Deja Vu on the Open Waves
Attendance at this year's tournament was equal to last year's
with 42 admirals in seven games of six players going for wood
(three plaques) even with the switch back to Sunday. Fred Gosnell,
two-time champion (1993 and 1996) was eliminated in the first
round. Defending champion Gordon Rodgers placed first in his
preliminary to move into the final round and set up a possible
repeat. Carolyn DeMarco was the only player to represent the
ladies this year. Unfortunately, she failed to advance, falling
victim to Gordon Rodgers silver-tongued game play in the first.
He was able to do this by convincing everyone in his game that
he had very little chance of winning given his meager scoring
opportunities and reputation as the defending champion. I'm convinced
Gordon was a North Pole refrigerator salesman in another life.
Preliminary Games
Winner |
1st hand |
2nd hand |
3rd hand |
4th hand |
Final Score |
Patrick Mirk |
26 |
74 |
|
|
100 |
Tom McCorry |
46 |
44 |
37 |
|
127 |
Robert Navolis |
52 |
28 |
34 |
|
114 |
Gordon Rodgers |
34 |
15 |
60 |
|
109 |
Todd Surgoine |
42 |
41 |
54 |
|
137 |
Larry York |
9 |
50 |
19 |
34 |
112 |
Forrest Speck |
NA |
NA |
NA |
|
> 100 |
Only Larry York came from way behind to win his first round
game. The other six 1st round winners never relinquished the
lead from the first round of their respective games. The longest
first-round game took three hours and four decks to complete.
Game 7 failed to turn in the score sheet, therefore I am unable
to give you the winner's score.
The seven winners, including last years champion, advanced
to the final round. Forrest started the first round with the
healthiest fleet (two 1st's, two 2nd's) and immediately attacked
Larry for fire protection. Each player followed Forrest's example
and Gordon was the first to get a fire. Both Weather Gauges came
out in the first seven cards played, indicating rough seas ahead.
Robert drew first blood by sinking the Temeraire and also
lost some blood on a failed Boarding Party vs Forrest's Bucentaure.
Pat sank Robert's damaged Dreadnought with a 4-strength
Broadside. Forrest took the first prize (Bucentaure) for
28 VP's making him an early likely target. Larry fire-shipped
Forrest's port but failed to bring any matches to the party.
Forrest, Pat, and Todd each tried a Boarding Party vs. Tom's
Mars. Out of cards, the Mars finally succumbed
to Todd's dr of 6 +2. Pat eventually attacked Mars and
stole it away from Tom. He then successfully returned to port
for 26 VP's, eventually making him the high scorer for the round.
Gordon played a Break the Line vs. Todd, attempted a Boarding
Party but failed. A few turns later, Gordon lost his last line
breaking ship when an Admiralty Orders requested it to return
to homeport. Robert's heavily damaged fleet lost two ships to
a Strike card. Todd then helped himself to the striking
Europe and three plays later takes the San Leandro.
Pat sank the damaged Thunderer with a 1st rate Broadside.
Gordon ended the round by sinking the San Leandro.
The second round began with Larry getting a Fire started thanks
to Forrest's damage. As leader, Pat became a shot magnet and
received the first Break The Line courtesy of Forrest. Robert
dismasted Pat's crippled Bonhomme Richard and lost the
Serapis in a boarding attempt by rolling a 1 with a 2
modifier. Todd sank the Bonhomme Richard . Pat returns
the favor by playing a Break the Line on Forrest. Gordon sank
Forrest's Shannon . Larry successfully boarded the dismasted
Fougueux using the burning Bahama and declared
it to be a prize. Todd then sank the burning Bahama. Without
shot or shell, Robert loses a Second Rate to a Run
Aground. Gordon boards the Mars and declares his prize.
Robert eventually dismasts the Baionnaise and declares
a prize of his own. Gordon uses a Refuse Battle and gets 26 VP
for Mars. Pat steals the Randolph by rolling a
6 with a 1 modifier. Larry plays a Refuse Battle and gains
52 VPs for his prizes. Gordon sinks the Fougueux with
a Fire Ship in Larry's port. Todd sank Pat's prize, the Randolph,
while at sea. Gordon sank Pat's last ship, the Neptuno ,
in his line earning him a 15 VP penalty and dropping Pat
from first to fourth place. After counting all the sunk ships,
Larry leaped into first place with 80 VPs.
The third round began with Robert plinking Forrest for one
point of damage. Forrest gets the first Fire. Gordon plays
a Break the Line vs. Larry (obvious choice). Robert dismasts
the Fougueux but loses to Larry who takes the ship and
prizes it. Can you say, "Shoot me please"? Pat steals
the Fougueux. Tom sinks the Java with a 4-strength Broadside.
Todd "has a go" at the San Juan De Nepomunceno and
fails. Gordon sinks the Phoebe. Robert then tries his hand at
San Juan De Nepomunceno and wins. Pat runs the prize Fougueux
back to port for 22 VPs. Forrest has a Fire started on the
Guilluame Tell. One turn later, he gets another Fire.
Forrest attempts a Boarding Party vs. the Elephant but
fails. Robert then sinks the burning Guilluame Tell .
Pat then boards the Elephant and adds it to his line.
Todd sinks the burning Europe. Gordon draws an Admiralty
Orders and this lifts the Break the Line from Larry's now diminished
fleet. Tom Blockades Pat and Pat reciprocates with a Break the
Line. Gordon pulls the Weather Gauge and clears away the Blockades
and Break the Line's. Larry plays another Blockade vs.
Pat. Pat then loses two ships to a Strike and Gordon moves in
to relieve Pat of the Montanez and declares it a prize.
Larry's Boarding Party fails against Pat's Elephant .
Robert uses his last Boarding Party to take the struck Baionnaise
from Pat. Gordon takes the Montanez back to port to
bring his VP total to 99. Forrest gets the last card of the round
and sinks the Baionnaise. Larry was chief victim of Gordon's
intensive propaganda campaign and scored 0 VPs, but still managed
to hold on to third place. Pat recovered from his drubbing in
the second round to capture 2nd place. However, Gordon scored
an additional 28 points for the sunken ships to capture first
place, the plaque, T-shirt and my hearty congratulations. Gordon
is also the first champion to repeat in ten years.
Final Round Scores
Player |
1st hand |
2nd hand |
3rd hand |
Gordon Rodgers |
17 |
60 (77) |
50 (127) |
Patrick Mirk |
53 |
-10 (43) |
41 (84) |
Larry York |
0 |
80 (80) |
0 (80) |
Forrest Speck |
36 |
27 (63) |
8 (71) |
Robert Navolis |
19 |
10 (29) |
40 (69) |
Todd Surgoine |
15 |
18 (33) |
15 (48) |
Tom McCorry |
25 |
11 (36) |
9 (45) |
|