This is the best Christmas EVER!!

[jackdaddyt]

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!

[Gantry]

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. 

[jackdaddyt]

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!

[Gantry]

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.