Favorite Game Tournament 2012 (Chess wins! Condorcet Bonus!)

[mith]

It has been far too long since we ran one of these things. Since we've got a lot of new users, I'm going to skip the topic nomination phase and start with choosing a topic from among the six previously run tournaments, along with three regulars on the nomination lists.

See previous threads for an idea of how this works...

Favorite Movie (2007)
Favorite Fictional Character (2008)
Favorite Song (2009)
Favorite Book (2009)
Favorite Person (2010)
Favorite Game (2010)

Tournament Spreadsheet
Choose Topic
Nominations

Round 1: Matches 1-8, Matches 9-16, Matches 17-24, Matches 25-32
Round 2: Matches 33-40, Matches 41-48
Round 3: Matches 49-52, Matches 53-56
Round 4: Matches 57-60
Round 5: Matches 61-62
Round 6: Match 63 (Final), Third Place, Fifth Place
Results

[mith]

Part 1: Choose Topic

Put the following potential topics in order from the one you would most like to see run to the one you would least like to see run.

Band/Artist
Book
Fictional Character
Food/Dish (Prepared or Raw)
Game (Board/Card/Party, non-Mafia)
Movie
Person (Living or Historical Figure)
Song
Video Game

[mith]

Yup, just like that.

[mith]

why can't we ever do a "way to die" tournament?

I was thinking of running an "end of the world" tournament, sometime.

[mith]

Last call for preference lists... Will move on to the next step tomorrow...

[mith]

Part 1 Results

Game

d. Band (11-10), Book (12-9), Character (14-7), Food (12-9), Movie (12-9), Person (13-8), Song (15-6), Video Game (16-5)

Band

d. Food (12-9), Video Game (12-9)

Decided to run two concurrently, as we've done in the past, and went with the overall winner and the winner amongst the choices which haven't been done before. I'll get the Band/Artist thread up later.

Part 2: Nominations

Nominate your (up to) 25 Favorite Games. You must nominate in the following format:

Game
Game
Game

For my sanity, please post your nominations as just a straight list with no numbers, bullets, or comments. It saves me a lot of time if I can just copy/paste into my spreadsheet rather than having to remove things first.

If you feel the need to comment on your nominations, do so before or after the entire list. Feel free to edit your list as much as you like, but post in the thread when you do so - I might have already started compiling my list and could miss your edit. I reserve the right to ignore nominations from anyone not following these guidelines.

Links are not required

, but are helpful in cases where two games share a name. Where used, they should point to a page uniquely identifying the nominee - I will be using BoardGameGeek during voting. In order to qualify for this tournament, nominations must be a Board, Card, or Party game, must not be Mafia (or a Mafia variation with a different theme, such as the various publications of Werewolf; games like The Resistance or Battlestar Galactica are different enough to be allowed entry), and must exist in a form which is not purely electronic. Expansions will be included with the base game; games which are part of the same family (e.g. the Ticket to Ride series) may be lumped together as well, at my discretion.

[edit]

Games are not guaranteed a place in the bracket from a single nomination. Nominate your top 25 games regardless of others' selections

(ideally, don't look at other people's lists at all until you've posted yours, but you may want to look to make sure you're not missing something that belongs). Games above some number of nominations will be in the bracket, and there may be a runoff of some sort to determine remaining spots. See previous tournaments for details.[/edit]

[mith]

7 Wonders
Agricola
Battle Line
Brass
Bridge
Chess
Diplomacy
Dominion
Dungeon Lords
Ghost Stories
Go
Hansa Teutonica
Hearts
Le Havre
Magic: The Gathering
Pandemic
Puerto Rico
Race for the Galaxy
Steam
Stone Age
Texas Hold'em Poker
The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game
The Settlers of Catan
Through the Ages: A Story of Civilization
Time's Up!

[mith]

Sorry, I should edit this in:

Games are not guaranteed a place in the bracket from a single nomination. Nominate your top 25 games regardless of others' selections (ideally, don't look at other people's lists at all until you've posted yours, but you may want to look to make sure you're not missing something that belongs). Games above some number of nominations will be in the bracket, and there may be a runoff of some sort to determine remaining spots. See previous tournaments for details.

[mith]

Nominations open until Wednesday...

[mith]

http://www.dorktower.com/2012/04/04/tab ... -04-04-12/

[mith]

Nominations closed. Round 1 to start later today.

[mith]

Huh, we have exactly 64 games with 2+ nominations. That's fortunate.

[mith]

Round 1A:

Match 1:

Risk
Backgammon

Match 2:

Cards Against Humanity
Cheat (Bullshit)

Match 3:

Connect Four
Munchkin

Match 4:

Mao
Dungeons & Dragons

Match 5:

Dominion
Jenga

Match 6:

Liar's Dice (Perudo)
Euchre

Match 7:

Bridge
Power Grid

Match 8:

Guillotine
Clue (Cluedo)

[mith]

Risk
Cheat
Connect Four
Dungeons & Dragons
Dominion
Euchre
Bridge
Guillotine

[mith]

mith can we get a look at the full bracket?

You can view it in the google spreadsheet linked in the OP. I haven't made it pretty yet.

[mith]

It would probably be more informative to use the number of nominations rather than seeds - seeds were randomized among games with the same number of nominations.

[mith]

Special bonus match, just for MoS...

[mith]

And apparently I need to try Pokémon TCG.

[mith]

mith, how long does voting go on?

About a week. I expect I'll be starting the next set of matches tomorrow sometime (assuming my neck doesn't get worse, ugh).

[mith]

Previous Results:

Match 1:

Risk (28)

d. Backgammon (6)

Match 2:

Cheat/Bullshit (19)

d. Cards Against Humanity (14)

Match 3:

Connect Four (17)

d. Munchkin (14)

Match 4:

Dungeons & Dragons (21)

d. Mao (9)

Match 5:

Dominion (18)

d. Jenga (13)

Match 6:

Liar's Dice/Perudo (15)

d. Euchre (12)

Match 7:

Bridge (13)

d. Power Grid (11)

Match 8:

Clue/Cluedo (22)

d. Guillotine (11)

Links also coming soon.

And

please vote like this:

-
Cards Against Humanity
Munchkin
Dungeons & Dragons
Dominion
-
-
-

Not like this:

Round 1A:

Match 1:

Backgammon

Match 2:

Cards Against Humanity

Match 3:

Munchkin

Match 6:

Liar's Dice (Perudo)

Match 8

Clue (Cluedo)

It saves me a lot of time if I can just paste the lists into a spreadsheet without having to edit them for format.

Round 1B:

Match 9:

Texas Hold'em Poker
Race for the Galaxy

Match 10:

Fluxx
Spades

Match 11:

Scrabble
The Game of Life

Match 12:

Egyptian Ratscrew
Mornington Crescent

Match 13:

Hungry Hungry Hippos
Agricola

Match 14:

War
Go

Match 15:

Trivial Pursuit
Checkers

Match 16:

Ghost Stories
Diplomacy

[mith]

Results from the first set are up.

[mith]

Race for the Galaxy
Spades
Scrabble
Mornington Crescent
Agricola
Go
Checkers
Diplomacy

[mith]

Links finally edited in.

[mith]

Next set coming tonight sometime.

[mith]

Previous Results:

Match 9:

Texas Holdem' Poker (19)

d. Race for the Galaxy (13)

Match 10:

Spades (16)

d. Fluxx (14)

Match 11:

Scrabble (26)

d. The Game of Life (7)

Match 12:

Egyptian Ratscrew (15)

d. Mornington Crescent (11)

Match 13:

Hungry Hungry Hippos (17)

d. Agricola (10)

Match 14:

Go (16)

d. War (12)

Match 15:

Trivial Pursuit (20)

d. Checkers (12)

Match 16:

Diplomacy (19)

d. Ghost Stories (2)

Round 1

Match 17:

Magic: The Gathering
Mouse Trap

Match 18:

The Running Asians Game
Balderdash

Match 19:

Puerto Rico
Twilight Struggle

Match 20:

Uno
Cribbage

Match 21:

Battleship
Blood Bowl

Match 22:

Blackjack
Ticket to Ride

Match 23:

Attribute
Boggle

Match 24:

Eat Poop You Cat
Hearts

[mith]

Magic: The Gathering
Balderdash
Twilight Struggle
Cribbage
Blood Bowl
Ticket to Ride
Boggle
Hearts

[mith]

I like how the "gamer" games got stuck together...

(FWIW, I'm running a similar tournament on BGG in GCL Mafia - originally made up almost entirely of mafiascum users, now about 50-50 - and our final four is Dominion, Puerto Rico, Agricola, Race for the Galaxy.)

[mith]

Links added.

[mith]

Previous results also up. The result of Match 13 is just shameful.

(Also, FWIW, Ghost Stories is an excellent game. I currently have it ranked as my 7th favorite game... with Diplomacy 6th.)

[mith]

The complete game bracket is now available in the tournament spreadsheet (see OP).

[mith]

Did you just compare Puerto Rico to Hungry Hungry Hippos?

(FWIW, I suspect I probably would like Twilight Struggle more. I just haven't had a chance to play it yet.)

[mith]

If this were a "best" game tournament, I would be inclined to agree.

I don't think it's shameful that people voted for a game they know and presumably like (Hungry Hungry Hippos) over a game they haven't played; I think it's shameful that so few have played it. (Just as it's shameful so few, including me, have played Twilight Struggle.)

Where I think the analogy falls down is that I could certainly see someone liking both TS and PR and prefering the latter; I can't see someone liking both the 'Gric and HHH and prefering the latter. (Which isn't to say Agricola couldn't lose that matchup if everyone had played it - plenty of people just don't like it.)

[mith]

(Just as it's shameful so few,

including me

, have played Twilight Struggle.)

Vote edited...

[mith]

Next group starting in a couple hours.

[mith]

Previous Results:

Match 17:

Magic: The Gathering (24)

d. Mouse Trap (9)

Match 18:

Balderdash (16)

d. The Running Asians Game (14)

Match 19:

Puerto Rico (15)

d. Twilight Struggle (4)

Match 20:

Cribbage (20)

d. Uno (15)

Match 21:

Battleship (19)

d. Blood Bowl (15)

Match 22:

Blackjack (19)

d. Ticket to Ride (15)

Match 23:

Attribute (14)

d. Boggle (12)

Match 24:

Hearts (22)

d. Eat Poop You Cat (12)

Round 1

Match 25

7 Wonders
Betrayal at House on the Hill

Match 26

Ascension: Chronicle of the Godslayer
Arkham Horror

Match 27

Battlestar Galactica
Speed

Match 28

A Game of Thrones: The Board Game
The Settlers of Catan

Match 29

Apples to Apples
Solitaire

Match 30

Pokémon Trading Card Game
Stratego

Match 31

Monopoly
Sorry!

Match 32

Operation
Chess

[mith]

7 Wonders
Arkham Horror
Battlestar Galactica
The Settlers of Catan
Apples to Apples
Stratego
Monopoly
Chess

[mith]

Previous Results:

Match 25:

Betrayal at House on the Hill (10)

d. 7 Wonders (6)

Match 26:

Arkham Horror (11)

d. Ascension: Chronicle of the Godslayer (3)

Match 27:

Battlestar Galacatica (13)

d. Speed (4)

Match 28:

The Settlers of Catan (17)

d. A Game of Thrones (6)

Match 29:

Apples to Apples (17)

d. Solitaire (10)

Match 30:

Stratego (19)

d. Pokemon Trading Card Game (9)

Match 31:

Monopoly (15)

d. Sorry! (12)

Match 32:

Chess (25)

d. Operation (4)

Round 2A:

Match 33:

Risk
Cheat (Bullshit)

Match 34:

Connect Four
Dungeons & Dragons

Match 35:

Dominion
Liar's Dice (Perudo)

Match 36:

Bridge
Guillotine

Match 37:

Texas Hold'em Poker
Spades

Match 38:

Scrabble
Egyptian Ratscrew

Match 39:

Hungry Hungry Hippos
Go

Match 40:

Trivial Pursuit
Diplomacy

[mith]

Risk
Dungeons & Dragons
Dominion
Bridge
Spades
Scrabble
Go
Diplomacy

[mith]

Previous Results:

Match 33:

Risk (17)

d. Cheat (10)

Match 34:

Dungeons & Dragons (18)

d. Connect Four (7)

Match 35:

Dominion (13)

d. Liar's Dice (4)

Match 36:

Bridge (10)

d. Guillotine (4)

Match 37:

Texas Hold'em Poker (20)

d. Spades (5)

Match 38:

Scrabble (21)

d. Egyptian Ratscrew (2)

Match 39:

Go (15)

d. Hungry Hungry Hippos (11)

Match 40:

Trivial Pursuit (17)

d. Diplomacy (11)

Match 41:

Magic: The Gathering
Balderdash

Match 42:

Puerto Rico
Cribbage

Match 43:

Battleship
Blackjack

Match 44:

Attribute
Hearts

Match 45:

Betrayal at House on the Hill
Arkham Horror

Match 46:

Battlestar Galactica
The Settlers of Catan

Match 47:

Apples to Apples
Stratego

Match 48:

Monopoly
Chess

[mith]

Magic: The Gathering
Puerto Rico
Blackjack
Hearts
Betrayal at House on the Hill
Battlestar Galactica
Apples to Apples
Chess

[mith]

Will get next round up tomorrow... hectic week.

[mith]

Previous Results:

Match 41:

Magic: The Gathering (13)

d. Balderdash (6)

Match 42:

Puerto Rico (9.1)

d. Cribbage (9)

Match 43:

Blackjack (20)

d. Battleship (4)

Match 44:

Hearts (19)

d. Attribute (5)

Match 45:

Arkham Horror (7.1)

d. Betrayal at House on the Hill (7)

Match 46:

The Settlers of Catan (13)

d. Battlestar Galactica (7)

Match 47:

Stratego (15)

d. Apples to Apples (10)

Match 48:

Chess (24)

d. Monopoly (1)

Two ties... ties to be broken by the first to post who hasn't already voted in the match, only one tiebreaker per person please. Next round to start when those are settled.

[mith]

Match 49:

Magic: The Gathering
Puerto Rico

Match 50:

Blackjack
Hearts

Match 51:

Arkham Horror
The Settlers of Catan

Match 52:

Stratego
Chess

[mith]

Magic: The Gathering
Hearts
The Settlers of Catan
Chess

49 is tough... I think Puerto Rico is the "better" game for my taste, but I've played it so little that the enjoyment I've gotten from Magic wins.

[mith]

I agree with shea on this one, we really voted out some great games way too early.

This. Not a single one of the games remaining is actually the best game in the whole tournament.

I am irrationally amused by the way you worded this - it makes it sound as though it were also an option to end up with

several

games in the quarterfinals which are actually the best game in the whole tournament.

[edit]I'm typing like I'm drunk today. I promise I'm not. Yet.[/edit]

[mith]

Previous Results:

Match 49:

Magic: The Gathering (16)

d. Puerto Rico (7)

Match 50:

Hearts (21)

d. Blackjack (9)

Match 51:

The Settlers of Catan (16)

d. Arkham Horror (2)

Match 52:

Chess (21)

d. Stratego (8)

Round 3B

Match 53:

Risk
Dungeons & Dragons

Match 54:

Dominion
Bridge

Match 55:

Texas Hold'em Poker
Scrabble

Match 56:

Go
Trivial Pursuit

So, I goofed with the last set and only did the second half of the bracket. Oops. But shame on you all for not catching it, either.

[mith]

Dungeons & Dragons
Dominion
Texas Hold'em Poker
Go

[mith]

~bump~ I find it hard to believe we got all the votes we're going to get within a day of the matches being posted. Last call for votes.

[mith]

Previous Results:

Match 53:

Risk (15)

d. Dungeons & Dragons (11)

Match 54:

Dominion (10)

d. Bridge (9)

Match 55:

Texas Hold'em Poker (22)

d. Scrabble (6)

Match 56:

Go (14)

d. Trivial Pursuit (9)

Round 4:

Match 57:

Risk
Dominion

Match 58:

Texas Hold'em Poker
Go

Match 59:

Magic: The Gathering
Hearts

Match 60:

The Settlers of Catan
Chess

[mith]

Dominion
Go
Magic: The Gathering
Chess

(those last three are tough for me... I nominated 7 of these games.)

[mith]

Previous Results:

Match 57:

Risk (13)

d. Dominion (9)

Match 58:

Texas Hold'em Poker (14)

d. Go (8)

Match 59:

Magic: The Gathering (17)

d. Hearts (3)

Match 60:

Chess (17)

d. The Settlers of Catan (5)

Round 5

Match 61:

Risk
Texas Hold'em Poker

Match 62:

Magic: The Gathering
Chess

[mith]

Texas Hold'em Poker
Chess

[mith]

~bump~ Last call for votes.

[mith]

Previous Results:

Match 61:

Texas Hold'em Poker (15)

d. Risk (13)

Match 62:

Chess (16)

d. Magic: The Gathering (9)

Final

Match 63:

Texas Hold'em Poker
Chess

Third Place Match:

Risk
Magic: The Gathering

Fifth Place Match:

Dominion
Go
Hearts
The Settlers of Catan

[mith]

Chess
Magic: The Gathering
Dominion

[mith]

(Do remember that this is a "Favorite Game" tournament, not a "Life-changing Game" tournament. I would imagine someone whose life was ruined by Poker might not consider it their favorite anymore; and likewise, someone who was pressured to play Chess at a high level as a child until they went insane...)

[mith]

Final Results:

Match 63:

Chess (15)

d. Texas Hold'em Poker (12)

Third Place:

Magic: The Gathering (13)

d. Risk (11)

Fifth Place:

Go (7)

d. Dominion (6), Hearts (5), The Settlers of Catan (3)

[mith]

Same final as the previous Game Tournament, but a different result with Chess winning this time after a 13-9 win for Poker in 2010.

2010's semifinalists were Go and The Settlers of Catan, which were relegated to the quarterfinals this year by an unfortunate bracket draw. They did swap opponents, as in 2010 it was Chess v. Go and Poker v. Settlers.

I never did the Condorcet thing for the 2010 tourney... let's try that again this year.

Rank the following games:

Bridge
Chess
Diplomacy
Dominion
Go
Hearts
Magic: The Gathering
Pokémon Trading Card Game
Risk
The Settlers of Catan
Texas Hold'em Poker
Twilight Struggle

[mith]

Dominion
Diplomacy
Twilight Struggle
Chess
Bridge
Magic: The Gathering
Go
The Settlers of Catan
Hearts
Texas Hold'em Poker
Pokémon Trading Card Game
Risk

[mith]

Well, I figured Chess would still win this, but I didn't expect such dominance. Among the 14 submitted so far, the closest matchup is 10-4 against Dominion. 11-3 over Hold'em is making me wonder where all our Poker voters went after the final...

Whole list looks like:

Chess (11-0)
Dominion (9-1-1, tie is with Poker)
Go (8-2-1, tie is with MtG)
Texas Hold'em Poker (6-2-3, ties with Bridge and MtG)
Diplomacy>Bridge>Magic: The Gathering (5-4-2, but in order of wins among the three)
The Settlers of Catan (4-7)
Hearts>Risk (2-7-2)
Twilight Struggle (1-9-1, not played by 3/14)
Pokémon Trading Card Game (0-11, no surprise there...)

[mith]

It depends how you define "averagely competitive". Obviously a player just learning the game will beat an expert player more often with Dominion than Chess, because Dominion has a significant luck factor. I wouldn't argue against the notion that becoming an expert in Chess takes more effort, but I don't think the difference is as big as it might seem. When I was playing regularly last year, I would have expected to beat anyone on this site in a best of 7, regardless of their prior experience - it took over 2000 games to get to that point.