February 19th saw a rousing game of Mornington Crescent arise in the
Chatterbox, shortly before 16:00 server time. Initiated by
ariels, all parties involved were masters at their craft.
The Custodian made some early mistakes, but was well on the comeback when ariels 'buggered off'.
baffo joined in late, but the session was suspended just an hour in when a
newbie began to cry about downvoting.
Mornington Crescent - February 19th, 2001
Major players:
ariels
The Custodian
Orange Julius
Spuunbenda
Cow Of Doom
baffo
Transcript:
(all non-game chatter deleted)
15:55: ariels also notes that the c-box is fast
deteriorating to the point of starting a game of
Mornington Crescent.
15:58: The Custodian mumbles 'Barkingham Place' since it's
a holiday
15:59: Orange Julius: Oooh, clever strategy!
16:04: Orange Julius: Very well then... Hyde Park Corner.
16:04: Spuunbenda: Because I was forced in for repairs two
turns ago, I can now say: Bounds Green
16:05: ariels: It's a Monday! Embankment
16:05: Orange Julius: Bounds Green? Is that legal? It's a
two-zone station!
16:06: Spuunbenda: yes, but repairs trump day-of-week,
except on Fridays
16:08: ariels: I invoke null move: Embankment
16:09: Orange Julius: I need to manage my risk... let's go
with Great Portland Street
16:11: Orange Julius: Embankment was a good choice. It's
proximity to Westminster makes it an ideal play.
16:15: Spuunbenda: Risk be damned: my repairs were done by
expatriate Scotsmen in Malta so I can skip
directly to Rickmansworth
16:15: Orange Julius: Were they ill-tempered?
16:16: ariels: Westminster. Parliament's not sitting
today, right?
16:16: Spuunbenda: the foulest
16:17: The Custodian: Picadilly, even though that's a
really junior move.
16:20: ariels: Hedged at Picadilly by TheCustodian!
Victoria, then. (And I declare British Rail)
16:20: The Custodian: Ouch, the BritRail hurt
16:20: Cow Of Doom: whoa, Victoria? ariels, it's not
Lent yet, is it?
16:21: Orange Julius: That's bush league, Custodian. And I
don't mean Shepherd's Bush. Personally, if I was
going Picadilly Line, I'd have gone with
Knightsbridge. But it's not my turn.
16:22: The Custodian: Look, I was just trying to work
towards Cockfosters. I'm a Yank, it's not that
easy. :-)
16:22: Spuunbenda: Well, since Bounds Green and Piccadilly
are on the same line, I can fianchetto Custodian at
Piccadilly and still have time for a bite in Clapham
16:25: ariels: Vauxhall. I claim south side flanching
rights.
16:26: Orange Julius: OK, James I Gambit: Latimer Road,
Hammersmith & City Line
16:27: Spuunbenda: Curses, foiled again!
16:28: Spuunbenda runs off to the meeting he's already 7
minutes late for...
16:29: The Custodian: OJ: I claim North Jump to Willesdon
Junction
16:29: yerricde: Ncurses, foiled again!
16:29: The Custodian: Er, spelling: Willesden Junction.
16:30: Orange Julius: Custodian, the Zone 3 Defense didn't
work for Wembley, and it won't work for you.
16:30: ariels: Nothing for it but Stockwell. I just hope
to avoid Brixton at this stage.
16:31: The Custodian: gtkCurses, foiled again!
16:32: ariels: Do the reformed rules permit spelling?
(We're playing standard reformed, right?)
16:32: Orange Julius: Stockwell? Are you bloody insane?
After Willesdon Junction, the clear move to
recooperate is Maida Vale!
16:33: Orange Julius: I thought we were playing using the
Uxbridge Modified scoring system...
16:35: The Custodian: Jeez. If you'd TOLD me we were using
UxMod, I would've played West Ham on the
Hammersmith & city for line reciprocity.
16:35: ariels: Kew Gardens, keeping south. You weren't
expecting THAT, Julius.
16:36: Orange Julius: Well, I could be wrong. I was
wondering why no one had played Caledonian Road.
Maybe that's why.
16:37: The Custodian: ariels: despite your obvious ploy to
push me to Heathrow, I'll pass this turn.
16:37: Orange Julius: ariels, it is clear you are skilled
in this game. But you have to enter Earl's Court
sometime... and then you are MINE!
16:38: Orange Julius does not pass, but rather moves boldly
into Russell Square!
16:40: baffo: Hmmm ... what is this, London Undergound
Chess ?
16:41: The Custodian: Nono, Mornington Crescent.
16:41: Orange Julius: It's a rousing game of Mornington
Crescent. The Custodian is receiving a good
rogering at the hands of ariels!
16:42: Orange Julius: However, he cleverly passed this
turn, forcing ariels' hand.
16:42: The Custodian: I disagree. Bank, which allows me
to play the Docklands Light Rail gambit.
16:43: The Custodian: Damn! OJ'S RIGHT, I should've
passed! Sigh.
16:43: Orange Julius: I've not seen that since Archie
Gimmel scored against Holland in 1978!
16:44: The Custodian: Hmm. Examining the Other Noders
list, I would venture that ariels has buggered
off. Is that a default?
16:46: Orange Julius: It's been fourteen minutes since his
last move. Shall we call it a draw?
16:47: The Custodian: Sporting of you. A draw it is. That
leaves him still atop me on the ladder, but I'll get
him next time.
16:48: baffo: On his behalf, I would like to
play "straddle: Elephant and Castle - Charing
Cross". May I ?
16:53: Orange Julius: We have another player!
16:53: Orange Julius: Charing Cross is a little too close
to the Thames for me, but other than that, it's a
good opener.
16:54: baffo: Nonono, I would never presume to just butt
into a game ... not without knowing the local
rules. I was just suggesting a move in absentia.
16:55: Orange Julius: baffo, we'll leave ariels in Kew
Gardens, then, and start you out at Charing Cross.
16:56: Orange Julius: Meawhile, I'll move to Chalk Farm.
I'm on the Northern Line now, baby!
Final Results
All observers seemed to agree that ariels was ahead at stoppage of play. Orange Julius was making a move onto the Northern Line, rather risky considering how early in the game it was. ariels remained at Kew Gardens, while The Custodian hit Bank, a solid play condering it lies on Northern, Central, and Waterloo & City, with interchanges to Monument's Circle and District Lines. All things considered, it was probably The Custodian's best move. Spuunbenda was stuck in Bounds Green, and baffo was just starting out at Charing Cross, trying to straddle Elephant & Castle.