Here's my 5' & 10' list for 2006:

30.

Die Säulen der Erde
(5 Games)

    Now this is a game that I've really enjoyed.  It prompted me to read Ken Follett's book of the same name and I am looking forward to playing this game quite a bit next year, as well.  I am waiting for the English language edition.

29.

Emira
(5 Games)

    I love "snowball" games in which the player has to develop an infrastructure or economic engine in order to earn victory points and Emira fits this description nicely.  The game has been criticized as being too long, and I think that might be a fair complaint, but I like it anyway.  I've never minded playing long games if I am having fun and I have fun with this game.

28.

Il Principe
(5 Games)

    It took me a play or two to get my head around this game, but once I did I began to really enjoy it.  The decisions are always interesting and the money is so tight that the auctions are almost painful...in a good way.  I heard that this game is going to receive the "Oltre Mare" treatment and be released in a new edition by a larger publisher.

27.

Pompeji
(5 Games)

    Here is the first surprise for me on the list.  I really do not particularly enjoy this small card game.  Too much math for my taste.  I can honestly say that I gave it a chance, though, since I played it 5 times in 2006.

26.

Reef Encounter
(5 Games)

    Reef Encounter is one of my favorite games and I am glad I got to play it so much this year.  This is another one that takes a play or two to get your head around, but it really is not complicated.  There is just a lot going on, that is all.  Cute pieces don't hurt either.

25.

San Juan
(5 Games)

    As good as Puerto Rico is, I think I prefer this card version.  San Juan packs a lot of game play into a small box and is "friendlier" than Puerto Rico, to boot.  This is one I expect I'll probably be playing for some time to come.

24.

Trendy
(5 Games)

    This is a favorite quick filler game at conventions and I expect it will continue to remain so.

23.

Augsburg 1520
(6 Games)

    This was one of my favorite games that I played in April and I was eagerly awaiting the English language edition, but now that I have it I find I am not as interested in playing.  This is a good game and belongs in the Alea small box series, but I doubt it will make this list next year.

22.

Blue Moon City
(6 Games)

    This game is the best from Knizia in a long while, in my opinion.  It really hit a sweet spot for me in terms of balancing strategy with accessibility.  It does take new players a little while to understand what all the cards do.  Nevertheless, the game plays quickly and has always been enjoyable.

21.

Buccaneer
(6 Games)

    This game is quick and interesting.  Although it is a remake, the addition of the treasure tiles really made a difference in the game play, in my opinion.

20.

Carrousel
(6 Games)

    A real-time puzzle game on my list?  How can that be?  Well, a full game only takes about ten minutes, so I guess I was able to stand it.  Really, this is a game that I enjoy and works great as a filler.  Plus, it comes in a tiny box that is easy to tote around.

19.

Fairy Tale
(6 Games)

    The simple card drafting mechanic reminds me of good 'ol Magic, which is a good thing.

18.

Fury of Dracula
(6 Games)

    Very nice re-working of the classic Games Workshop game.  We played the old Fury of Dracula quite a bit in my group and I was quite pleased with the new version.  I'm not sure I ever saw Dracula win, though, in all the games I played...

17.

Haceinda
(6 Games)

    Very pleasant, but too finely balanced on the symmetrical board.  Play on the variant board for more fun.  This is a good game to use as a "gateway" game, although there are a lot of ways to score points that might require some explanation.

16.

The Scepter of Zavandor
(6 Games)

   I was so delighted when Z-man games produced an English language version of this wonderful game.  This is really one of my favorites and I look forward to enjoying it with more gamers now that the language barrier has been overcome.

15.

Space Dealer
(6 Games)

    This is a really innovative and fun game that is played in real time using sand timers as "robot workers" to take actions.  It always lasts exactly 30 minutes and even has a CD to keep track of the time as it counts down.  One of my favorite games from Essen this year. 

14.

Funny Friends
(7 Games)

    Confusing rules haven't stopped me from enjoying this game.  It is the only game I own (I think!) that says it is only suitable for players 17 and up. 

13.

Zauberschwert & Drachenei
Helden & Zaubersprüche
(7 Games)

    This very clever card game should never be played without the expansion, which adds a lot of interesting features to the game.   We also play with three objectives available every turn instead of two.  This has the effect of shortening the game nicely and making the game a little bit more friendly.

12.

Masons
(7 Games)

    "No walls, no power!" is the catch phrase on the box.  Alright, stop laughing.  This is a pretty decent little game.  It plays in about an hour and has some interesting decision points.  There is quite a bit of luck in the game, as well, because the scoring cards vary widely in their value.  Ultimately, though, it seems like this is more a game about timing than scoring at every opportunity.

11.

Schnäppchen Jagd
(7 Games)

    I really developed a new appreciation for this clever Rosenberg card game.  It plays best with three and so whenever I had two other players who wanted to get a quick game in, this was the one I suggested.  I definitely see myself continuing to play this in the coming year.

10.

Vegas Showdown
(7 Games)

    Avalon Hill finally got a "Euro-style" game right with this excellent offering.  I avoided this game at first, just due to the subject matter and to the brand.  Once I played it, though, I realized that I had been mistaken to discount it for those reasons.  This is truly a well designed game that has some of the trappings of Princes of Florence but is a little more user friendly.

9.

Freya's Folly
(8 Games)

    With its "Dig-Dug" looking board and colorful cards, this very attractive game never fails to get a few looks from people who are passing by.  The game is very clever and tactical.  It works well with three and seems like it always ends a few turns before I am able to execute my master plan, but I love it anyway.

8.

Caylus
(9 Games)

    What can I say about Caylus that hasn't already been said?  This is a deep and engaging game that never fails to deliver a great experience.  The only potential downside to the game is that new (or indecisive) players can cause the game to drag.  With people familiar with the system, though, the game never feels stagnant, even if it takes two hours to play.

7.

Tsuro
(9 Games)

    And on the other end of the spectrum from Caylus, we have this little gem.  Need a game for eight players that will take about ten minutes?  Well break out this bad boy.  Tsuro is one of those games that promotes socialization.  It doesn't require much brain power and works better with a large group.  This is another game I can see playing well into the future because it fills such a particular niche.

6.

Tichu
(10 Games)

    The ultimate late night partnership game put in a strong showing this year.  Having played ten times I have reached the conclusion that I am terrible at this game.  It hasn't stopped me from enjoying it, though.  I do feel that the game can run a bit too long and prefer to play to a point total of 500 or 750.

5.

Thurn and Taxis
(11 Games)

    This SdJ winner proved to have a lot of appeal to me this year.  I really enjoyed the weight of the game:  interesting decisions without being too heavy.  I do feel, though, that I might have overplayed this game a bit this year as my enthusiasm for it has begun to wane. 

4.

California
(12 Games)

    I knew from my first playing that California would be one of my most played games of the year.  It is a game that just about anyone can enjoy.  It has a cute theme and simple mechanics, but there is some room for tactical play, especially defensive play.  People say it is too chaotic with five, which is probably right, but with three or four I think it is a lot of fun.  I predict that in years to come this game will have a renaissance, sort of like Big City or Die Händler.

3.

Nottingham
(13 Games)

    I think the reason I played this game as often as I did was because it could accommodate seven players.  It is a little rules heavy to be a filler, though.  To some extent, I think the pedigree of the game hurt it's popularity.  It is not as good as some of Rosenberg's other card games, like Klunker and Schnäppchen Jagd.  I wonder if this one will have much staying power into next year.  My guess is no, but only time will tell.

2.

Times Square
(15 Games)

    With so many better two player games available, I wonder how I ended up playing Times Square so often?  One reason has to be, of course, that it was new this year.  I think at least half the people I played it with were people who wanted me to teach them the game.  It does have great looking meeples, I must admit.  The other reason, I think, is that the game is short so I would often play it two or three times in a row.  It is not a bad game, by any means, but I was surprised by how many games of it I played.

1.

Nacht Der Magier
(19 Games)