Round 3: First semi-final

Eighteen leaders left! In this round, two groups of nine will play two matches, the best performing three from each going through to the final.

Tomyris, Poundmaker, Trajan, Eleanor of Aquitaine (French), Catherine de Medici (Black Queen), Kublai Khan (Chinese), Menelik II, Sundiata Keita and Sejong competed in the first semi-final.

Match 1

Here's how the scores landed.

Winner was Trajan, who pulled off a space victory and was also in the lead for culture. Kublai Khan managed to get three-quarters of the way towards a religious win, which is something I've honestly never seen happen in seven years of playing this game, from anyone.

With no other civilizations obtaining a victory condition, Trajan was the clear winner, followed by Kublai Khan and Sundiata Keita, on points. 

Match 2

This time it was Menelik's turn to dominate - winning via space, and closest with a second victory condition, via culture. 

No one else achieved a victory condition, so the runners-up - on points - were Sundiata Keita and Trajan.

Those two matches combined, the qualifiers are the two winners - Trajan and Menelik - with Sundiata, who came second in both games. 

Kublai Khan (2400) will be annoyed for narrowly missing out on points to Sundiata (2553). Both outscored Trajan and Menelik, but without any wins. 

Elimanated were Kublai Khan (China), Tomyris, Sejong, Eleanor of Aquitane (France) and Catherine de Medici (Black Queen). 

Onto the second semi-final!