Norwegian takes Monopoly world title
By OSKAR GARCIA
Associated Press Writer
A lucky swap and some eager
building propelled a 19-year-old
Norwegian student to the top of
board game fame and sent three
would-be tycoons to the poor
house at the Monopoly World
Championship in Las Vegas.
Bjorn Halvard, who graduated
this year from the Oslo Private
Gymnasium school, captured
the title on Thursday when the
battleship token of 25-year
old Geoff Christopher of New
Zealand landed consecutively
on Pacific Avenue and North
Carolina Avenue, and he couldn’t
afford the combined $1,600 rent.
“(I’m) the most surprised you
could ever be,” Halvard told The
Associated Press. “I think this
was a really good final. It was the
best game I played in the whole
tournament.”
Sheets vs. Rutters for late-night snacking
By VINCENT DANGOLOVICH
Staff Writer
VWDsoo6@psu.edu
It is a very late night. Perhaps
you have been studying all day
for the big exam. Maybe you just
got off a long shift at work. All
you know is that you are hungry
and your options are limited.
Where can you go on a student
budget at 11 p.m. or later? For the
answer, I asked a few members
of the student body.
Mark Minchoff is a senior
communications major. With his
Buddy-Holly glasses and laid
back appearance, one gets the
impression that this young man
has seen a few late nights. He
quickly mentioned a few of his
favorite late night haunts.
Giant Foods was top of the list.
Marc claims if he has any energy
to cook, he can count on the 24-
hour grocery store to have a big
bag of Herr’s salt and vinegar
chips and whatever is on his
menu that night. Next on his list
is Midtown Pizza.
Marc says that the local pizzeria
is open until 12 on weekends. The
slices are “amazing, absolutely
amazing” but he recommends
the hot pepper relish over fries.
Then again, if you are out past
closing time, you may want to sit
Halvard won $20,580 in real
money for the title the total
amount in the bank of a standard
Monopoly game. The other
finalists won nothing beyond the
trip that brought each of the 41
competitors to the Caesars Palace
hotel-casino on the Las Vegas
Strip to represent their home
countries as national champions.
After taking out 24-year
old Russian Oleg Korostelev,
Halvard bankrupted American
champion Rick Marinaccio, a
26-year-old corporate lawyer
from Buffalo, N.Y., who was
trying to become the first U.S.
player to win the board game
championship since 1974.
Halvard was the only player
without a monopoly after trades
gave Marinaccio the magenta
property group, Christopher the
oranges and Korostelev the more
expensive greens.
But the game turned when
Korostelev swapped Halvard
a cheaper light blue property
down at the Capital City Diner.
“The only thing I ever get there
is the Philly Salad,” exclaims
Marc, “it’s grilled chicken, fries,
and cheese in a big salad bowl.”
Some would take a different
late-night path. For them, the
AM drive-thru is an inexpensive,
low-fuss meal.
“I get the Wendy’s Baconator,”
says freshman Dustin Hoepfor,
“it’s so good but it’ll make you
hate yourself.”
Hoepfor’s friend lan Tambemino
jumps in pointing out the
seemingly infamous Wendy’s
dollar menu. His eyes look
upward in mock fantasizing of a
fast-food banquet. Next in line is
the number 7 chicken quesadilla
from Taco Bell.
I was not satisfied with the
fast-food options I was slowly
collecting from Dustin and
others like him. I knew there was
at least one place that delivered
decent food at all hours on a
student budget. The answer was
virtually unanimous from my
sources —Sheetz.
For those unfamiliar with the
area, Sheetz is a gas station
and convenience store chain
extending form PA through MD,
WV, VA and Ohio. What has
distinguished them in recent
years is the Made-To-Order
(MTO) kitchens that many of
THE CAPITAL TIMES
to gain the red property group,
giving Halvard an inexpensive
monopoly with cash to develop.
The moved surprised Halvard
and the other players because
Korostelev couldn’t afford to
build on the property group and
didn’t negotiate for cash.
“I thought I was in such a great
position,” Marinaccio said. “I
didn’t see that coming and I
don’t think New Zealand saw
that either.”
Halvard mortgaged his other
properties and loaded up on
hotels for Oriental, Vermont and
Connecticut Avenues, seeing
his opponents’ tokens within
range of the spaces on the board.
The move was risky because his
iron token faced a gauntlet side
of developed magenta and orange
properties, and Halvard said he
may have lost if his opponents
dodged his hotels.
“Either they come to me and I
get enough money to survive, or
I go out,” he said.
them now feature.
On the heels of this busy and
expanding chain is Rutters.
While also serving as gas station
and convenience store, Rutters
also boast it’s own dairy and
beverage products in addition to
the MTO kitchens.
I thought it was time for a
showdown of the 24-hour, late
night favorites of students and
travelers so I pulled some facts
and did a few visits to get a sense
of both stores. Here is how the
two chains compared.
First and foremost Sheetz
wins in location. The Sheetz
corporate website shows 426
locations for this state alone and
search options based on whether
you want one with “fryz”, coffee
bar, smoothie bar, or any other
store specifics that may vary.
Rutters sadly only has 56 present
locations. The closest store is on
Nyes Rd.
Next is the category of incentive.
Sheetz offers “Advantage Cards”
in three categories that provide
gas discounts for shopping at
their stores. Rutters similarly
offers a “Rewards Card” that
allow you to gain points toward
discounts at their stores.
In menu category, Sheetz
wins in sheer number of items.
Their website offers a menu for
download that does not even
November 4,2009
He finished with $6,888 in cash
and assets in the game.
Halvard said he planned to take
a helicopter tour Friday night of
the Grand Canyon and the Las
Vegas skyline, then visit friends
in Los Angeles before returning
home from his first trip to the
United States.
The final lasted about 45 minutes,
quick for a tournament game and
far less time than a typical casual
Monopoly game. Home games
traditionally take longer because
of popular house rules like
$5OO under Free Parking that
give players more chances to
stay competitive.
The tournament games also used
a third die known as the speed
die that sped up the action
significantly. The tournament
die manipulates moves and often
forces players into spaces where
they have to pay rent during the
late stages of games.
The world tournament, held
periodically and last staged in
have all the options listed at
their Paxton St. location. This
indicates that more items are
being added regularly, as any
Sheetz patron will attest.
Rutters may not have the
same breadth of options as their
competitor, but they do have a
few noteworthy specifics that
are lacking on the Sheetz menu.
Numerous desserts such as
cheesecake, brownie bites, and
banana foster bites.
Sheetz lacks a dessert listing
but offers several shakes and
smoothies that make up for the
difference.
Rutters offers soups that vary
daily with the exception of
the chili which is offered 24-
7. Unfortunately, there is more
flavorful chili to be found in
other places. The side dishes
make up for the sub par chili. All
are worth a taste but I stand by
the classic potato cakes.
I would not recommend the
side dishes at Sheetz although
the variety “fryz” are not entirely
unworthy of eating. I would,
how ever, recommend the Nachos
Grande. These are not a side but
an event. Customize them with
vegetables, sour cream, and
whatever your stomach desires.
Your options far outweigh the
pitiful spread by Rutters.
When it comes to subs, Sheetz
Tokyo in 2004, began Wednesday
at Caesars Palace with players
from 41 different countries.
Games were played in English,
with interpreters on hand to
help players who spoke different
languages negotiate trades with
one another.
The real-estate trading game
based on the streets of Atlantic
City, N.J. first sold in 1935, after
inventor Charles B. Darrow
of Germantown, Pa., showed
the games to Parker Brothers
executives. More than 275
million copies of the game’s
various versions have sold in 106
countries, according to toy and
game distributor Hasbro, Inc.
has more kinds of subs but Rutters
has noteworthy options. Rutters
has Garlic, wheat, white, Italian
and everything rolls which they
will toast for a warm late night
bite. Rutters also has an option
for seasoned mushrooms which
compliment several sub choices.
For the salad eater, do not go to
Rutters. In my research for this
article, I have had a few too many
poor comments on their salads.
In terms of price and quality, go
with Sheetz.
From Rutters, I opt for the
Bacon, lettuce and tomato sub
on a toasted garlic roll. I will
usually have them add ranch
dressing and the mushrooms.
(It’s a personal choice.) Add in
a bowl of soup and I have a late
night meal both hot and filling.
From Sheetz, I have a split
answer. For something small but
delicious, I recommend the BLT
pretzel melt sandwich. If you
have not tried one, do yourself a
favor and get one. Otherwise I
opt for the low priced steak fajita
(or two) with a nachos grande to
share with a few friends.
If you find yourself up late with
your stomach growling, I highly
recommend both Sheetz and
Rutters for a delicious meal. With
MTO touch screen ordering, you
decide how you want it. How can
you go wrong? Happy Eating!