bobby lee [Updated August 2000]

BBY     
 
  13   16   19   22   
  

  Valley

Doug Mercer, MD

2000 Champion

2nd: John Boisvert, NJ

3rd: John Teixera, VA

4th: Stu Hendrickson, VA

5th: Larry Luongo, NJ

6th: Louis Giannoble, NJ
Event History
1991    None      -
1992    None      -
1993    None      -
1994    None      -
1995    None      -
1996    None      -
1997    None      -
1998    None      -
1999    None     -
2000    Doug Mercer     12
AREA Ratings
 1    None      -
 2    None      -
 3    None      -
 4    None      -
 5    None      -
 6    None      -
 7    None      -
 8    None      -
 9    None      -
10    None      -

Calling all Blockheads ...

Never before has a tournament field been so dominated by a single player. Doug Mercer decisively maneuvered two of his four opponents into resigning their positions on his way to winning first place in this year's debut tournament of Bobby Lee. The top four players received gift certificates from event sponsor Columbia Games. Doug was also awarded a signed game map from the designer for winning tournament champion.

The final game between John Boisvert and Doug Mercer was a blend of furious fighting and quiet maneuvering. Doug, as the Union player, began his peninsula campaign in May 1862 by pushing the Confederates out of Yorktown and declaring an Emancipation Declaration. Confederate forces withdrew to Richmond and the Union pursued as far as West Point. Both armies spent June and July building up while Robert E. Lee took command of the Army of Northern Virginia. In August, Union forces were redeploying across the theater and began to concentrate around Manassas. This turned out to be a feint to cover the movement of Union heavy artillery to the outskirts of Richmond. In September, the Union army was unleashed on Richmond and in a two-day battle destroyed the Army of Northern Virginia. Lee's forces tried to regroup at Petersburg, but there was little resistance that could be offered. In failing to use maneuver as a weapon, the Confederate forces played into the Union strengths and failed to take the initiative during the entire summer. Surprisingly absent was the use of the Valley by the Confederates to threaten Harpers Ferry and outflank the Union forces in Virginia.

In semi-final action, two undefeated players battled across northern Virginia to a bloody standstill. John Boisvert as the Union fought John "Tex" Teixeira to a draw and won the tiebreaker to advance to the final round. Meanwhile, Doug continued his winning Confederate strategy and destroyed the Union Army of the Potomac played by Stu Hendrickson.

Louis Giannobile began the tournament with a first round decisive victory as the Union player. However, he fell in the second round to Doug's Confederate strategy, which resulted in the destruction of the Union army in Pennsylvania. David Norquist deserves special mention as the only player facing Doug that did not lose by a decisive margin. In retrospect, David wonders if not declaring an Emancipation Declaration as the Union player cost him that first round contest with Doug. Other players who participated in fighting the 1862 campaign season in Virginia were - Gordon Clay, Larry Luongo, Jay Meyers, Rob Mull, Terry Rodman, and Robert Walters.

The tournament was single elimination with players bidding victory points for sides. Only two players in 12 games managed to win both the bid and the game. The Confederates won eight of the 12 matches, but only one of the final three. The first round had four of six Confederate wins partially due to Union players failing to achieve or declare an Emancipation Declaration worth three Union victory points.

We failed to achieve the minimum 16 players for inclusion in the Century list so next year I will try to run the event as a Trial tournament again, but using the 1863 scenario. For those with an interest in the Civil War this game offers a unique combination of strategic maneuvering, tactical battles ranging from cavalry skirmishes to multi-day battles the size of Gettysburg, and psychological challenges that no flat counter or card-driven game system can provide. Plan to join us for Bobby Lee in 2001! Send any suggestions or questions to Tom Cannon.

 GM      Tom Cannon  [1st Year]   NA
    wtcannon@alumni.utexas.net   609-520-8882

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