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VENICE CONNECTION

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Author: Alex Randolph

Publisher: Drei Magier Spiele
1996

Awards: none

EVALUATION

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This is a tactical cardgame for 2 players. It is settled about the building of a channel in Venice. For this, a total of 16 chanel cards are available, with each showing a straight channel-part on the front and a 90-degree-turn on the backside. The game is played in several rounds, and the player who wins most rounds wins.

During his turn, a player may lay 1, 2 or 3 chanel pieces in a straight row. It is not necessary that these pieces are forming a channel together, but they must not be blocking any channel. Then the second player follows, laying 1, 2 or 3 pieces as well, but adjoining the pieces already placed on the table. This goes on until a player is able to close the channel with one or more of the pieces, or until a player states that it is impossible to close the channel with the remaining tiles. In this case, the other player can try to close the channel. If he succeeds, he wins; otherwise he looses that round.

The rules of this game cannot be easier, but the game has an enormous strategical potential. If players can place their tiles with skill, they can force the other player to lay other tiles in ways they donīt want to. By this skilful playing, a player may develop victory-positions, which will lead to certain victory. Although the game isnīt as complex as chess and much shorter to play, the game is one of the best 2-player strategy games available. In a way, itīs a typical Alex-Randolph-Game, since it combines intriguing possibilities of strategy with an interesting theme and an outstanding design. With regard to the low price, I can recommend that game throughoutly.


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