Truly Brother vs Brother ...
The 2000 Across Five Aprils tournament saw 16 players,
including four first-time participants, come together to re-fight
battles from the American Civil War. This tournament format is
unique; you play the same side throughout the entire tournament
so you are only competing against the other players on your side
until the final. Everyone is guaranteed three games in the first
round.
The initial game was Bull Run which was used only as a tie-breaker
so it works well to shake off the cobwebs about the system. The
Union won this scenario 8 to 0. The seven-year totals are now:
Union 81 wins, Confederate 34 wins, and one draw. The second
game was Bentonville with the Union having a slight edge of two
wins, one loss, and drawing five. The final first round game
was Pea Ridge. This game was won resoundingly by the Union 6
to 0 with two undecided which again reversed the previous year's
outcome when the Confederates won six of nine.
For the quarterfinals, we advanced four from each side and
although it's single elimination, it's still not lose your game
and be out since you are still competing against your own side.
The Confederates won two victories, lost one and drew one in
Bentonville (six-year totals now: U 33, C 63, D 47).
The semifinals, Pea Ridge, saw two wild and wooly Union wins.
Both games came down to the last combat of the last turn of day
2. In the end the results of both games were the same, so I had
to break the tie. Mark Miklos' Confederates advanced because
he forced the Union to lose control of Elkhorn Tavern the latest
in the game.
This set up a final of Pea Ridge between Mark Miklos's Confederates
and defending champion Michael Sincavage's Union. Mark won on
the last turn of the second day for the championship (Pea Ridge
six-year totals: U 61, C 63, D 3). For the third straight year,
the championship was determined on the last turn of the second
day. The games in the semi-finals and finals lasted way too long,
but as close they were there was no way to adjudicate them earlier.
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