Celebratory note 001

Rehearsals for the International House of Mancakes resumed three weeks ago, like your girlfriend. Last night we practiced a few short-form games. Denton entreated us to stay to watch a literal version of a music video, “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)” by Meat Loaf. So I left rehearsal a little late.

Christopher Hurt truly appreciated that everyone waited and saved a space on the board for him in Team Trivia at the Roving Imp Coffee House. I could not have guessed that the strategies of others would lead to a win for me, thus drawing the congratulations of David, the hatred of Zach (his significant other is the host, Chanté), the ire of Nifer, and no doubt the Spite of Trish, if she had played. To which, Unicron says, “You exaggerate.”

Was that exaggeration interesting? Well, no, that was not an interesting exaggeration, outside of the paronomasia related to the name of one of the troupes in which Trish participates, yet that Trish was at the Coffee House that evening should not be inferred. But the rest of the status update contained no exaggerations.

Jenifer was not among the players last night, and she won the last two times she played:

“Congrats, Chris! I'll be back to kick your butt next week. :-P”

Before I talk more about my victory, I think that I shall have to explain the rules, my strategy, and how the strategies of others led to a win for me. John designed these rules well.

A minimum of four players is required, a number which does not include the host. Questions are read from either an edition of Trivial Pursuit, or a game called In Pursuit; however, the game is played without the pieces and board from said game.

With four players, each player is on his or her own team. Each player chooses a name for his or her team. These names are record on a whiteboard, along with the three optional-move tallies and the numbers for each of the rounds. Each round consists of six questions with each question increasing in point-value from one point to six points.

The game progresses through five rounds and takes about two hours. Each player is provided with a writing utensil and a piece of scratch paper. These are used to record what categories each player will ask of the other team, and they are also helpful in tracking from what categories each player has been asked.

The order, to whom the questions are asked, is usually determined by the placement of the team name on the board, and this order is not always related to the seating positions of everyone in the room. For three rounds, the order is whoever has not asked whomever the previous round, and the order of the fourth round is usually the same as the first round. However, in the fourth round, the teams who are not giving or receiving the question vote to decide which category, questions unseen, is read to the receiving team. For the fifth round, also known as the final round, each player chooses the order of which categories are read to him or her.

Throughout the game, any team could have used any of the optional moves. Each team has a certain number of optional moves available for the entire game; the tallies do not renew each round. See a few of them below:

• Five repeats; any team may ask to have up to five questions repeated.
• Four steals; any team, which is not receiving the question, may attempt to steal the points four questions from the other teams. But that team must call, “steal,” before the receiving team begins to answer. The receiving team is allowed to answer first, and if their answer is incorrect, then the stealing team has a chance to answer. If the answer from the stealing team is correct, then the stealing team collects the points.
• Three challenges; a team, which is receiving the question, may call, “challenge,” and challenge either of the two other teams to answer instead of the receiving team. The the team to be challenged is the team with the lowest points. The challenging team will collected the normal points for the question if the challenged team answers incorrectly; however, if the challenged team does answer correctly, then that team is awarded double the point-value for the question.

For me, if I remember, I usually save all my challenges for my last three questions in round five. Interestingly, two other players saved at least one as well, and they chose to challenge on their last questions in the round: the six-point questions. I answered both of these questions correctly, and received twelve points, and then twelve points again, thus winning the game.

When Zach said, “I hate you. I really hate you,” and Nifer said, “You fucking bastard,” I understood they were both incredulous, and did not mean their words seriously or harshly. Zach recently clarified:

“[‘tis] not hatred so much as profound competitive envy :)”

After the game, I had an errand to run:

Christopher Hurt shopped at Hy-Vee, Inc. and brought some Aquafina, some Keebler Company club crackers, some milk, and some fresh produce. I was asked what happened in 1993, when the total was $19.93.

I apologize, David, that the links did not show in your mobile browser; this must be a symptom for the Community Pages.

As I alluded in this comment, I have begun to enjoy making sandwiches again. I bought three bell peppers and a pound of tomatoes as fresh produce, which is actually quite unusual for me. These will certainly add flavor and vitamins to my sandwiches of cold cuts, usually ham.

Because I became dizzy and irritated within the first few minutes, I could never watch Moulin Rouge entirely. I may now officially renew my statement, “I’m ‘broker’ than the Ten Commandments.”