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Acquire (ACQ) WBC 2016 Report
Updated Nov. 18, 2016 Icon Key
 
65 Players Steve Packwood, MN 2016 Status 2017 Status History/Laurels
  2015-2016 Champion   Click box for details. Click box for details.
 

21 Years Faster

Every year someone suggests that Acquire is just about drawing the right tile at the right time. I beg to differ. Neither is Titan just about rolling ‘6’s’ on the battle board and Ticket to Ride is not about drawing two wild cards off the top. Those occurrences help to be sure, but being in position to take advantage of such good fortune is what separates the champions from the rest. Playing Acquire well is also about how a player copes when NOT getting those favorable tiles; your plays, your buys, your keep/sell/trade decisions. Acquire players know that every other aspect of the game is important too.

A case in point: a player who is a pretty good hand at the game (okay, me) had 13 shares in a company (a lock on first place) caused the company to be taken over, got some money and kept his shares because he had another “maker” tile in hand and was next to another large chain. Another positive aspect, my chain was the only company that could be made because all the other hotels were in play. The closest competitor traded for some shares in the majority company, but kept enough for a clear second place for the re-creation. One problem I didn't see – on my opponent's turn, he created the chain but off in the corner A2/A3. This play tied up my 13 shares for the duration. When it merged, the surviving hotel's shares were already purchased.

In 2016, (as in previous years) seat #2 had the lowest win percentage. Other game aspects such as starting a hotel, the type of hotel or being involved in the first merger remains a weak predictor for success. But seat #2 is bad luck.

This year's Final seating order was Paul Bean, David Platnick, Dave Rohde and defending champion Steve Packwood. It was a game much like any other, with hotels created and stock purchased as one might expect. On Turn 4, Steve created Imperial (high cost hotel). On Turns 5 and 6, the other players attacked and defended their own hotels but ignored Imperial. Steve merged Imperial into Festival for a monopoly payout on the last play of Turn 6. Sure, there were payouts on Turns 7, 8 and 9 but THAT initial monopoly payout gave Steve the momentum to defend his title. It was the third Acquire title for the 1776 master, but whereas the second one came 22 years after the first, this one came in back to back efforts.

By the way, Steve was the “closest competitor” previously referenced—so for real champions it's not just about getting the right tile.

 
2016 Laurelists Repeating Laurelists: 1
David Platnick, VA Paul Bean, MA David Rohde, NC Ken Richards, SC Ed Kendrick, uk
2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
 

GM Cliff Ackman and defending champ Steve Packwood welcome three new finalists to Round 3.
 
GM     Cliff Ackman [10th Year]   NA
   Cliff006@Frontier.com    NA