The new Valley Games edition of Hannibal shown above has breathed new life into what is, in my opinion, the best WBC tournament.	Derek Landel and GM Stuart Tucker battle. The GM fell just short of laurels with a 7th place finish in what is widely regarded as the most competitive of WBC skill tests.

This year a Messenger Intercepted rule change was offered as an option, if both players agreed. The rule, making it less likely the Event would work later in the game, was adopted in 33 of the 90 games played. In aggregate, it appears that 12 of the 54 players were against it, preventing its use in all of their games, while another four players only played with the option after their plaque chances had been dashed. As you will see below, the normal play of the rule had its usual significant effects on games (as did a few late Syracuse arrivals). On the down side, the Optional rule left several leaders relatively "safe" in the late game. Late play of the Messenger Intercepted is perhaps less a concern than a Turn 9 play of the Syracuse alliance. It has been suggested that a better optional rule is to simply make the Syracuse card a Must Play Event no matter who has it. I welcome feedback on such optional rule changes for future tournaments.

This year also involved a change in seeding to spread out further the eight Top Ranked players, such that they only started running into each other in Round 3. Novices continue to be shielded from facing those eight Top Ranked players or other Novices in the first round.

Bidding PCs for Sides resulted in an average Bid of 0.9 for Carthage. In six of 90 games, PCs were bid to be Rome (max of two PCs), and in 31 games 0 PCs were given. The maximum bid for Carthage was four PCs, but in three of the four games where Carthage earned a bid of three PCs or higher, the winner was the same player. We have a binomial distribution with nodes at 0 and 2 PCs for Carthage. Given this Bidding context , wins were fairly even. Round 1 went to Rome 14-11, but Carthage bounced back in Round 3 (12-8), so that by tournament end, of the 90 games played, 45 were won by each side.

Round 1 witnessed the fall of the defending Champion, Jim Heenehan, as his Carthage fell to Tim Miller's Rome by 10-8 province count as Scipio and Marcellus pounded into Idubeda on Turn 9. Top AREA-Ranked and two-time former champion James Pei defeated Matt Bacho, putting Rome under siege such that no reinforcements were received in Turn 6. Newcomer Kyle Greenwood defeated Nick Drochak by killing Hannibal on Turn 2, leading to a Turn 3 resignation. Kevin Wojtaszczyk played our first female entrant, Stephanie Welch, and found himself with Rome under two seige points (and surviving Treachery) before recovering to sack Welch's Carthage on Turn 7. Last year's runner-up, Keith Wixson defeated Jon Anderson by sacking Carthage on Turn 3 with just three siege rolls, as Flaminius fought off two amphibious relief armies. Perennial contender, Pete Reese's Hannibal blew into Eric Brosius' Italia and never lost a battle eliminating all Roman CUs and running down their PCs to produce a Turn 5 resignation. Eighth-ranked GM Stuart Tucker managed to survive a strong challenge by Marc Berenbach's Romans, by stocking up 15 Carthaginian CUs in Sardinia to bolster a 10-8 count. Last year's WBC phenom, Riku Riekkinen, hammered Martin Sample into a Turn 5 resignation by reducing Roman PCs and gaining a 13-4 province lead. Roderick Lee defeated Grant Ladue 10-8, benefitting from a failed Messenger Intercepted in Turn 8.

In Round 2, Pei survived Christopher Yaure's Carthaginian challenge by a bare 9-8 province count. Reikkinen won similarly over Gary Dickson. Wojtaszczyk entered Turn 9 down 8-9 to Randy Pippus' Romans, but benefitted from Diplomacy, Phillip, Capua, and Messenger Intercepted (not playing the optional rule) to salvage a 9-9 win. Reese as Rome benefitted from two Campaigns and an Intercepted third one in Turn 6 to make headway in Spain and force Lyman Moquin's resignation. Lee's Romans killed Tom Richardson's Hannibal on Turn 4 and then gained a 10-7 lead in a Truce-filled game to secure victory. Greenwood sacked Steve Williams' Rome on Turn 5 (with just three rolls). Tucker lost to Henry Rice's Carthaginians as Hannibal romped over Italy and reduced Tucker to a Suit for Peace entering Turn 9. Wixson hunted down Michael Mitchell's Hannibal in Massilia on Turn 7, then invaded Iberia on turn 9 to win 10-8.

In Round 3, Nels Thompson (who had won as Carthage in the first two rounds over George Young and Brian Hanechek) managed to have his Hannibal drive into Wixson's Italia, take Tarentum, and then march on Rome with a siege train, only to get destroyed by Double Envelopment by Fabius. Wojtaszczyk's Numidians deserted him to Riekkinen on the last Roman card play, only to survive when the lovely Sophonisba lured them back. Tim Hall's Hannibal on Turn 9 destroyed ten Roman CUs in three battles against Greenwood, but could not survive the Turn 9 Messenger Intercepted (optional rule not in play). Andy Latto overcame early problems as Carthage to regain a 9-9 count by Turn 4 against Lee, but eventually succumbed 8-10. Rice refused to play with the Messenger Intercepted optional rule, and managed to use the card on Turn 9 to snatch victory from Reese. Welch earned the first tournament victory by a woman, by defeating James Terry via Roman Suit for Peace on Turn 7.

Round 4 saw six remaining undefeated players facing off. Greenwood as Rome, defeated Lee 10-8, despite Lee using the Messenger Intercepted on Turn 9 (normal rules). Rice's Rome defeated Wojtaszczyk 10-7, benefitting from Philip's peace and Messenger Intercepted on Turn 8 (normal rules). Wixson sent Hannibal at the start of Turn 3 to hold Syracuse against Pei's game-long attempt to get it back (with only a Turn 9 Carthaginian relief army sailing to drive off the besiegers for good).

In Round 5, the top-rated 3-1 player (determined by strength of schedule), Tom Richardson, faced undefeated Kyle Greenwood. Richardson's Carthaginians played the Capua card on Turn 3, while Greenwood controlled all of Iberia. Despite the death of Africanus on Turn 8, Greenwood swung a 9-7 victory, though it was later discovered that Tom had failed to put the Syracuse card back into the deck at the start of the game (the card had been discarded into the box by Tucker in the previous game). Tom's no-whining stoicism earned him the Sportsmanship Nomination for the event and a deep apology from the GM. In Wixson's game against Rice's Rome, Carthage's probes into Gaul and Sardinia were wiped out, but used Truce to keep the game close. Wixson played a mid-Turn 9 Syracuse alliance, before Rice used Messenger Intercepted to secure the final three card plays. Rice's drive into Spain failed, leaving a 9-9 province count.

This left two undefeated 5-0 players who had to return Monday morning to play for the Plaque. Greenwood's Romans were aggressive with a Turn 1 invasion of Africa. Wixson's Hannibal snuck past slow generals through Liguria and set up a base in southern Italia. Greenwood's attempts to drive out Hannibal failed as the PC situation steadily deteriorated in Turns 5-7. With Cato counselling Rome, Greenwood sent Africanus on Turn 8 against Hannibal, but when failure was crippling to the PC count, Greenwood resigned the game.

Final Tournament Ranking:
1. Keith Wixson, 6-0, 4 Carthaginian wins
2. Kyle Greenwood, 5-1, 4 Roman wins
3. Roderick Lee, 4-1, 3 Roman wins
4. James Pei, 4-1, 2 wins with each
5. Henry Rice, 4-1, 3 Roman wins
6. Marc Berenbach, 3-2, 3 Carthaginian wins
7. Stuart Tucker, 3-2, 3 Carthaginian wins
8. Tom Richardson, 3-2, 2 Roman wins
9. Lyman Moquin, 3-2, all as Carthage
10. Larry Luongo, 3-2, 2 Roman wins
11. Bob Woodson, 3-2, 2 Roman wins
12. Andy Latto, 3-2, 2 Roman wins
13. Kevin Wojtaszcyk, 3-1, 2 Carthaginian wins
14. Bill Edwards, 2-2, 2 Roman wins
15. Jim Heenehan, 2-3, 1 win with each
16. Randy Pippus, 2-3, 1 win with each
17. Derek Landel, 2-3, 1 win with each
18. Jon Anderson, 2-2, 2 Roman wins
19. Pete Reese, 2-1, 1 win with each
20. Tim Hall, 2-1, 2 Roman wins
21. Riku Riekkinnen, 2-1, 1 win with each
22. Nels Thompson, 2-1, all as Carthage
23. Bruce Wigdor, 2-1, 1 win with each
24. George Young, 2-1, 2 Carthaginian wins
25. Brian Hanechak, 2-1, 1 win with each
26. Chris Yaure, 2-2, 1 win with each
27. Todd Treadway, 2-0, all as Carthage
28. Stephanie Welch, 1-4, 1 Carthaginian win
29. Gary Dickson, 1-3, 1 Roman win
30. Grant Ladue, 1-4, 1 Carthaginian win
31. Michael Mitchell, 1-2, 1 Carthaginian win
32. Randy MacInnis, 1-2, all as Rome
33. Tim Miller, 1-2, all as Rome
34. Eric Brosius, 1-2, 1 Roman win
35. Bill Banks, 1-2, 1 Roman win
36. Matt Bacho, 1-1, 1 Carthaginian win
37. Jason Levine, 1-1, 1 Carthaginian win
38. James Boyle, 1-0, as Carthage
39. Chris Trimmer, 1-1, all as Rome
40. Chris Senhouse, 1-2, all as Carthage
41. Charlie Hickok, 1-0, as Rome
42. Bruno Sinigaglio, 1-0, as Carthage
43. James Terry, 0-3, 2 Carthaginian losses
44. Kurt Mericli, 0-3, all as Rome
45. Michael Sosa, 0-3, 2 Carthaginian losses
46. Nick Drochak, 0-3, 2 Carthaginian losses
47. Michael Ussery, 0-2, 1 loss with each
48. Steve Williams, 0-2, 1 loss with each
49. Henry Richardson, 0-2, all as Rome
50. Jeff Burdett, 0-1, as Rome
51. Carl Copelande, 0-1, as Carthage
52. Sam Brosius, 0-1, as Rome
53T. Doug Mercer, 0-1, as Carthage
53T. Martin Sample, 0-1, as Rome

Roderick Lee took out Consul Latto while defending champ Heenehan was having his troubles with Bill Edwards and won only twice this year.	Hawaiian Kyle Greenwood in his first WBC went all the way to the Final but fell to Keith Wixson who improved on his second place finish in 2008.