Carcassonne Central

I got the best present ever today!

A game store opened up here in my little town.  Until now, the nearest was a 20 minute drive, and the best store was 45 minutes away.

Now I've got one that is 2 minutes away!!

As if it's not good enough to have a game store that close, the owner loves to play Carc!  AND I'm unemployed for the winter (not-so-good, but I'm in construction), so I've got all kinds of time to play (after my honey-do list is done!).

I'll finally be able to play with people who play competitively, which is not the way my family plays!

Nice! We have one close by, but they aren't really interested in Carc (or any games), they just seem to be in it for the money.  There are a few within an hour, but I have yet to find anyone that really enjoys Carc.  >:(

I gotta say it again...This is the best Christmas EVER!!

Last night, the in-laws were over to visit (we're in Utah, and they live in Nebraska--they've been visiting my wife's brother's family for the last few days).  The four of us (the wife and I with the in-laws) played Carc with Rivers I&II, I&C, S&H, and Tower expansions.  When we finished that game (with mother-in-law SPANKING us all!), she sent me out to the neighborhood game store--which was still open at 9:00 pm on a Saturday night!--to buy another expansion for my collection.  I've been saving my pennies, so I took that money as well, and I bought T&B and CS&C expansions.

Today, three of us (wife and I, with mother-in-law) played with Carc basic, Rivers I&II, I&C, T&B, CS&C, Tower, and S&H.

Our game started out nicely (once I finished explaining the rules).  We got to a point when mother-in-law and I joined a city-she with 1 knight, and I with 2.  She drew a tower base, and took me prisoner.  The city continued to grow.  I drew a tower base, and was able to take her prisoner.  The next turn, I completed the city for a single city score of 83 points, two wine and 1 cloth token.  She was, how shall I say, not at all pleased with this--I got the silent treatment for the balance of the game.  I guess that I should have kept my celebrating to myself!

The game took as long to play as it took my kids and father-in-law to watch "Polar Express," about 2 hours.

The kicker was that once final scoring took place, mother-in-law and I finished within 40 points of each other, and my wife won by over 80.

The truth is, I don't care about losing today, because I received 2 more expansions without having to wait for Christmas morning!

That's a good catch. I expect, for the first time in a long time, some good hours playing Carc this holiday.  Also going to a friends for new years, and I told them we'd go if and only if we'd all play Carc.   ;l7