There can Only Be One!!!

Greenland?... Iceland?... Greenland?... Iceland?

Last night we played a game of Risk and as usual there were some good strategies and some classic blunders. The players were Gabe, Nate, Mike, Darrel, and myself. If you're not getting into these games you really should be. We usually have at least one empty spot at the table, and we're willing to run more than one game at once.
But as far as the game went last night, well the blunder happened first, then the game just got weird. Gabe was stuck with a large army in Greenland or Iceland, and couldn't decide which way to go with it. Mike's Greys ended up taking him out first. It handed Mike 5 cards. Unfortunately he couldn't turn them in, as Nate's Blues took him out before he got a chance to do anything with them. It looked like it was Nate's turn to win, but then before Nate could really get much use out of all his cards Cap'n Redbeard took him out. It looked like it would be an easy win for Darrel, but Mark dragged it out for another hour or so. Eventually there could only be one.
Rebeard won his second this year and third in a row.


Then we decided to play again, heck it was only 12:30.
And rebeard came out with the red armies, giving everybody a visible target.
Mike took S. America, Nate secured N. America, Gabe took Africa, and Mark started in Australia. This game was about stability. After 2 rounds 4 players had taken a continent with little resistance. The reds were staying in one massive army in Europe.
Gabe and Mike battled each other again, this time Mike left Gabe beaten up so badly that Redbeard just had to clean up and earn all of his cards. So unfortunately for Gabe he was first out both times tonight.
With 6 cards, it looked like Darrel would win this one and pull off the sweep. Not being able to turn in once again hit the person to take someone out first. Mark turned in a set and swept out Europe taking all of Darrel's cards. At least the sweep was off and the chance for 4 wins in a row was gone. Mike went on to take out Nate and we had our first Mike/Mark final in a long time.
There can be only One!!!!!
With the card control and too many armies Mark went on to finish off the game. Giving Mark his first victory in 2005.

Going out first for Gabe prompted him to make a declaration. He vows to go crazy on all of us for the next three months. And while I might take some heat off Mike for saying this, Gabe has been crazy for the last oh 30 years. HaHa I guess I'll be the first one to get his wrath.

We'll see next time,
Mark