As with most of the games we’ve played since the start of the semester, this one was a little hard to understand at the beginning, as we struggled to figure out the aim and what we should be working towards. But after the first two rounds, we all began to play with intention as we figured out our different strategies. The hardest part of it at the beginning was knowing what we were meant to bet on, what the number of coins we placed under the crowns meant, and how to get points using the patterns on the board. Additionally, it was difficult to gauge which of the other players were placing bets based on informed knowledge or if they were just hoping to get the pattern that would get them the highest number of points. In some of the rounds, being the first player to go was also difficult because there were no other crowns on the board, so I wasn’t sure what the other players were leaning towards.
I think one of the biggest ties this game had to leadership is the need for taking risks and being satisfied with the results, whether beneficial or worth little or nothing. This is because the decisions made either got you no points, very few points, or the maximum number of points. And this was based on how many coins you were willing to stack under the crown, to ensure that no other player took your spot. However, placing a higher number of coins to prevent being bumped reduced the number of coins a player had left for other guesses, and there was no guarantee that the protected crown would get any points. Similarly, in leadership, risks have to be taken on behalf of the people we manage in hopes that they produce good results. Another tie to leadership is the ability to read people and make decisions based on the conclusions.
This game would be great to play with strangers, friends, or family. It is a competitive game that could get interesting depending on the players. You don’t have to be too familiar with the players for the game to be exciting, and that makes it fun. I think my team really enjoyed playing, and we played past the required number of rounds.