Okay, so you and I are sitting down to begin a game. Got your bid ready? Hmmm, I bid 3, you bid 2... and I think I'll make YOU go first.

Waitaminit, we're playing a RACE game and I want you to go first? You bet I do. There's a lot of different places in Middle Earth where we can end up, and as any solider can tell you, controlling the battleground can let you control the battle. My sites are very carefully chosen, and in making sure that they hit the table, I'm giving myself an enormous advantage. Enormous enough to outweigh the advantages of going first? In some ways, yes, especially when you consider that your sites not only help you, but hinder your opponent. Obvious? Well, yeah. But if my opponents are still looking at me like I'm crazy when I make them go first, then it's not obvious enough.

PART 1: MY SITE, MY FRIEND
Ever play with a Nazgul deck and unleash the devastation of site 3? Ford of Bruinen: the twilight cost of the first Nazgul played at the Ford of Bruinen is -5. Witch King for 3, anyone? Moving to site 3 is usually pretty safe, since they all have a site cost of 0... but dare you risk it? Especially if there's still a big black baddie or two hanging around from site 2? (Where they were nice and cheap, too, with Weatherhills or Bree Streets). Nothing like killing a major companion before your opponent even reaches Rivendell. Don't play a Nazgul deck? What about Moria swarm, then? Shores of Nen Hithoel: spot 5 orc minions to prevent the fellowship from moving again this turn. Then wave at them as you pass them to site 9 and victory. Using hobbits? Buckleberry Ferry skips the skirmish phase altogether. Rely heavily on A Ranger's Versatility? Better make sure there's a lot of rivers and forests where you're going. YES, people think about these things when they choose what sites to put in their adventure deck. But too many regard their adventure deck as an afterthought, as opposed to a strategy.

PART 2: MY SITE, MY OPPONENT'S ENEMY
Unless you're playing an archery deck (and maybe even if you are), you hate them. Everybody does. Nothing like watching your Cave-Troll get shot down by a bunch of pointy-eared girly-men with sticks and strings. Site 7, Anduin Wilderland: NO ARCHERY!!!! Does this site durectly help your deck? Maybe not. But when your opponent's face falls and (s)he's overwhelmed by minions that (s)he had counted on shooting, you screwed up THEIR game plan. And that in itself can be enough to win you a game or three. Those annoying hobbit stealth events, cancelling your skirmishes all over the place... site 2, Breeland Forest, no hobbit steath events played here! And it's early enough in the game that maybe those hobbit swords and bounders aren't out yet... bye bye, hobbits, it's been fun. A Ranger's Versatility bothering you? Make the firstful that your opponent is holding useless by keeping him away from nature's majesty. Bet they didn't count on that, either... too bad they didn;t realize just how much their opponent's sites can hurt them.

PART 3: BUT I WANNA GO FIRST!!!!
So now maybe you'll give a little more thought to how impoortant your sites can be to racing your way to victory. But the fact remains that this IS a race game, and maybe you're not ready to let your opponent out of the starting gate first. Loathe to let him or her get the jump on you? Well, there ARE other ways to make sure you're the one behind the wheel.

Rare: Thror's Map. Thror's Map, Thror's Map, Thror's Map. You've obviously got Frodo, exert him to control where you're off to next. Put a copy in every deck you have. Better yet, put 2. This is one vastly underestimated rare we're talking about here, when games can be and are won or lost just because of the path that was travelled.

Uncommon: Ulaire Nelya. He's power 10, he's fierce, his home site is 2 (2, people, you heard me right), and he can pick and choose where you're going. Doesn;t matter where he is, he can replace ANY of your opponent's sites with your own by simply exerting. Throw a couple of copies of him in your deck, even if you're not playing Nazgul -- he's a great minion with a great "something extra."

Common: Pathfinder. Not quite AS useful as the other 2, since it's an event and it requires a ranger (which not everybody plays with). However, if you really want to go first and still control where you're going, it might be worth it. Plus, since it IS an event, it's fairly easy to get out of your hand if it looks like you're not going to need it for a specific spot.

"But I know all this!" you're saying. "My sites DO work well with my deck, I've put a lot of thought into them!" That may be true. However, do you carry your specific sites because you're planning on playing them, or just in case you need them if your opponent outbids you and goes first, or pulls ahead of you at some point? Start making your sites your first string players, instead of just yanking them off the bench because you have no choice. You might just find that your deck got a lot more effective. I know I did.

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