I was lucky; On tuesdays I always go out to sport. The opponents for the round 6 (and last match of the evening) didn't turn up, so I got home early.
Continued ...
Last turn was:
[6] 610 AD - Battle of Thebes. We defeat 2 muskets, 2 spears and 1 crusader and capture Thebes. We keep this city. It is a huge flip risk (5,8%), but the 2 Wonders are just too nice. Egyptian capital moves to El-Amarna, in Western Tunesia; not very close. Thebes is under pressure from Heliopolis, Pi-Ramesses and Babylonian Eridu. If we can stop the resistance we need to rush culture there.
Selling our TM and WM (repeatedly) nets us about 70 gold.
IBT:
Iroquois kick our horse out.
We get our first Ancient Cav. Delhi finishes Bachs.
[7] 620 AD - Moving knights into Thebes to quell resistance, heal and reduce the flip-risk. In 1 turn deals with Russia and China and; hopefully opening up a nfer. Thebes has 1 less resistor, so I can start to starve it down. Just sell TM and rounds of WM, for about 40 gold.
IBT:
Venezuela and Brazil sign peace. Thebes riots because many resistors are quelled. I hate this feature ...
Heroic Epic finishes in Isand. Persia and others start Shakes.
[8] 630 AD - Thebes flip risk has increased to 8%.
Time to trade. Buy Metallurgy + WM from Russia for Horses + our only Saltpeter we have left + 4 gpt. We have another unconnected source of Saltpeter we can connect in 3 or 4 turns.
Sell Metallurgy to Aztecs for Astronomy + wM + 7gpt.
Sell Metallurgy to Australia for Navigation + Furs + WM + 3 gold.
Sell Metallurgy to Mongols for Banking + 20 gold.
Buy Economics from Babylon for Metallurgy + Ivory + WM + 21 gpt. We get change of 13 gold.
Cancel the 42 gpt sale to China of our horses. Sell China economics for Music Theory + WM + 4 gold.
We cannot afford more techs.
Sell Metallurgy to America for WM + 24 gpt + 17 gold.
Sell Theology to Greece for WM + 3 gpt + 41 gold.
We are now 7th in techs. India, Russia, Persia and Songhai are up (at least) Democracy, Physics and Mil Trad. Aztec and France Democracy and Physics.
Sending workers to connect Saltpeter. Switch Zim off setllers for a few turns; knights are needed more. We still have 2 settlers, and only 16 knights (of which are 3 in the army and about 6 battle-ready.
Of course do the TM + WM trade rounds. I don't get a lot as I've bled many nations dry, but it helps.
This turn we got 5 techs; a lux, are at 929 gold and +98 gpt. The only problem is Thebes; it is at 8,7% flip risk. But our troops are healed next turn and ready to strike at Egypt in 2. Babylonian forces are threatening to block our quick path to Pi-ramesses, so I move 1 unit there.
IBT: Aztecs demand TM + 64 gold. We have a 19 turn 7gpt deal with them, but also a Horses + Ivory + 82 gpt deal with them. I refuse and: The Aztecs declare. Our gpt was +98 gpt and is now +173 gpt. Iros politely ask our horse to leave.
Babs loose some units to the Egyptians and vice versa. As some courts finish our gpt is now +173.
[9] 640 AD - There is something wrong in Thebes; it now has 1 resistor, 10 taxmen and produces 2 fpt, but doesn't starve at all.
Moving army + 9 knights + 1 AC out of Thebes, leaving just 1 pike. Flip chance drops to 7,3 % ?
Do the usual round of TM + repeated WM sale. About 100 gold this turn.
IBT: some babylonians and some Egyptians die.
[10] 650 AD - Battle for Pi-Ramesses.
14/14 army Vs 3/3 musket: Wins, getting 3 damage.
5/5 knight Vs 4/4 spear. Wins and gets a MGL; Zwelithin. And Pi-Ramesses is ours. I have no settlers close, so I decide to capture instead of raze. It can always be abandoned later. We also gain 4 workers. Turn Zwelitin into an army immediately. Fill it with the Zwelitin knight and 2 vet knights. Sending both armies toward Heliopolis, together with 4 elite knights.
For some strange reason India has 0 gold and Russia 17087. Last turn this was reversed. It seems Russia's sci trait got them some nice pocket money.
----------------------------------
I didn't MM cities; i didn't trade TM + WM around; I didn't check for trades this turn; I didn't check the peace conditions with Egypt, nor Aztecs this turn and I haven't cashrushed a single thing. The next player can do that. I do advise to capture Heliopolis and then talk peace with Egypt. But the next player decides.
I think I've done well; 9 techs in 10 turns, 5 luxes in total, 1392 gold, +178 gpt, Egypt nearly gone, a 2nd army, 2 unit-Wonders captured in Thebes, a complete WM, 6th or 7th in techs; a tech lead on 6 nations and 39 native + 63 non-native workers. But most importantly; we now have our future in our hands instead having our future in the hands and the whim of an AI.
Worst thing that can happen: Babylon sneak attacking and capturing Thebes, or Songhai striking at us. But with 2 knight armies close to both Songhai land and Babylonian land this should be overcomable.
Good luck Hotrod.
The save 650 AD
Microbe can you or Rik point me in the right direction.
Don't think I appreciate the title of your .jpg Microbe. There is definetly something wrong and I wouldn't have asked for help otherwise. I wasn't being a wise guy or funny. I had a legit issue with the download and you make light of the issue and call me a freak. Come on now! 
If we can't get techs; then let's get cities... Egypt has some scattered across the world. Even 1 in the middle of the Pacific ocean. I doubt if it will ever be under cultural pressure and it sure is a nice tranquil location for 1 scientist.
sorry; I forgot....
I wasn't calling YOU that man, but the fact that you cannot see the link, or some smart software decides to hide it from you. I just didn't know what to put as title, as all my other SG screenshots have titles like Name-Year.jpg. Sorry about that. 
