Cribbage @ DC Bread & Brew - Dec 30, 2011

I had a lot of fun playing cribbage last night. The two pints of Old Rasputin Imperial Stout that I drank figure prominently in my memory of the evening.

As far as the games go I started and ended the meetup with a loss but was on the winning side in the two games between the bookends.

Game 1 [Teams: Hawaii (Leighlani & Joel), Rasputin (Ann & Me); Winner: Hawaii]

Game 2 [Teams: Hawaii (Leighlani & Joel), Rasputin (Ann & Me); Winner: Rasputin]

Game 3 [Teams: Hawaii (Leighlani & Joel), Rasputin (Ann & Me); Winner: Rasputin]

Game 4 [Players: Leighlani, Joel, Me; Winner: Joel]

All three of the team games were won by large margins, but there were no skunks. We talked about changing teams after game 2, switching it up with some of the other people at the meetup, but Team Hawaii insisted on a third game. I was flying high between the big wins and the beer and didn't mind finishing third in Game 4. For dinner I had Spinach & Walnut Ravioli, which was quite good.

Cribbage Pro - Nov 26, 2011

Level of Difficulty: Intermediate
Winner: Cribbage Pro
Score: 121-120

Before the last hand the score was 115-115. I thought I had it when I was dealt 4-5-5-6-8-Q. Naturally I discarded 8-Q. It was CP's crib so I opened by playing 4. CP also played a 4, thus scoring two points. The score was now 117-115, and the count was 8. I played 6, making the count 14. CP played 7, making the count 21. All I had left was 5-5, so I played one of them scoring 4 points for the 4-5-6-7 run. The score was now 117-119 and the count was 25. CP plays 4 which should have ended the game, but instead of counting 4 points for the 4-5-6-7 run it counted 3, so the score was 120-119 and the count was 29. I called muggins and picked up the point that CP missed. It was now all tied up at 120-120 and the count was still 29. It was my turn but all I had was a 5 so I had to say GO. CP scored a point for the GO and won the game 121-120.

Looking back on it now if I had held on to the Q then I might have won the game.

Cribbage Pro - Nov 23, 2011

Level of Difficulty: Intermediate 
Winner: Me
Score: 121-120

The next to last hand ended with me ahead 118-117. Cribbage Pro dealt the final hand so I knew I would get to count first.

I was dealt A-5-6-8-8-K. I considered discarding 5-K; doing so would have insured that I had 6 points in my hand but I was concerned that CP might score enough points to win before I got a chance to count my points. Instead I discarded 8-8 which was also kind of risky.

In the end it all worked out in my favor. During the play I scored 2 points and CP scored 3 points, tying the game at 120-120. I counted first and had 2 points in my hand 5-K, which won me the game. 

Cribbage Pro - Nov 18, 2011

I just lost 121-103 playing Cribbage Pro against the machine. I was in the lead but the machine scored 14, 14, and 16 points in the last three hands to secure the win; and that's not counting the points in it's two cribs or the points it scored when cards were being played in those three hands.

Cribbage @ Thai at Corner - Nov 15, 2011

This cribbage meetup was a bit weird. Most of the people at this meetup were new and everyone that said they would be there actually showed up; not a single no show. I can't remember the last time that happened.

It was a little uncomfortable at first. One of the new joins was acting like he was in charge. I didn't like it but what was I supposed to do? I didn't want to make a scene or be rude. It probably didn't help that I sat down next to him and wound up playing with him.

He also bought a plate full of appetizers. I ended up dining on them and some food that Vivian offered me from her plate. The only thing I bought was a Thai Iced Tea. At the end of the night he tried to pick up the tab for everyone but we insisted on chipping in. I contributed 5 dollars, which is probably less than I should have paid.

Game 1 [Teams: Marika & Clyde, Vivian & Me; Winners: Marika & Clyde]

We lost this one by a fairly large margin. We barely avoided getting skunked. Vivian was new to the game. Her mother wasn't but it had been a long time since Marika last played.

Game 2 [Teams: Marika & Clyde, Vivian & Me; Winners: Vivian & Me]

This game went right down to the wire. We had the lead early in the game only to get overtaken by the others in the middle. Towards the end we regained the lead. With one hand to go we were ahead by about 10 points and needed just 7 to win. In the end we won by a point, 121-120; Vivian didn't have any points in her hand and I had just 2 in mine. If it weren't for the fact that we got to count first we would have lost the game.