Beaucoup français, so Waterloo.
La Suède, douze (12) points.
I thought someone had already played Marble Arch, but it seems not. I’m a little nervous of doing so, but I can’t see an immediate refutation, therefore: Marble Arch.
I’ll take a ride on the Reading after walking to Paddington. As an American I am allowed to do this only if I make the requisite Monopoly joke. Brits would have been able to move there as well but they would have had to either call it the Lizzy Line or admit that it was an overpowered move by saying “See it, say it, sordid.”
With all active hands seemingly in fristible moods I’ll continue with my token hoovering and collect the available trove at Gallions Reach. Methinks they will become useful as we get into the trenches.
I’m as eager as anyone to stay away from the west side where Maus had effectively been keeping everyone on the defense. As we enter midgame, I can’t help but question his move to Canary Warf, however, it’s never wise to interrupt one’s opponent when they’re making a mistake. I’m chuffed we can dwell in the docklands.
Royal Victoria
Rounders is now active. I believe I may claim the first token.
With penultima_thule taking the DLR line nearly to the end, and Cardigan’s deft, but unsubtle move, that leaves me a wide opening, ala Sir Basilton fforde-Lutter’s flanking in the 1982 Greater Lavenham Invitational.
Tower Gateway
Please hand over your recently aquired tokens.
I will happily surrender my token, but will not happily remain on the northern line (which would allow Maus access to MC in two moves) and will WALK to Bermondsey
Sorry, you can’t walk - you’ve only got 2 balls. Same here, so better take the bus to West Ruislip.
You’ll get my sneakily won tokens from my cold dead hands when you have earned then Sir, and not before. Demanding tokens after playing Tower Gateway is naught but a phishing exercise. This venerable institution remains unabashly analogue and I will defend that whilst I draw breath, or at least while the Lagavulin is available. West India Quay represents the most advantageous play here but I go Gloucester Road, to demonstrate that some of us have roots, Sir!
Well this is a fine how-do-you-do!
There are occasional games of MC which don’t reach the ultimate conclusion, though they are infrequent. The last was, to my recollection one where the game most unfortunately became caught on the Heathrow loop and no combatant would give way. Accordingly the precedents as to the appropriate procedure for resolution are not well established.
Algernon & Cruickshank in 1931 did propose that in such cases a game became suspended, they coined the phrase “Hanging Chad” for the purpose, and the notional winner, albeit with minimal honour and without acclamation is the post within the last 5 stations played who can reach the goal with the smallest number of tokens, but they must retain possession of at least that many.
Given the strategy being generally employed in the curious session, was to run the fringe waiting on the inevitable opening, most players are currently well outside the City Loop, making for any to be able to complete the home run a virtual impossibility.
Alas the singular exception is myself. But if there was one universally recognised rule to Mornington Crescent is the absolute, inviolable rejection of anyone playing consecutive moves, let alone to win. Some of the ancient terminology applicable is offensive, crude and vexatious, fink being one of the few which would not see this thread being consigned to the Pit.
So I believe the only viable option is to call this game as being in Nid in perpetuality.
I am sure there may well be some dissent but I can but table the option.
A fine argument, but here in the UK we are currently in between consecutive bank holiday Mondays, the rare fact of which fortuitously allows me to come out of Nid with King’s Cross. And, MC in 15, I believe.
Ah. I’d forgotten about the CBH thing…
Leyton
From Victoria to the Central line. Thank you, Gentlemen for getting me out of the corner I had painted myself into. Citing Lord Cyril Dankworth’s (in)famous maneuver in the 1986 Merthyr Tydfil open, that opens me up for
Dalston Junction
Camden Town (whistles nonchalantly) 
Ah, such impatience in someone so young! Hurry is a bad adviser, let me tell you that, my friend. Calls for Wood Lane, of which I am glad to observe that DeepL(dot)com does not know that Holzweg (the literal translation) in German in fact means to bark up the wrong tree, wrong way, path that leads you astray, wrong method or wrong procedure and a couple of similar ideas as well, but you get the general idea.
Good grief! My pontification has roused the dragon. Excellent.
Note to self: Never, ever doubt humanities pathological adoration of a long weekend.
I fear the erstwhile @Cardigan nonchalanticity (patent applied for pending it’s Oxford citation) bodes naught but ill for the rest of us. But with bugger all but a handful of low value tokens I now have little to advance my cause. Verily, I will skedaddle to the safety of Hainult and ponder my re-insertion strategy.
Well then, better watch from the margins until the plot thickens: let other eat highfallutin fancy quiches, time to enjoy the blandesd bread in the world where it comes from: Chorleywood. With a slice of cucumber or two.
I honestly didn’t think anyone here would actually fall prey to the Fool’s Crescent, but simply wanted to remind everyone of the importance of not becoming complacent. Indeed it seems some were caught by surprise and found themselves poorly situated to respond effectively. Since Pardel-Lux has been kind enough to return us to a more traditional positional play, it behooves me to save my higher value tokens at this time and exercise my second terminus option…Chesham
Heh, heh, beware fellow travellers … underneath this bon homme exterior lies the cove who has lurked at the proximinous Camden Town no less than three times, has lured the game to Brixton from where several much loved players barely survived and made Appeal for Adjudication as a diversionary tactic.
The man knows his onions and assuredly takes no prisoners. So to minimise the chances of myself being the target of a hit & run I’ll seek sanctuary at Harrow & Wealdstone which has offered shelter to the commuting public since 1837.
Agreed. Cardigan’s use of the Fool’s Crescent was a sublime master stroke which several of us were caught up in. Unfortunately, they were obviously unaware of MacQuoid’s Gibbous Countermove. This excellent gambit was first expertly played in the Kirkcudbright Friendly in 1953 (to celebrate the Queen’s Coronation), and I shall play it again here in honor of His Majesty’s upcoming coronation.
Canning Town