Cities And Knights

Lately, besides having to work on the Mind Maps every evening (i now have worked and completed 11 so far), I allow myself some time to play with the online game - Cities and Knights.

This name (short form = CnK) is the advance version of the Settlers game. The rules of the advance CnK are a lot more trivial and diffrent than the basic settlers game. Playing CnK on the board game is not easy...getting 4 inerested ppl, find the right time. setting up, explaining, learning, waiting etc etc...the most we cancomplete is 2 games in an afternoon....and no gurente that u will come across all the rules during that.

By the time one manage to get togather again...you probably forgot the rule u learnt previously liao. So I prefer to stick to the basic settlers game when playing with students...and we have trained abouy >20 students through the years of graduates. Some are really really good strategist (SL+SL)...some are hmmmm...still learning teh game (CY + LT - those from Seraya who keep on building road type).

One good thing is that somehow the student have found an online web site that allows you to join n play either basic settlers or advance Cn K, both against computer or with online human opponents, and also you can choose to play foe fun or join in the ranking system.

Check out : www.asobrain.com , goto the games area, register using a name n FALSE e mail address (cos it attracts spam) n u can start learing playing. (Dont neglect your more important work!!)

This is really good news for me who wish to play n learn the advance game more but really have no time to gather enough ppl and take leave to play. And the computer system logic is also very powerful so that winning against computer players are not easy hor.

Have been playing with computers and manage to win about 50% of the time.

This week, i became abit advanturous and venture into the ranking area. Wow there are really some v good players there!! After about 8 games...I am now -20pts down... i am learning fast though and improving my game plan too. I am goining to recover into the positive region by year end...My goal!

As I am still learning the game, when I see things happening and I dun understand...I will ask to clarify my doubts. One online player actually commented "Hey you should play more of the actual board game before to learn all the rules".

I replied :- "sometimes, in life, things are not as simple as it seems..."

And one interested in playing a game of CnK online?? :)