(Non-Lou's are welcome to check it out, but I think he'll really appreciate it more).

David Bronstein (who later failed to win a world championship when he started daydreaming in a clearly won final game of the match and then made a horrific blunder) wrote:

It is usually thought that the prerequisites of chess creativity are logic, accurate calculation of variation, and technique... There is a fourth component, however, perhaps the most attractive, although it is often forgotten. I have in mind intuition, or, if you like, imagination.

Sometimes positions occur that cannot be evaluated on the basis of general principles...Similarly, a calculation of the variations cannot always be attempted. Suppose that white has six or seven different continuations and that black has five or six replies to any of them.... It is then that intuition, imagination is called into play, which brings to the art of chess its most beautiful combinations and which permits chess players to experience the genuine joy of creation.

Averbakh-Kotov, Candidates Tournament, Zurich, 1953.

30 ... QxP check! (Qxh3 in algebraic notation).

It is not true that imaginative games were played only in the time of Morphy, Anderssen, and Tchigorin, and that today everything is based on positional principles and calculations. I am convinced that the games that received beauty prizes in this very tournament were not calculated to the end of all variations. Imagination was and remains one of the foundations of chess creativity...

Wikipedia page on Kotov, and page on candidate moves. (The latter says that chess programs have basically abandoned looking for candidate moves, spending their time on more brute force approaches).

It's solid, and the Jacqui enjoys it. I particularly like that:

• all the developments appear useful
• You have choices from turn 1 (no "build up" turns)
• The clever combination of skulls with two goods, and that 1 or 3 skulls are "Good." Adds tension

About the only thing is that I really want to just print out cards with the developments, so that I can quickly see who has what. And maybe toss in a Civilization-style on number of each card. A nice system that can stand plenty of variants and tinkering.... well done.

I finally played the St. Petersburg expansion, again probably years after everyone else. I liked that the Mistress is no longer a turn one game breaker, but we had a turn 1 judge do roughly the same thing. I'd burned out because of the computer game, but I think I'm ready to play St. Pete again, at least with the expansion.

I've also played four games of the BSG expansion, and I'm sure it will surprise nobody here that I like it, although when playing with 5 you have to not let someone play a Cylon leader. (With 4/6 it debatable).

Played a lot of Face to Face Dominion for the first time. I've certainly played a lot on BSW, but I'm starting to enjoy the 'real' game. I'll certainly trade for a copy now. Also got in a game of Through the Ages, and managed to self destruct when I sacrificed my army to get a colony that provided enough yellow tokens that I could easily rebuy the people in one turn. I forgot I wouldn't have enough ore to rebuild the units for 2-3 turns. And two turns as whipping boy is one too many. I managed to recover somewhat and had a huge run in the end, despite only producing 4 ore a turn at game end (and one of those was via a trade agreement). Lots of mineral deposits, patriotism and military build ups (6 civil actions by mid game, 8 by mid Age III).

Also played the "Ace of Aces" book game. Exactly how many games use that exact same system? Ace of Aces, Blue Max, Richtoffen's War (which, I'm told, the Ace of Aces people used to build their book). There's a miniature version of Blue Max I've seen (the players had never heard of Blue Max, but their rules were identical, down to the damage chits).

Qwirkle isn't growing on me, per se, as much as making me want to play Scrabble. But its not bad.

Caylus Magna Carta is still hitting the table; and I'm completely sold that it is superior to straight Caylus (for replayability).

Blue Moon continues to amuse.

Also played a few of the "good every now and then" card games, like Castle, Gargon, and Ark. Ark is still a touch too long.

And I spent hours trying to fix my computer. For some reason Firefox crashes after 3-4 minutes -- this was a known issue in 3.0.9, but I've got 3.0.10. Fortunately the 3.5 Beta seems stable, but if anybody has any ideas (hint: mozcrt19.dll) on what to do, I'm listening.

So I may as well see what all ya'll tried during the last week (or longer) that may be of interest...

Oh, and if you wonder what I was bringing to the flea market, look no further.

Conspiracy -- I remembered playing this as a kid, but was worried it wouldn't age well. Despite having some blind bidding (you pay money towards the agents, but can move any agent. You reveal money to control and agent and lose money to kill other agents) I rather enjoyed it. It helps quite a bit that it's a 20 minute game in our group.

Also played was Le Havre. At five games, its got kind of that pleasant sameness going. Interesting ideas to keep me going back, but nothing worth obsessing over.

Race, like the Dude, Abides.

I'll have to get play a few more times in quick succession to do a detailed review, but anyone who likes meaty economic games should try this.

I also got in another game of Middle Kingdom, which apparently falls into the category of "games I do not do well at." It joins the (also-played) Die Mauer, which I'm amazingly bad it. That's why I like my simultaneous selection games fast. No lingering losses.

Drafting in the Race expansion is a nice little change of pace. I've also been losing to the robot every now and then (in general).