"You're sure you know how to play?" I asked. Usually the people who challenged me were of a different nature. They prided themselves with their vast collections, their claims of profound "gaming knowledge," and min-max algorithms that would make university professors cry. She was entirely a different breed of human.

"Yep." She nodded with a smile and sat across me. She seemed about five years younger, probably still in college, goth-blue hair, and an attitude of absolute unguvefuckness. I quickly scanned her clothes for vintage game pins, stickers, or anything I'd expect from people at a boardgame convention. Other than a [i]I love NMoon[/i] on her jeans there was nothing.

"Okay." I started shuffling the deck. "It's an abstract game, so font worry if you don't get everything on the first time." I began with a pseudo explanation to gage her. "We start with five cards and can play one card each turn. A bit like Munchkin, but with differences."

No reaction. Dud she even know games? More likely she had just come to gave some fun. Which, come to think of it, was not a bad idea. So what if I'd get an easy win? At least I had the potential to talk with someone nice fir a change and not get into arguments about game rules and mechanics.

"It's simple." I gave her the deck. "You play a notion, then I gave to respond something connected." She cut the cards and handed them back to with a sweet smile. I felt myself look down to avoid her glance. "Here we go." I clumsily dealt five cards each. "If—"

"A word of warning," she cut me off. I froze. Panicking, I looked at her. She was sitting there smiling, holding a card in front of her.

"Oooh!" Right. The card. An interesting start. Personally, I'd save it for later. It was a god-card that could be used in any occasion. "An adventurer in peril," I responded placing my own card on the table. "Now you can play a card or draw. If you draw I continue my chain. First one out of cards wins."

"I know." She leaned back. She wasn't even looking at my cards, rather staring at me so intently I felt I had forgotten to brush my hair. "Why did you enter gamedev?" She asked all of a sudden. "Isn't it a male dominated field?"

"Not anymore." It was, but I didn't want to tell her that.

"Well, I thinks it's cool." She took a card without looking. "A maiden in distress."

Damn! That was a good card. I had several to counter it, but should I play them? I could draw to get a better hand and start my victory chain. She'd reach two cards, but the game would be mine.

"Draw." I took a card from the deck. "How did you get into games?"

"I've always found them interesting." She started sliding her cards face down along the table. "I like the people more, though. Those who actually make them, not the smartasses who think they know it all. A hoarding dragon."

Not the best link to the maiden, but definitely allowed.

"Well, it's less fun than you think," I grumbled more to myself than to her. Time and experience had made me jaded. "A sword of destiny." Now she could only  draw or play a shield notion. Either way I had a wizards folly—another god-card that had next to no counter. To my surprise she only shook her head.

"That's a pity." For a moment her smile faded. "A shield of time."

Just as I predicted. There was no way she could win now.

"A wizard's folly." I placed the card down. A pity. I had started enjoying the conversation. I so much wanted it to go on. Instead she'd probably just thank me for the game, then move on, leaving me to the mercy of the usual crowd. Yay... this was the joy of working in gamedev.

"A word of warning," she said.

I blinked. This was impossible! There was just one copy of that card in the deck and she had started with it. How could she do a repeat? Confused, I looked at the table. Her card was face down, place just over mine.

"I think I like you." She leaned forward, her eyes shining with an unmistakable spark.

I didn't say anything. Instead I put my hand down and started gathering the cards. No doubt about it—she had won.