John, Z and I gathered around the table and revisited the games from the last couple sessions and we each walked away with a win.
We started with Alhambra. This time around we all spent more time focusing on the walls for our city and after the first score we were within 5 points of each other. We got a little better separation in the next round where I started taking the lead being in first or second (or tied for those) for all but the red buildings. Before the end I was able to claim first in white and green, second in brown and red forced a three way tie for first in blue because I ended the game before Z was able to play his third blue to take first. Additionally, I was able to connect a split I created in my walls which helped offset Z getting 21 for his wall. So I wound up winning by about 10 points.
I'm looking forward to playing with four people, but I find the fact that the money and the buildings are random annoying. Perhaps I'll try focusing more on what money the other players are picking up, but I find my brain has been up to the task the last couple nights. :)
Next we played Manila. The first couple rounds a little roller coaster-ish. We all did well on the first round with Z being the harbor master. I ponied up for it the next time and everyone did poorly. John took over for the third round and we all did well again. After that I didn't bother spending enough to get it and focused on maximizing my returns. Z took a chance by trying to play different then John and I and ended up loosing money where we gained. He then spent too rounds trying to use the pirates to jump ahead, but lost his shirt instead. John stayed as harbor master since I wasn't willing to spend more than 12 pesos to try getting it from him. In the end, while I had more than 40 pesos than John his shares gave him 60 points and I only had 10 in shares. I think my frustration with harbor master is that the two times of been it I've rolled poorly for the ship that I've really wanted to do well and I end up needed to use the pilots and lose money in the process. I need to diversify my shares early on so I'm not so caught up on which boat makes it in.
Carcossonne wound up being a farmer battle between John and Z - I couldn't get in the mix and city sharing between Z and I. I missed Z getting into the farming so when we completed a city with a citadel in it for 45 points and shot ahead of John I had no way to reel Z back in. John and I were one tile away from completing another citadel city that would've given me the win, but Z got the piece that would've closed it.
