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Acquire's
record attendance kept the Paradise room busy. |
Three former champs in this semi did
not stop Phil Bradley's (left) return to the Final. |
Sid's Crown Jewel Lives On
40 . . . 60 . . . 80 . . . 93
Talk about your real estate price increase. Acquire
nearly doubled last year's attendance with 93 hotel magnates
going at it in our 17th Acquire tournament to determine
who would be Sid Sackson's latest hotel king.
Things
started with a bang as 43 gamers showed up at the Wednesday night
opening heat. They were distributed to 11 tables generating our
first 11 winners. After a Thursday afternoon demo session, 50
players contested another 12 boards in the second heat. This
produced our first double winners, John Long and Jason Ley. The
third and final heat of 45 gathered around 11 boards for 34 games
played. These three preliminary heats generated five double winners
and 24 other game winners. The MESE tiebreaks made double winner
Steve Shambeda sweat, as his first round loss placed him below
the 21 first heat winners. As often happens however, many winners
were no shows for the semi-finals, so Steve safely advanced.
Top seeded Jason Ley was paired with Ken Lee, Dylan Routh,
and Masahide Hisanega in the first table of the semis. Previous
champ Steve Packwood was matched against another previous winner,
Phil Bradley, and defending champion Matt Calkins. Talk about
a tough table! Another double winner Dan Henry had to face double
winner Steve Shambeda, with Rob Buccheri and Malinda Kyrkos.
The fourth table was manned by Brad Raszewski, Jim Garvey, Bryan
Berkenstock, and David Platnick.
Jason won his third game in a row to advnce to the Final.
Phil won comfortably over his table to join Jason, as did Malinda
to avoid an all-male final. Jim Garvey squeaked by Bryan at the
fourth table to set the finalists. Bryan Berkenstock took 5th
based upon his close loss and Ken Lee was next highest runner-up
to earn 6th place laurels.
Jim was the starting playe in the Final and opened Tower.
Phil, playing third opened Continental. Jim started Luxor on
his next turn and Mindy, not to be left out, opened Imperial.
Jason finally got a founder's share as he started American on
his second play. Worldwide was started on Jason's third play
and Jim got the 7th and last hotel chain started, Festival, on
his fourth play. Mindy caused the first merger, blending Imperial
into Luxor. This netted her the $5,000 bonus, with 2nd being
split between Jim and Phil. She restarted Imperial on her next
tile lay. Jason got the next merger, Continental into Tower,
but had to split first with Phil, each receiving $3,800. They
both kept their shares, so Continental was destined to rejoin
the board.
Jim was the first to run low on cash, but didn't lose his
hold on Festival when it merged into American. The $3,000 was
sorely needed. Mindy and Jason split 2nd for a measly $800 each.
Jason used the trading to gain a dominate position in American.
Phil was the next to fall victim to low cash, just as Jason merged
Continental into Luxor for another first majority. Phil gathered
in the 2nd bonus to replenish his cash. Jason was able to reestablish
Continental. Being left out of the last two mergers, Mindy had
to pass on buying for her next four turns. Jim ran short missing
two buys and even Phil had to skip a turn. Jason used the time
to add to his holdings in Festival and Continental. He next merged
Imperial into Luxor. Phil instigated the next two mergers, Continental
into Luxor followed by Worldwide joining Luxor, too. Festival
was the final merger, going into American. The last three safe
hotels were Tower, Luxor, and American.
By the final tally, Jason had gathered five firsts and a tie
for first, a second and a tie for second to finish first with
$54,300. Phil was second with a first, a tie for first, two seconds
and three ties for second to finish with $41,500. Mindy's four-turn
slump pushed her down to third with three firsts, a second and
a tie for second, earning her $38,200. Jim, brought up the rear
with a first and two seconds and three ties for second for $31,500.
Thanks to everyone who participated. Special thanks to John
Pack, Marshall Daw, Steve Shambeda, and Jeff Cornett who volunteered
(or were volunteered) to be assistant GM's. Regretably, I will
be unable to attend in 2008 so this event will be in need of
a new GM next year.
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