queen's gambit [Updated October 2002]

QGB   Trial Beginners Mult Ent Sing Elim Continuous 
   18  Rnd1 Heat1 20   Rnd1 Heat2 12
  Rnd1 Heat3 13   Rnd1 Heat4 12
   Round 2 9  Round 3 11 Semi  Round 4 13 Final

  Rnd1 Heat1 Salon EF    Rnd1 Heat2 Rnd1 Heat3 Rnd1 Heat4 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Valley

Buddy Sinigaglio, CO

2002 Champion

2nd: Evan Cagwin, PA

3rd: Bob Heinzmann, FL

4th: Dan Dolan, NJ

5th: Ken Whitesell, PA

6th: Craig Moffitt, NJ

Event History
2002    Buddy Sinigaglio     61


AREA Ratings


GM: Buddy Sinigaglio

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During the First Round, four heats were played using a Swiss Elimination format. Participants could play one game per day, however, additional wins after the first did not confer any special benefit other than that of additional experience. A total of 46 games were played with Darth Maul winning 59%. Results were as follows:

1st Heat: Darth Maul, 10 wins - Naboo, 4 wins.
2nd Heat: Darth Maul, 4 wins - Naboo, 4 wins.
3rd Heat: Darth Maul, 5 wins - Naboo, 3 wins.
4th Heat: Darth Maul, 8 wins - Naboo, 8 wins.
Totals: Darth Maul, 27 wins - Naboo, 19 wins.

Single Elimination rounds. A total of 25 games were played with Darth Maul winning 56%; however, as the competition got stiffer, the percentage of Federation wins dropped. The elimination rounds were played successively every two hours with no breaks and no byes. Adjudication was not an issue, as most games finished well before the two-hour time limit. When an odd number of participants advanced to a following round, an eliminator was pressed into service to preclude a bye.

During the 1st elimination round, 28 participants squared off for battle. Darth Maul won nine of the 14 games. During succeeding rounds, Darth Maul tallied only five wins, while the Naboo won six.

The final tally for the 71 games played favored Darth Maul, 41 to 30 wins. The first place finisher, Buddy Sinigaglio, was 4-0 with Darth Maul during the single elimination rounds, and 7-0 overall with Darth Maul throughout the tournament.

Synopsis of the last two rounds.

Bob Heinzmann (Naboo) defeated Ken Whitesell (Darth Maul). The game was a seesaw battle that looked as though it would have to be adjudicated. Bob then drew some Anakin cards, flew through a maze of star-fighter cards and advanced past the last three circles to end the stalemate and the game.

Evan Cagwin (Naboo) defeated Craig Moffitt (Darth Maul). Late in the game, Craig's droids controlled the battlefield and the upper two floors of Theed Palace. Evan dominated the first floor of the palace with nine Palace Guards, Purple Queen, Obi wan and Quigon. The game appeared even, but Evan was in a superior position with the Jedi guarding the stairwells. With Darth Maul dispatched and the Jedi protecting the Naboo from further losses, all that was required was for Anakin to shut down the droids. Evan played four Anakins in a row, slicing through three star-fighters and the last two circles to end the game.

Buddy Sinigaglio (Darth Maul) defeated Dan Dolan Jr. (Naboo). This was a high-action, fast-paced semi-final that lasted only 36 minutes. Darth Maul killed both Jedi with only three hits against him, while Anakin blitzed over the first four zones. Maul exited the generator core while Anakin dallied before the droid control ship. Maul and the Trade Federation needed to kill ten palace guards to win. Anakin had to get past two star-fighter cards and the last space to shut down the droids, but then of course, Darth Maul would still be available to wreak havoc. Dan Jr. failed in two straight attempts to shut down the droids. Darth Maul, on the other hand, killed all the remaining Palace Guards and Queen Amidala to end the game.

Bruno Sinigaglio (Darth Maul, Eliminator) defeated Evan Cagwin (Naboo). This semi-final game featured veteran wargame player Bruno Sinigaglio versus the 14-year-old Phenom, Evan Cagwin. The Naboo suffered horrible dice rolling in this contest, with Anakin passing only one zone in 10 attempts. Bruno, who appeared distracted during this game, made a number of odd moves, and onlookers questioned the stupidity of them throughout the contest; however, Bruno's spectacular dice-rolling made him look like a genius. His battlefield droids completely wiped out the Gungan's and the Kid-Riders, while Darth Maul and Quigon were getting diced in the generator core. As the Gungans were being slaughtered, Bruno shipped 12 droids and four droideka to the palace. Obi wan emerged from the generator core to confront 16 droids and four droideka on the first level, destroying them all. Unfortunately for Evan, his poor dice rolls with Anakin allowed Bruno's droids and droideka on the third level to kill the Decoy Queen, Captain Panaka and nine Palace Guards. The game ended with Obi Wan and Purple Queen in sole possession of the lower floor, but with the droids in total control of the throne room.

Final - Buddy Sinigaglio (Darth Maul) defeated Bob Heinzman (Naboo). Bob bid away zero battle droids from the first floor of Theed palace to play Darth Maul, with Buddy bidding away two. Thus Buddy played the federation, minus two droids. This was one of the closest games of the tournament, as both players were well experienced with the side in play. Whoever met his objective first was probably going to take home the first place prize. Buddy went all out to kill both Jedi in order to set Darth Maul loose in the Palace, while Bob went for an early Anakin rush to shut down the droids. Bob received a steady flow of Anakin cards, but rolled badly on the second space, stalling, as the Anakin cards then dried up. Bob then switched gears and began to attack Darth Maul with the Jedi. Eventually, Darth Maul killed both Jedi, but he survived with only one hit remaining before death - not enough life left to run through the palace killing all. Buddy then called on his destroyer droids to bring the Naboo to their knees. The droideka killed nearly all of the Palace Guards and Captain Panaka. Darth Maul did come out of the Generator Core to deal the final blow to the last Palace Guard, leaving both queens to ponder the loss. At the end, Bob Heinzman displayed great sportsmanship by bestowing the second place plaque to the young phenom, Evan Cagwin.

 GM      Buddy Sinigaglio  [1st Year]   3450 South Washington, Apt 303, Englewood, CO 80010
    sinigaglio@hotmail.com   NA

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