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Medici (MED) WBC 2022 Event Report
Updated October 3, 2023
82 Players Susan Cornett Event History
  2022 Champion & Laurels
 

How To Win Medici

This year’s event report was written by Susan Cornett. She gives away her secrets to winning. She also shares some overall impressions of what makes Medici such a fun tournament to play in at WBC.

Medici Players are nice people:

At WBC, 99% of the players are nice, friendly people who simply love to play Medici.

Missy Youells, for example, enjoys coaching new players at the table who may never have played before. This year, at least one new player even made it into the semi-finals.

It is also nice when those who know the game well (like Francois de Belle Feuille) move the tokens around the board, up the pyramids, and figure out who won points for high boat.

In Medici at the WBC, I noticed players show great sportsmanship. Players wish other players good luck before the game and offer congratulations when the game has concluded. After this year’s Finals game (Yes, the Finals does get intense!) Jason Arvey commented, “I don’t mind losing if it is a good competitive game.”

Kevin Youells volunteers as assistant GM. He picks up the Medici Kiosk usually half hour prior to the game, then handles the sign-ins. Arriving early, he is ready to greet players and encourages those who are reluctant to play.

The Play:

Medici is a two-tier strategy game: Players bid victory points for a 5-card hand. Points are earned by moving up 5 colored pyramids and by high hand (boat) total scored at the end of each of three rounds. On average, players bid face value (the total of the cards they are bidding on). They will pay more if the cards are the same color (players need to climb their pyramids).

I try to figure out what each player at the table is willing to pay for the cards that come up for auction. For me, figuring out what a player will pay for the cards is instinct gained from experience. Some will bid for low value cards of the right color. Others only bid for cards with high numbers and will pay a lot. Some fill their boats early. Others will wait to hope to draw 3 good cards for a buck.

This is what I thought of my opponents during the Finals:

  • Terry Ni was focused on high boat, taking 30 points in the first two rounds and 20 in the last round.
  • Jason Arvey was concentrating on climbing the pyramids without regard to boat. He played a very efficient game topping two pyramids without any cards in any other color. He did not hesitate to buy 0’s and 1’s if they were in his color.
  • Cary Morris, I was uncertain of his strategy. At first, he waited for others to fill their hands after which he could buy cards very cheaply. In later rounds with card shortages, he had to bid more aggressively. Nothing seemed to work right for him.
  • Cliff Ackman's strategy appeared to be very balanced -- climb one pyramid color, bid a fair amount for high boat, and claim 3 cards for a buck when the opportunity presented itself.
  • My strategy at the beginning of the game was to climb two pyramids while collecting cards that helped at least a little toward boat total. After the first round, I was in third place – 15 points out of first. Even in the final round, I figured I would end up third.

To become a better player, play with players who are better than you. WBC gives you that opportunity. Never be intimated just because there is a better player (even a World Champion) at your table! Your bids still count.

It is true that my family are all Medici champions (including both kids: Ann and Scott). Do we play Medici a lot? Yes, when the kids were growing up, we did. Sometimes when we introduce ourselves before a game, someone will say, “Another Cornett! I just lost to a Cornett.” Cornetts do lose and sometimes badly! (Ask my husband. He knows more about this than I do lately!)

Know what strategy your opponent is playing: colors they are collecting, and how much they will bid for high boat. During the auction, math players know the probability that a card will be turned up next. For the pyramid colors I am collecting, I count cards and know the values of the cards that are left in the deck.

Do not be afraid to lose a bid if an opponent takes the profit out of the cards that you need, especially if that opponent is not collecting those colors. Passing on their bid may “junk up their boat.” It may even cause them to not make it to the top of their pyramid. My son refers to this as “sticking it to them.” In one of my heats this year, I stuck it to a former WBC world champion (Owen Kyrollos). Although this ruined his game, he was a good sport about it and admitted afterwards that good players should pass on cards they need if a player bids them up too high.

I am not “afraid” to bid for lower value cards, even in different suits, if they are cheap enough. Later in the game, prices will increase as players begin to get closer to the top of their pyramids or if there is a shortage of cards. In the first auction of the Finals, I was dealer. Everyone else passed on a 2 and a 3 of different colors. My husband says he was dying inside when I bought these cards for 1. We talked about this bid for days afterwards. I filled my boat and paid very little for my hand – perfect to eventually win the Finals by 1 point. Third place was 2 points behind.

My last bid of the game was carefully considered. The last two cards that I flopped were a 1 in gold and 1 in silver. By now, there was a 2-card shortage. I knew this was my last opportunity to purchase cards. Everyone passed on these two 1’s. Jason’s hand was full (the very top of 2 pyramids). Cliff would deal next and get to flop 3 cards for a buck. Terry would get the final deal and then fight Cary over the last 2 cards with the losing bidder ending up 2 cards short. I hesitated and thought carefully if it was even worth even spending 1 on these cards. I tried to remember what cards might be left in the deck, and what six cards might be in the initial discards. These two 1’s were not in my primary pyramid colors. I could still possibly split some second place points in them, but I might not. Finally, I decided to purchase the two cards for 1. It turned out to be the game-winning bid. I earned 1 point in silver and 2 points in gold. If I had not bought these two cards, I would have ended up in third place.

At the end of each round, points are earned for highest point values of the cards. To win, try to earn some points for high hand in each round. Avoid paying too much as it may take away from the profit. A player must balance the price of the “10-card” that may or may not earn high hand. The 10-card is colorless, so loses a color slot for moving up a pyramid.

Winning Medici is a balance of moving up the pyramid, earning points for high hand, figuring out how much the table is willing to pay for the auction, knowing what cards might be left in the deck, instinct, and a little luck. Most importantly, have fun and show good sportsmanship!

Medici is a great family game for all ages that takes less than an hour to play. I was surprised our Final lasted just 45 minutes. It felt like a 2-hour game with all the hard thinking involved.

See you at the next WBC, and perhaps you too, can be the next Medici champion!

 
2022 Laurelists Repeating Laurelists: 1
Jason Arvey Cliff Ackman Terry Ni Cary Morris Michael McKibbin
2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
 

Enjoying a gasme of Medici.

GM Jeff Cornett enjoying a game of Medici.

Cary Morris making his way to the Final.

Finalists with GM Jeff Cornett.

 
GM  Jeff Cornett [8th year]