Places to see in Warsaw: Royal Castle

The Royal Castle in Warsaw (Polish: Zamek Królewski w Warszawie) is a castle residency and was the official residence of the Polish monarchs. It is located in the Castle Square, at the entrance to the Warsaw Old Town. The personal offices of the king and the administrative offices of the Royal Court of Poland were located there from the 16th century until the Partitions of Poland. In its long history the Royal Castle was repeatedly devastated and plundered by Swedish, Brandenburgian, German, and Russian armies.

The Constitution of 3 May 1791 (of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth) was drafted here by the Four-Year Sejm. In the 19th century, after the collapse of the November Uprising, it was used as an administrative center by the Tsar. Between 1926 and World War II the palace was the seat of the Polish president, Ignacy Mościcki. After the devastation done by Nazis during the Warsaw Uprising, the Castle was rebuilt and reconstructed. In 1980, Royal Castle, together with the Old Town was registry in UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today it is a historical and national monument, and is listed as a national museum

Player Profile: Izi

This time I am interviewing Izi, the (former?) Gliwice, Poland, .. this interview is especially entertaining .. beware! And expect something unexpected!

Name: Izi
Year of Birth: 1979
Occupation: Dairy farmer
Hometown: Gliwice

Question: Describe yourself ... What's your current occupation? Where do you live right now? ..
Answer: I work in a dairy farming industry (DeLaval). We make appliances for feeding, milking, even pleasuring cows! I have recently moved to Wroclaw so actually I've got a new playgroup (really nice one), however when I refer to "playgroup" in this interview I mean the one from Gliwice.

Question: When did you start VtES playing and how? For how long do you play it?
Answer: I've started around the time the BL expansion came out. I've been introduced to the game by one of the people you've already interviewed. He already was a pro-player back then. It might sound strange but for me, at that time, he was not simply an outstanding player, more a star that you cannot reach, but you can guide on. It's great he is still active after all those years.

Question: What VtES accomplishments do you have under your belt?
Answer: I've won couple of tournaments, mainly in Gliwice! I'm proud of it, but it's not a huge achievement, our local playgroup is fun to play, players are not that skilled though. It's all about fun for us - not winning - so that's not a problem at all.

Question: What do you appreciate about VtES that keeps you coming back for more?
Answer: People, I have to say I love some of them.

Question: What about VtES should appeal to the average gamer?
Answer: Fangs and blood.

Question: Tell us a bit about your local playgroup!
Answer: Salt of the earth. Open, friendly and understanding. You can really relax during a game, there is no pressure at all.

Question: Tell us about your time spent as Prince of Gliwice!
Answer: Pleasure -- every last player so thankful for the work I've been doing. Everyone (is) happy to help with good word, advice and more.

Question: Do you see any differences between players in Poland and the rest of the world? (In terms of playstyle, deck choices etc.) Why do you think there are those differences?
Answer: Not really.

Question: What is your favorite type of deck and why do you like to play it? (Appreciated if you could provide a decklist as well!)
Answer: I like to play "bent" decks like Nephandus or Tupdogs, I'm not that strong player and need every edge to be able to win every now and then.

Question: Favorite strategy for winning a game. (Pacing, reading an opponent, when to play what, etc)
Answer: "Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!" / "They came from behind!"

Question: How important do you think the political aspect of the game is?. Reading / intimidating / fooling your opponents? Do you consciously practice this?
Answer: I hate lying, so I don't do that in games as well. Maybe I lose one game or the other but still it disgust me too much to bear. Intimidation is low, and reading doesn't work most of the time.

Question: If they released equal amounts of cards for every clan, discipline, etc. what would you tackle first?
Answer: Pack of snacks and a drink.

Question: How do you organize your cards? Do you have an inventory of cards? Do you use a deckbuilding utility? Which one?
Answer: Boxes on a shelf / In my head / ARDB.

Question: How do you prepare for tournaments?
Answer: I do pushups for 1h before the tournament. My hands are shaking and my opponents tend to believe I'm so stressed about a game, that I am no threat to them. (You can also drink a lot on the day before but I don't drink so it's pushups for me.)

Question: What was your greatest moment in your VtES Life (not necessarily as a player)?
Answer: First time a player asked: "Can I touch you?"

Question:

• What's your favourite crypt card? Antonio d'Erlette
• What's your favourite library card? Nephandus (the version that cannot be killed by CC)
• What's your favourite expansion? Sabbat
• What's your favorite card art? Blood Agony

Question: What other games do you play?
Answer: Soccer, tennis, Artificial Girl 3, table tennis, pool and recently squash.

Question: Last words?
Answer: I'm not bald...

Places to see in Warsaw: Copernicus Science Centre

Copernicus Science Centre (Polish: Centrum Nauki Kopernik) is a science museum standing on the bank of the Vistula River in Warsaw. It contains over 450 interactive exhibits that enable visitors to single-handedly carry out experiments and discover the laws of science for themselves. The Centre is the largest institution of its type in Poland and one of the most advanced in Europe.

The Copernicus Science Centre building has been erected on the bank of the Vistula River in the very heart of Warsaw (the corner of Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie and Zajęcza streets, above the Wisłostrada tunnel). The building design was developed by young Polish architects from the firm RAr-2 in Ruda Śląska, who won an architectural competition for the Copernicus Science Centre facility in December 2005

The permanent exhibition in the Copernicus Science Centre consists of over 400 interactive exhibits. The exhibition is divided into six sections concerning various fields of knowledge:

• On the Move
• Humans and the Environment
• Buzzz! - gallery for preschool children
• Lightzone
• Roots of Civilization
• RE: Generation - gallery for young adults

Places to see in Warsaw: University Library Garden

The Warsaw University Library garden, designed by Irena Bajerska, was opened on June 12, 2002. It is one of the largest and most beautiful roof gardens in Europe with an area of more than 10,000 m2, and plants covering 5,111 m2. The garden consists of two parts: an upper garden (2,000 m2) and a lower one (15,000 m2). Both are connected by a stream and cascade of water.

In the lower garden, next to the Library are planted covering and flowering shrubs as well as climbers. The two greatest attractions of the open space - the fish pond and the artificial stone with a small fountain - are connected by the stream. The visitors may often see ducks swimming in, or walking around the pond. Trees, shrubs, and perennials are found in shades of blue and pinkish-white. In the lower garden you can find granite sculptures by Ryszard Stryjecki. His series "Szkic sytuacyjny" ("Situational Sketch") refers to cosmological motifs.

The upper garden consists of plants in a layer of soil (30 cm. deep) on the Library roof. It is divided into four parts, differentiated according to form, color, and character. All segments of the garden are interconnected with paths, bridges, and pergolas. From the bridges and the view terrace on the roof one may see a panorama of Warsaw and the Vistula river. Visitors may also look into the Library through both the special windows and glass roof.

Poll: Deck Build Lecture during the EC 2011?

During the upcoming European VtES Championship 2011, there's the possibility that the Swedish national coordinator, Isak Esbjörnsson Bjärmark, will give a lecture about Swedish (and maybe more) deck building. But since the schedule during the EC from Friday to Sunday is so tight, the organizers need to know if someone is interested in such a lecture on Thursday (and when). To see how much interest for such a lecture is, I have initiated a poll on VEKN.net.

So if you plan attending the EC this year, please vote on this poll on VEKN.net. The questions (and the answers look like this: Do you want to participate in a lecture about deck building during Thursday?

1. After Lunch.
2. Before the Welcome Party.
3. During Welcome Party.
4. Whatever, I'm not interested.

Player Profile: warGrim

Here's the second part of the series of interviews of prolific VtES players. This time the Prince of Bydgoszcz was so kind to answers the questionnaire. So without further ado:

Name: Marcin "warGrim" Watras, also known as "Zicol".
Year of Birth: 1982
Occupation: Telecommunication engineer at Alcatel-Lucent
Hometown: Bydgoszcz, Poland

Question: Describe yourself ... What's your current occupation? Where do you live right now? ..
Answer: I'm a telecommunication engineer (IN/VAS specialist) at Alcatel-Lucent in Bydgoszcz. I live in a flat with my wife -- Marta and our son -- Kazimierz. I'm constantly searching for a new, better job but looks like I'm condemned to work in ALU till my last days ;).

Question: When did you start VtES playing and how? For how long do you play it?
Answer: I've started my VTES adventure in 2004. I remember my friends (Zyga brothers ;)) talking about a CCG based on WoD. We used to have an RPG session twice a week, or even more often, so we were familiar with all the Vampires or Werewolves stuff and willing to try something new. Most of us were also familiar with MtG so we know what it is all about. We bought some starters (my first one was BH !Nos starter) and we were very satisfied with the concept of multiplayer etc. Back in 2005 before the "English exodus" began there were over 20 active players in Bydgoszcz. After a year there were 5 players left or so... The majority left Poland and moved to UK including the owner of the Feniks shop -- the place where we used to play local tournaments. That was a difficult time for us (VTES players) but we did manage to keep playing once a week at Zyga's place (greetings Zyga ;)).

Question: What VtES accomplishments do you have under your belt?
Answer: I did manage to win couple of tournaments ;). I managed to get to the LCQ 2009 (Palma de Mallorca) final and the LV 2010 (Paris) final. I have also won Polish VTES League in 2009. I hope to win it again this year but since I've got a child now I don't have much time for VTES, however I will try to attend 2-3 more League events this year and get some league points.

Question: What do you appreciate about VtES that keeps you coming back for more?
Answer: I would say people ;). From the other hand that's the best game I've ever played and I don't believe that there will be other game in the future that would be so interesting. It's not only cards/deck (you could say "cash") that makes you a good VTES player but mostly the knowledge of decks your opponents are playing, knowledge of opponents' habits etc. That's why the game is so challenging. You can read some of my articles on vtes.pl forum on that particular topic ;).

Question: What about VtES should appeal to the average gamer?
Answer: I think that variety of working decks and playable cards is one of the aspects that makes people play VTES. You had never be worried about cards being banned (with some small exceptions). There are no blocks which would rotate (like in MTG or L5R) so cards once bought will be always playable. Another thing is that it's a political game so it's not only maths (like in MTG) that makes you win the game. You have make deals, talk to cross-table buddies, intimidate other players, bluff etc. All those aspects make the game special.
I have discussed a lot with former CCG players (MTG, L5R, W:I and others) and they enjoyed many aspects of VTES they couldn't find in other games. Financial aspect is also important. You can build/buy a playable deck (not a total crap but something really nice) for 75-100 Euro which is not so much when you compare it with Caw-Blade in MTG ;).

Another argument was that VTES games are always different. You will never play two similar games for years :). You cannot say the same about MTG. I also think that players like VTES because it's based on WoD which was very popular here in Poland in late 90's.

Question: Tell us a bit about your local playgroup!
Answer: It is believed to be the biggest playgroup in Poland. There are around 20 active players. Some of them are playing almost every week, and some of them play occasionally - once a month or so. Average attendance on local VTES league event is 10-12. There are several older players who have been the "backbone" of local VTES for last couple of years (Santh, Zyga, Jabbas, Talar, myself) and several new/semi-new players (Modzel brothers, Szatyn, Dragarth, Opet, Wrobz, Pawel, Sylwek, Chagatai, Twardy and others -- sorry if I missed anyone). We play VTES on every Thursday at Jabbas's shop from 17 till 20-23.

Question: Tell us about your time spent as Prince of Bydgoszcz! How does it come you hold tournaments every month (or at least it appears so)?
Answer: I decided to became a Prince of Bydgoszcz when the number of players started to increase in 2007/2008. Once there were 8 regular players we had the basis to run tournaments. Last year the oldest (playing since 2000 or even longer) VTES player in Bydgoszcz - Jabbas - decided to open a shop focused on Board Games/ CCGs / RPGs and the number of VTES players increased rapidly so I decided to set up a local League. Since September 2010 (this is when the shop was opened) we have played a League tournament every second Thursday. To be honest I remember Thursday to be the "VTES day" for a long time now. Thanks to Jabbas, we are able to play in nice conditions and he also let us stay 3-4 hours longer (the shop is normally closed at 8 PM). I hope we will manage to increase the number of players in Bydgoszcz by organizing VTES events and talking directly to people playing different CCGs (MtG, L5R, W:I) who are willing to experience something new. The role of a Prince is to convince such people that VTES would be the best choice :).

Question: Do you see any differences between players in Poland and the rest of the world? (In terms of playstyle, deck choices etc.) Why do you think there are those differences?
Answer: Of course there are differences! First of all we have to notice that there are completely different styles of play in America and here in Europe, additionally there are other styles of play/deck-building etc. in every single country in Europe. I used to analyse almost every single deck in TWDA and saw major differences in deck-building styles, dependant on the country of origin, for majority of decks . There are also some differences between playgroups in particular countries including Poland. Bydgoszcz for example is known as the Realm of Combat ;).
Nowadays people ain't so creative as they used to be when VTES was in print and it's very difficult to build/invent new deck from scratch, so players very often play decks from TWDA and therefore you would see American-style deck in Poland from time to time ;).

Question: What is your favourite type of deck and why do you like to play it? (Appreciated if you could provide a decklist as well!)
Answer: The answer is obvious - combat :). If I had to choose one I would say that the most effective are: Tupdogs multirush (you should know something about it ;)) and Anson Cel-Gun with Ashur Tablets, however my favourite one is Enkidu feat. Antonio. That is my own build and it gives me a lot of fun to play it, although it's not extremely efficient. Playing combat deck gives you full control of your predator which is IMO very important. I like "Enkidu the Great" as it is multi-acting, rush-wall-ally-star deck with Ashur Tablets module :D. Tina Turner would sing - "It's simply the best!".

Question: Favourite strategy for winning a game. (Pacing, reading an opponent, when to play what, etc)
Answer: There is no simple answer on that question.I would say torporizing/burning/stealing all minions on the table and bleed preys away one-by-one. People use to say i'm trying to threaten/intimidate other players by shouting on them ;). You would never ever see my "team playing" with my best mate, friend, etc. or stalling. I hate people doing that, so be aware how you're playing! :D. I experienced "team playing" in Mallorca which really pissed me off. This is unsportsmanlike but it's difficult to prove it. You know what's goin' on but still can't do anything about it... Remember: I DON'T BREAK DEALS !!!

Question: What do you think makes a successful player?
Answer: Deck - 20%, skill and experience - 40%. remaining 40% is luck, table seating and other variables you don't have impact on. Basically, the more games you play the better view on the whole game concept you have. It's important to know you deck, it's strong and week sides. It's also important to play a deck you understand. I love to play combat decks as it fits to my nature :).

Question: How important do you think the political aspect of the game is?. Reading / intimidating / fooling your opponents? Do you consciously practice this?
Answer: It is very important part of the game. To be honest it's all about experience. I've played over 100 tournament games in Poland so I had an opportunity to play against almost everyone in Poland. After all those years I can predict how people would play in particular situation. There are people who are easy to read but there are also very creative players who change their style of play very often, which causes your predictions to be incorrect. The best practise is playing with different people, trying to attend as many events as possible. I had an opportunity to improve my skills by visiting other cities like Poznan - where I've studied - and Torun which is located near Bydgoszcz.

Question: If they released equal amounts of cards for every clan, discipline, etc. what would you tackle first?
Answer: I don't know. That would be something I could use to build a good combat deck :).

Question: How do you organize your cards? Do you have an inventory of cards? Do you use a deckbuilding utility? Which one?
Answer: I can send you a picture of my collection if you want ;). One of the local players uses to say that I've got the biggest mess in my cards he has ever seen (greetings Santh ;)). VTES cards are almost everywhere, inside the wardrobe, on the table, under the desk, in a bookcase - lying in total chaos... I used to buy many cards in the past, so my collection is really huge and it would took ages to organize it one by one. We take a try last year but after 12 hours I surrendered. At least I have my cards grouped by the frequency of usage. Total crap, for example, is stored on the bottom of the wardrobe and I haven't seen it for couple of months ;). However I don't use any inventory tool I know more or less the quantity of each single card I have :). Well, at least those rare and expensive ones. For deck-building purposes I use ARDB. It's simple, and has a draw simulator.

Question: How do you prepare for tournaments?
Answer: Hmmm. I'm not doing anything else than playing with my local mates. I do make some "shadow play" against myself ;). It makes people laugh but it's a good way to check the card flow etc. Sometimes I make a deck, put all the cards in sleeves and after five "shadow games" I put it away because I find it crappy ;).

Question: What was your greatest moment in your VtES Life (not necessarily as a player)?
Answer: There were many great moments I can recall, like winning the first game, opening my first booster display, winning a tournament etc., but if I had to choose one it would be getting to the final of LCQ 2009 in Palma the Mallorca. That made me think : "I'm not anonymous any more!". I was also proud when we were chosen to organize this year's ECQ.

Question:

• What's your favourite crypt card? Enkidu/Tupdog
• What's your favourite library card? Immortal Grapple
• What's your favourite expansion? Final Nights
• What's your favourite card art? Disarm

Question: What other games do you play?
Answer: I started playing MTG couple of weeks ago after 12-years break ;). I play Chess, Abalone, Civilization I-V, HoM&M 3, NHL Live 2002.....2011. Used to play CCGs like L5R and Veto. I also play the best 1 vs.1 CCG ever - Netrunner.

Question: Last words?
Answer: I wish you good luck in EC 2011 in Warsaw. Hope to see many old and new faces there :). See you soon.

Places to see in Warsaw: Wilanów Palace

Wilanów Palace (Polish: Pałac w Wilanowie) is a royal palace located in the Wilanów district and is one of the most important monuments of Polish culture.

The palace and park in Wilanów is not only a priceless testimony to the splendor of Poland in the past, but also a place for cultural events and concerts, including Summer Royal Concerts in the Rose Garden and the International Summer Old Music Academy. Wilanów Palace was built for the Polish king John III Sobieski in the last quarter of the 17th century and later was enlarged by other owners. It represents the characteristic type of baroque suburban residence built entre cour et jardin (between the entrance court and the garden). Its architecture is original - a merger of European art with old Polish building traditions.

In the year 1805 the owner Stanisław Kostka Potocki made a museum in a part of the palace, one of the first public museums in Poland. Besides European and Oriental art, the central part of the palace displayed a commemoration of king John III Sobieski and the glorious national past. The palace was damaged by Germans forces in World War II, but it was not demolished after the 1944 Warsaw Uprising. After the war, the palace was renovated, and most of the collection stolen by Germany was repatriated. In 1962 it was reopened to the public.