Veni, Vidi, Vendidi.

OVERALL:
Fortunately even though our time slot had been accidentally expanded to 3 hours none of the games actually took more than the original 2 hour heat length. Possibly the reason that heats 2, 3, SF, and F were scheduled in Foggy Goggle was due to not fitting into other rooms as well as a 2 hour time slot would have. This will be fixed back to the original 2 hour block next year so hopefully we can get back to Seasons.

HEAT COMMENTS:
This year the first heat was held in Wintergreen which was a pretty darn good room. We were the only tournament in there and we even had a few unused tables. However, the other heats were all held in Foggy Goggle which was quite a ways to haul everything.

Heat 1 had 56 players, a small increase from last year. This worked out to a perfect set of 14 games being played. Enough copies of the game were brought to this heat so that the library copies were not used and probably a few others as well.

Heat 2 had 52 players, also a small increase from last year. This heat was also broken up into a perfect set of 13 tables. 22 of these players had also played in heat one. Enough game copies showed up that we only needed to use one library copy and that one only because it was setup before it was strictly needed.

Heat 3 only had 35 players appear (boo, drop in attendance), 27 of which had played in a previous heat. One 3 player game had to happen this time. Enough game copies were in evidence this time as well.

Many thanks for everyone who brought a copy of the game! Many thanks to my GM assistants: Rich Atwater and Brandon Bernard. Also unofficial GM assisants: Alyssa Bernard and Mona Reece.

SEMIFINAL COMMENTS:
There were 28 unique winners, 8 of which won 2 games. No one pulled off the trifecta this year.

As in prior years I was asked many times if one win would be good enough to qualify for the semifinal round. (This line is a direct copy/paste from last year). Well, for the first time all 16 of the top qualifiers showed up at the semifinal. Half of them had 2 wins. Of the next best 8 winners, six of them had 2nd place finishes as well. Which only left room for 2 single game winners. At least another 4 of the heat winners showed up but could not be accommodated.

FINAL COMMENTS:
Jacob Wagner opened with the more or less traditional Architect. Duncan McGregor played his Diplomat 2nd. Curt Collins II also played his Diplomat from the 3rd position. Robert Kircher bucked the trend and played his Senator to buy the Mason and an additional Mercator.

Everyone had quite a good time ribbing each other. At one point Curt started up a new lexicon: He "Mercatated", later he "Architated". The others picked up on this trend which finally culminated when Duncan "Consultated", but then he thought that was too much like a "real" word.

ADDITIONAL AWARDS
Mercator Maximus is for the player who achieved the highest score in a four or more person game. Mercator Optimus is for the player who had the best first over second score ratio in a four or more person game. The Pyrrhic Victor is awarded to the player with the lowest scoring win (in a game played to completion).

For 2018 these are:

• Matthew Clark - Mercator Maximus - Heat 3 - Score 156
• Antero Kuusi - Mercator Optimus - Heat 2 - Ratio 1.43
• Aaron Blair - Pyrrhic Victor - Heat 2 - Score 103 (with a slightly worse ratio than William Warren who also won with a 103)

ANECDOTES:
"I will also use a Mercator. Wait a minute that sounds familiar. I'll just copy it with one of my many Diplomats instead."

"How dare you come into our house and borrow our tools?!"

"I suppose putting houses down after I've paid for them is a good strategy."

"Hmmmm, should I get that Consul with this Consul or not...?"

"Payout the team; team not-Duncan. Again."