titan 2 [Updated October 2002]

TT2  4 prizes Experienced Single Elim Continuous 
  21+ Salon CD   11  Round 2  15  Round 3  20
 Round 4 Semi  Round 5 14 Final  
  

  Valley

Dan Strock, PA

2002 Champion

2nd: David des Jardins, CA

3rd: Bill Dufton, CA

4th: Ben Foy, MD

5th: Brian Sutton, MD

6th: Chuck Nail, GA

Event History
1994    Paul Goliwas      26
1995    Bruno Wolff      26
1996    Brian Sutton      17
1997    Brian Sutton      29
1998    Ed Rothenheber      39
1999    Jason Ley     32
2000    Brian Sutton     36
2001    Andrew Gross     30
2002    Dan Strock     36


AREA Ratings


GM: Cliff Ackman

Past Winners

Paul Goliwas - MD
1994

Bruno Wolff - WI
1995

Brian Sutton - MD
1996-1997, 2000

Ed Rothenheber - MD
1998

Jason Ley - WA
1999

Andrew Gross - WA
2001
 

Titan for the socially challenged ...

This year's tournament had 34 entrants. What's wrong with that? It's not of the power of 2! This small factor lead to three byes in the later rounds. Now that the convention is over and I can think straight, I realize that if just two games had served as a preliminary elimination round we could have brought the pairings down to a nice 32. Next year, we'll know better.

Having play available Tuesday night worked out well again this year. The flexibility allowed entrants to maximize playtime, which is always good. Establishing cut-off times for the rounds kept the pairings ladder balanced. Even though I did not have to adjudicate any games, the added structure allowed combatants to better plan their schedules. Using a floating pairings system allowed the games to flow. This system allows any player reaching a particular round to play any other player reaching that
round. But the real credit to having this tournament work is the goodwill of all players involved. Even when they're trying to KILL one another (figuratively).

Most first round games were played Tuesday night with the others starting first thing Wednesday. Every Titan player knows games can last from 15 minutes to (May the Dice-Gods forbid) 15 hours. Most games this year were between one and two hours with a few approaching four hours.

This year's finalists came down to the Wicked Warlock of the West, Dave Des Jardins versus the man whose physical presence is Titanic, Dan Strock. Given the history of these two gamers and their play this year being consistently good, I foresaw the finale to be a clash of Titans. (heh, heh get it? Titans? Ahem, well) I stopped in the Valley ballroom expecting to see a board arrayed with legions of multiple colors strategically placed to force battle at a moments notice. Instead, Dan approaches me with arms raised in victory.

Seven turns. Dan rolled two sixes in his first three rolls grabbing two warlocks and pinned Dave's Titan stack. Rather than go Titan versus Titan, Dan brought his angel/2cyclops/2 gargoyles/2 centaurs to dispatch Dave's Titan/2trolls/2ogres/gargoyle in the marsh. No rangers were grown. This was like watching Attack of the Clones. All the hype, all the history and when you see it you say, "What happened? Where's the epic story?

Where's the insight to make people better players? How am I supposed to write a tournament synopsis on seven turns!? Dan looks at me, "Just spell my name right."

 GM      Cliff Ackman  [2nd Year]  4151-C King George Dr, Harrisburg, PA 17109
    thx1138@EZonline.com   (NA)

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