naming the disease after you.”

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 17^th Movember, at the Horse and Jockey pub in Stanford-in-the-Vale.  As usual, we will be playing shorter games from 7.30pm as people arrive, until 8pm when we will start something a little longer.

This week the “Feature Game” will be Isle of Skye: From Chieftain to King, which is a tile laying game with some similarity to Carcassonne, except that players have their own map and the tiles are auctioned in an innovative way.

– Image used with permission of BGG contributor henk.rolleman

And speaking of Skye…

Jeff was on holiday in Scotland with his girlfriend, Josephine.  After fifteen years of dating, at last, on one beautiful evening watching the sun set over the beautiful Isle of Skye, Jeff thought it was time to ask the question.

“My love,” he breathed, “Isn’t it about time we were getting married?”

After a heavy silence. Josephine sighed, “Yes, Jeff, think it is.”  Josephine paused and then continued, “Yes, Jeff, it certainly is, but who would have us?”

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 3^rd Movember, at the Horse and Jockey pub in Stanford-in-the-Vale.  As usual, we will be playing shorter games from 7.30pm as people arrive, until 8pm when we will start something a little longer.

This week the “Feature Game” will be Witch’s Brew, which is a set collecting and bluffing card game where players have to collect the ingredients for potions and then prepare them.  The game has been reimplemented as this year’s Kennerspiel des Jahres, Broom Service.

– Image used with permission of BGG reviewer EndersGame

And speaking of witches…

Jeff and his wife, Josephine were going to a masked Halloween party.  Unfortunately, Josephine had a bad day at work and by the time she got home had a terrible headache.  Not wanting to spoil his fun, she told Jeff to go to the party alone. He, being a devoted husband, protested, but she said she was just going to take some aspirin and go to bed, and so there was no point in his evening being spoiled by not going.  So Jeff took his costume and and Josephine went to bed.

After sleeping soundly for about hour, Josephine awakened without pain, and, as it was still early, she decided to go to the party.  Since Jeff did not know what her costume was, she thought she would have some fun by watching her husband to see how he acted when she was not with him.

Josephine joined the party and soon spotted Jeff in his monster outfit cavorting around on the dance floor, dancing with everyone he could and taking advantage wherever possible.  Josephine went up to him, and being rather seductive herself, Jeff left his partner high and dry and devoted his time to this new person.  She let him go as far as he wished; naturally, since he was her husband and he went all the way sneaking off to one of the bedrooms in the dark.

Just before the unmasking at midnight, Josephine slipped away and went home.  She put the costume away and got into bed, wondering what kind of explanation Jeff would make for his behavior.  So, she was sitting up reading when Jeff came in and she asked him what his evening had been like.

Jeff replied, “Oh, the same old thing. You know I never have a good time when you’re not there.” Slightly surprised by his brazenness, Josephine asked, “Did you dance much?”

He responded, “I tell you, I never even danced one dance. When I got there, I met Pete, Bill Brown and some other guys, so we went into the den and played poker all evening. But you know what?  The guy I loaned my costume to, well, he had a really amazing time!”