Tuesday 21st December - Karibik/Geschenkt

Well, what with Christmas and work this post is the first for a while. On the 21st Billygames played Karibik and Geschenkt. I can't tell you much about the session, just the results and a brief description of the games. I was tied up with work so couldn't make it. Anyway, onward.

Karibik
This is a brief description from BGG:
The board shows the Caribbean in the 18th century. Six pirate ships lie in wait on sea, ready to pillage the rich ports, or to rob the booty from other ships.

The sea is divided into spaces. Each player is in possession of three safe havens, marked in his color on the board. If only two or three players are playing, the safe havens in the vacant color(s) are treated as normal sea spaces.

The aim of each player is to lure the pirates to deliver treasure crates to one of their own safe havens, and not to the safe havens of the opponents.

The pirate ships do not belong to any player. That is why the players must bribe the pirates each time they want a pirate ship to act on their behalf. And what is the greatest temptation for a Caribbean pirate? Rum of course, barrels full of rum!

In every round the players try anew their best to bribe the pirates. The player who has offered the most rum to a ship gets to move that ship as many spaces as the number of barrels shown on the bribing chip. An active ship can (a) rob a crate from a port or from another ship, (b) reach a crate over to another ship, (c) swap crates with another ship, and/or (d) deliver a crate into a safe haven.

The aim is to have the most doubloons at the end of the game.

I have played this now and it's a light fun game, doesn't take too much thinking and plays quickly.

Final Scores Game 1
Natalie 22, Steve 33, Neil 11, Garry 27

Final Scores Game 2
Natalie 31, Steve 18, Neil 33, Garry 7

Geschenkt
The other game played was Geschenkt. Again from BGG:
The decks consists of cards, numbered from 3 to 35. Each card is worth negative points according to its value. Players start with 11 chips, which are each worth one positive point. However, the chips have another, more important meaning.

There's always one card available. Of course, as cards are worth negative points, taking cards is a bad move. The chips come to rescue here: toss a chip on the card and the turn moves on to next player. Of course, whoever ends up taking the card (either by free will or lack of chips) gets the chips, too. At some point the deal is sweet enough for someone to grab the card, because eleven chips just isn't going to keep you from taking cards throughout the whole game.

This all wouldn't be enough to make the game really interesting. A twist is needed. If a player manages to collect a set of cards with consecutive numbers, they get a bonus: only the lowest card of the set is counted in the end of the game. Now, if you have, say, 30 and 31 comes up. Will you take it? Why would you? It's basically insignificant for you (few positive points, if there's some chips on it), but hurts someone else a lot (close to 30 negative points).

I havn't played this one yet, but do own a copy. All the others thought it really good and played 3 quick rounds.

Final Scores Round 1
Garry 61, Natalie 74, Steve 82, Neil 56

Final Scores Round 2
Garry 16, Natalie 25, Steve 39, Neil 91

Final Scores Round 3
Garry 24, Natalie 31, Steve 23, Neil 30