I just got Totally Schooled in Skull


 

It had been a good night so far. Two games of Skull in and I’d won both soundly. Greg and Charlie, they always bet on their roses, Nick always had a skull down and while Moe was pretty unpredictable he would back down from a bidding war. Yes, I had this all sown up and was thoroughly enjoying explaining it to everyone. Ah, such hubris!

Skull is the world’s sleekest, meanest bluffing game. Legend tells it was invented by bikers to settle disputes. Only the most cunning would win. If you’ve not had the pleasure of Skull, you should go read my review here and then come straight back (perhaps after a quick trip to buy it). Done? Ok then.

On to game three, and it seems Charlie and Greg had taken my comments to heart as suddenly skulls were popping up and my tiles were rapidly disappearing into the discard box. So I slowed down, bided my time and waited for everyone’s tiles to get worn down. Charlie in particular was throwing skulls out every turn, it seemed!

Eventually my patience was rewarded with a lucky break and I got one step closer to victory. And not a moment too soon either, as 4 of us had won a single round and most of us were down to 1 or 2 tiles. Except Charlie with his full hand of 4 tiles that he took great pleasure in mentioning! Until suddenly he decides to play the game and crashes down to 2 tiles like the rest of us. Ha!

“Godamnit I’m never going to win now you guys know I only have roses left!”

“What!? Charlie none of us knew that.”

“But…!” followed by a string of expletives I’m not going to repeat here.

Suddenly we were in a round where there was only a single skull left in the game. In Nick “king of skulls” Ellingworth’s clenched fist. This was my one chance. Nick was to my left and he had one tile down. If it was a rose, he would outbid me and win. I took the chance he would have played to win this round and bet all tiles!

 We all wait with baited breath as Nick flipped the tile: “you win again, Matt!” A rose!

“No he doesn’t!” as Charlie triumphantly flips his top tile to show a Skull! Over the jeering cries of disbelief you could just hear the clunk as my jaw hit the floor. Best bluff I have ever seen!

Let this article serve as a metaphorical hat tip to you Charlie!

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