lost cities [Updated October 2004]  

2004 WBC Report  

 2005 Status: pending December Membership Century Vote

Rebecca Hebner, CO

2004 Champion

2nd: Nate Hoam, OH

3rd: Laurel Stokes, NJ

4th: Jared Scarborough, IL

5th: Sean McCulloch, OH

6th: Peter Reese, VA

Event History
2000    Daniel Broh-Kahn     48
2001    Jared Scarborough     84
2002    Daniel Karp     66
2003    Charles Blahouse     60
2004    Rebecca Hebner     60

Euro Quest Event History
2003    Jeff Mullet     21


Offsite links:

AREA Ratings
boardgamegeek 

 Laurels
Rank Name

From

Last
Total
 1. Jared Scarborough

IL

04
48
 2. Daniel Karp

MD

03
32
 3. Daniel Broh-Kahn

MD

00
30
 4. Laurel Stokes

NJ

04
26
 5. Rebecca Hebner

CO

04
20
 6. Charles Blahouse

VA

03
20
 7. Jeff Mullet

OH

03
20
 8 Jeff Bakulchuk

NY

02
18
 9. Rob Kilroy

PA

02
13
10.  Nate Hoam

OH

04
12
11. Doug Galullo

FL

03
12
12. Laurie Wojtaszczyk

NY

03
12
13. Richard Sciacca

FL

02
12
14. Larry Kratz

ID

00
12
15. Gordon Aickin

UK

00
  9
16. Carol Caler

PA

03
  8
17. Joshua Cooper

MD

03
  8
18. Joshua Garton

VA

01
  8
19. Jeff Gardner

MD

03
  6
20. Debbie Gutermuth

TX

03
  6
21. Jordan Ludwick

NJ

01
  6
22. Fearghal Donnau

Ireland

00
  6
23.  Sean McCulloch

OH

04
  4
24. Kathy Stroh

PA

03
  4
25. Rob Flowers

MD

02
  3
26. Anthony Rubbo

PA

00
  3
27. Peter Reese

VA

04
  2
28. Paul Gaberson

PA

03
  2
29. Eric Hymowitz

MD

01
  2

Past Winners

Daniel Broh-Kahn - MD
2000

Jared Scarborough - IL
2001

Daniel Karp - MD
2002

Charles Blahouse - VA
2003
 


expedition to wood ...

As 60 adversaries were shoe-horned into a cramped Salon A, everyone nervously eyeballed the competition. Five of the top seven Laurelist expedition leaders in this year's jungle were in the field With a loud bang, the starter's pistol sounded and the adventurers were off.

The tournament started out with four-player league rounds followed by quick single elimination rounds until resolution. As expected, those that advanced liked the new format, those that did not found fault with it. The continuous tournament format offered some lucky soul the chance to sleep soundly Saturday night with wood a mere three hours away. The other poor saps would have up to three hours less time to harvest wood or go home with nothing but splinters. The new fast and furious format assured everyone of finishing in time to participate in the late night crowd pleaser - Slapshot. Fair warning of an adjudication process involving 10 second turns enforced by random card selection by the GM was relayed to all at the opening. Fortunately, no adjudications were needed as most players realized Lost Cities is most enjoyable as a fast playing card game.

The opening league and Sweet Sixteen rounds took down most of the favorites in the usual snares and pitfalls of card play. Noted front-runners surviving to the Elite Eight included top-ranked Jared Scarborough and the #7 Laurelist, the aptly named Laurel Stokes. The Elite Eight matched the following opponents. Sean McCulloch drew the feared Jared match. Sean, awestruck by Jared's reputation, somehow snatches defeat out of the jaws of victory. Leading comfortably, Sean decides to slow down the end of the game allowing Jared to score 30 points on the last card played. Jared advances with a 1-1 record and a +2 scoring differential. David Brooks faced off with Laurel. Laurel quickly points out a short-cut through quicksand to the gullible David. Laurel advances with a 2-0 record and a mammoth +66 scoring differential. Renowned wargamer Peter Reese was matched up with the disarming Rebecca Hebner. Pete may know something about card driven wargames; however, he is baffled by 16 year old Rebecca's euro card play as she advances with a 1-1 record and a +11 scoring differential. Eric Brosius, the Princes of Florence GM, faced his fifth-place finisher, Nathaniel Hoam. Although no bad blood spilled from the previous night's event, Nathaniel still overcomes a close first game loss with a resounding second game victory and advances with a 1-1 record and a +31 scoring differential.

Rebecca Hebner vanquishes CDW-ace Peter Reese in the Quarter Finals.

Onto the Final Four: Nathaniel Hoam, making his first WBC appearance after twenty plus years of Midwestern corn feeding, looked every bit a Rookie of the Year candidate as he mowed down opponent after opponent. Nate didn't even bother to read Jared Scarborough's nametag as he blew by him with a 2-0 record and a +54 point scoring differential. Meanwhile, Rebecca Hebner battled the ever present and tenacious Laurel Stokes. Rebecca, vaguely remembering how it feels atop the awards podium from her Grand Slam performance as a 13-year old gets a whiff of past glory, squeaking by Laurel with a 1-1 record and a +6 scoring differential.

The final was set with Rebecca Hebner giving up several inches, if not feet, to the towering Nathaniel Hoam. Nate goes first in game 1, leading off with a blue investment, a blue 2 and a yellow investment. Rebecca counters with a green investment, a green investment, and a green 2. Both players play very well the first game with some of the highest scores seen in the tournament. Nate starts four expeditions that total 90 points. Rebecca starts three expeditions, capturing one 20 point bonus, that total 99 points. Game 1 goes to Rebecca with a +9 scoring differential. Game 2 starts with Rebecca leading off with a white investment, a white 3 and a green investment. Nate follows up with a green investment, a red investment and blue investment. Unbeknownst to Nate, his fate was sealed with the red investment card he played. Nate goes on to score negative 24 points in red as Rebecca holds most of the red cards throughout the game. Nate starts four expeditions that total 6 points. Rebecca starts four expeditions that total 20 points. Game 2 goes to Rebecca with a +14 scoring differential. Rebecca wins with a 2-0 record and a +23 scoring differential. Welcome back to the winner's circle, Rebecca! That fifth plaque has been a while in the making - it's been three years since she terrorized WBC as a 14-yr old Grand Slam winner.

A big thank you goes out to the kindly participant who brought back a beverage for the weary GM. Without such refreshment, I doubt I could have accurately recorded the flurry of moves in the final two games. This is the kind of oil that keeps the GM machines running. I witnessed several instances of good sportsmanship. Bud Sauer, one of my assistant GM's, chose not to play in order to allow two slightly late-comers the opportunity to play. I also appreciate participants willing to play against whatever opponents they are matched against, despite some unusual mannerisms. Don't shed any tears for our also ran, Natey Boy. Later that evening Nate would flex his muscles and beat Lost Battialion's Becky at an arm-wrestling match during the Slapshot tournament. Some say he threw sand in her eyes as the match began Overall, I had fun running this event, I hope the participants enjoyed the tournament.

 GM      Michael Zehnal [1st Year]   NA
    mikezehnal@columbus.rr.com   NA

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