All Questions
25
votes
3answers
778 views
Is castling still done in the openings in modern chess?
I have read in a somewhat old book that castling was to be done as soon as possible, but some of my playing friends don't bother to do it in the opening. What's the modern usage?
19
votes
5answers
3k views
What are the differences between the four editions of The Settlers of Catan base game?
I haven't played Settlers of Catan yet, but I've been considering asking my gaming group if they want to try it.
As I understand it, Settlers of Catan is now in its fourth major version. If I do get ...
18
votes
7answers
776 views
Power plants in Power Grid
I've played Power Grid once so far. What is a good beginner's strategy in the initial accumulation of power plants?
17
votes
1answer
3k views
Why doesn't Undying trigger if a creature with +1/+1 counters dies from -1/-1 counters?
From the Dark Ascension FAQ:
If a creature with undying that has a +1/+1 counter on it receives enough -1/-1 counters to cause it to be destroyed by lethal damage or put into its owner's graveyard ...
17
votes
10answers
2k views
How Unethical Is A Purely “Blocking” Move In Ticket To Ride?
Here's a scenario to illustrate my question. My wife and I were playing Ticket To Ride: Nordic Countries earlier this evening - apologies if you don't own this particular edition, but hopefully the ...
15
votes
2answers
3k views
Does Infect count as damage?
I have a card named Dissipation Field that reads, "Whenever a permanent deals damage to you, return it to its owner's hand."
If my opponent attacks me with a creature with infect (i.e. Cystbearer) ...
14
votes
4answers
370 views
Is it possible to lose Forbidden Island on the first turn?
My first time playing this game last night. My friend that was teaching me had only played a couple times. Despite a quick rules reading we wanted to verify this sequence that happened to us.
...
14
votes
1answer
460 views
Special event cards and timing
The Special Event cards all indicate they may be played "at any time". Are there any restrictions to "any time", i.e. in the middle of someone's turn? Suppose an epidemic card has been drawn -- can ...
13
votes
4answers
218 views
Is there an equivalent of Deep Blue in the Go world?
Deep Blue was a chess-playing computer developed by IBM. On May 11, 1997, the machine won a six-game match by two wins to one with three draws against world champion Garry Kasparov. Kasparov accused ...
13
votes
5answers
404 views
What is a positional game in chess?
What does it mean to have a positional game, or to play a positional game?
What is the opposite?
13
votes
4answers
435 views
When is it a good time to offer a draw in chess, and when should I accept one?
Professional players often offer draws in chess and accept them. While draws can be very common in professional play, they appear to be very rare in casual play. Naturally, if you're winning, ...
13
votes
3answers
4k views
How does Infect interact with Lifelink?
When a creature with Infect and Lifelink puts poison counters on a player, does the controlling player gain life? Do all abilities that trigger on combat damage still occur?
A link to an official ...
13
votes
5answers
425 views
Viable, alternative, first round role orders in 5-player Puerto Rico
I'm a big fan of Puerto Rico.
But one thing that bugs me a little bit in my (5 player) games is how stable the first round is, with regards to role choices.
It (almost) always goes:
Settler
...
12
votes
3answers
517 views
What is a Gateway Game?
Before joining the B&CG community, I had never heard the phrase "Gateway Game." The quintessential examples of Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride, and Carcassonne gives me a rough idea but Googling ...
12
votes
3answers
611 views
Why are beginning to intermediate bridge players told to delay learning how to bid certain types of unusual hands?
When learning modern bidding (Standard American 5 card majors in my case), I noticed that the system's bidding techniques and common conventions described good ways of getting to a reasonable contract ...
12
votes
4answers
10k views
How does regeneration work in Magic the Gathering?
How does the regeneration works? I know that if my creature is destroyed then I can spend X mana then tap my creature and move it out of combat. Is it attackable in any way after that? With spells or ...
12
votes
2answers
3k views
Are there any specific strategies in Jenga?
Does Jenga have any specific strategies for block placement and removal that can be employed? Are there certain moves or ideas I could employ to (for example) increase the likelihood that the stack ...
12
votes
1answer
653 views
Exchanging Cards in Pandemic
When exchanging cards between two players in Pandemic, does it matter which player's turn it is? I have seen this rule played two ways:
- The active player can only give a card.
OR
- The active ...
12
votes
1answer
844 views
In Dominion, how do Duration cards interact with King's Court / Throne Room?
For example, suppose I play a King's Court on a Lighthouse. Do I get +$3 now and +$3 next turn? +$3 now and +$1 next turn?
11
votes
6answers
412 views
How to Measure Luck vs Skill in Games?
Anyone who has played a wide variety of games knows that some games are almost purely skill (i.e. Chess, Go), while others are 100 % luck (ie. Candyland, card game of War). However, most games are in ...
11
votes
1answer
291 views
Bottom card drawn during epidemic: Are 3 cubes added to the city pictured, when the disease in that city's region has already been eradicated?
I suspect not, because the rule on Eradicating Disease states:
From now on, cards of this color have no effect when drawn on the
Infector's turn. Take all of the cubes of the eradicated color ...
11
votes
3answers
1k views
Can I create my own version of Monopoly and distribute it ?
Can I create my own version of Monopoly and distribute it online or physically ?
I see that there were patents filed in 1923 . Can I create an improvement on the existing game and sell it online ?
...
11
votes
1answer
480 views
When is the Richest Settler evaluated?
I've run into what I believe might be an edge case for the rules of the Traders and Barbarians expansion to The Settlers of Catan. I'm hoping someone might be able to clarify (preferably with ...
11
votes
1answer
345 views
Can you build the same building more than once in Puerto Rico?
Is one player allowed to build the same building more than once in Puerto Rico? If so, do the bonuses stack, so that a player building both Large Markets would get +4 for trading? I wasn't able to ...
10
votes
1answer
160 views
Dark Confidant and split cards
On my upkeep controlling a Dark Confidant I trigger revealing a card and losing life to it's cmc cost. What happens if I have a split card with 2 identifiable spells? Do I get to choose which one I ...
10
votes
2answers
4k views
What happens when a commander is exiled?
Let's say you have a commander on the field, and an opponent uses Sisters Of Stone Death to force your commander to block the sisters and then exiles your commander? Does it remain exiled, or does it ...
10
votes
1answer
25k views
How many lands should I have in my sealed or draft decks?
A standard draft deck has 40 cards in it; a 4-booster sealed deck has 30 cards. How many lands should I put in each of these formats? And why do I need this ratio?
The conventional wisdom that I ...
10
votes
2answers
1k views
Texas Hold'Em Heads-Up Blind Structure
Why does the Dealer post the small blind and the other player post the big blind?
Normally the person to the left of the dealer will post the small blind then the second player to the left of the ...
9
votes
2answers
103 views
Do you get 2 coins from Xenophon for yellow cards put into play by Halicarnassus/Solomon?
The rules for the leader Xenophon (Leaders expansion):
Xenophon grants 2 coins for each commercial structure (yellow card) that the player builds from this point forward. The coins are taken from ...
9
votes
2answers
249 views
Babylon (B), 2nd step: Can you use this ability only one time?
The wonder Babylon (B) has a special ability on step 2: You can play your last (7th) card instead of discarding it.
These two questions cover if you'd have to play both cards in the 6th round or if ...
9
votes
1answer
2k views
Do creatures that enter the battlefield at the same time see each other enter?
Let's say I have Goldnight Commander on the board. He is a 2/2 that says:
Whenever another creature enters the battlefield under your control, creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn.
...
9
votes
2answers
264 views
In Pandemic, do certain setup and card order combinations make it impossible to win?
My family has won most of the Pandemic (2 or 3 player games) we've played, but we ran into one recently that I thought impossible to win due to the 2 and 3 cube infections being far from Atlanta, far ...
9
votes
1answer
229 views
When two card texts confict, which takes priority?
Let's suppose there are creatures in play and someone plays Humility.
It's clear that all the creatures lose their abilities.
How is this situation changed if True Conviction were in play? Is the ...
9
votes
1answer
2k views
How does the double strike mechanic interact with other mechanics like lifelink or trample?
I understand that the double strike mechanic allows a creature to attack in both a first strike combat damage step and a normal combat damage step.
It's clear that when a creature with no other ...
9
votes
2answers
2k views
Can you sacrifice a tapped creature?
If a creature has both a sacrifice and tap ability can you tap it for the tap benefit and then sacrifice it for the sacrifice ability?
(Example: Gemhide Sliver taps for mana, Basal Sliver gives mana ...
9
votes
1answer
142 views
In Descent, can heroes jump over arbitrary tiles or just pits?
The rules clearly state that heroes can jump over pits, and how much movement it costs to do so.
But in some quests, simply stepping on a regular terrain tile may trigger effects too (in this case, ...
9
votes
1answer
650 views
How does Inquisitor's Flail interact with Trample?
Lets say I am attacking with a Runeclaw Bear with an Inquisitor's Flail equipped. My opponent uses a Runeclaw Bear of his own to block. I then use Kessig Wolf Run to give my creature +3/+0 and ...
9
votes
2answers
181 views
In Bridge Play, What is Meant by “Combining Your Chances?”
I was in a NT contract. After the initial rounds of play, the last few (visible) cards were something like these in two suits (call them spades and hearts):
dummy:
spades KJx
Hearts xxx
Me:
Spades ...
9
votes
2answers
330 views
What is the name of the following chess opening? What are its pros and cons?
At some point, when I was young, I learned an opening that involves the following moves: possibly after moving queen's pawn to the centre (d4), move out king's knight to above the bishop (Nf3), move ...
9
votes
2answers
581 views
What are the differences between the various versions of Axis & Allies?
I used to play Axis & Allies all the time when I was younger. I recently purchased the Axis & Allies Revised Edition, and was floored by all the added complexity/new units/new rules/map ...
9
votes
2answers
392 views
Transitioning to Dominion late-game
At what point in a Dominion game should a player stop buying middle value cards (e.g., Silver or other cards more suited to mid-game play than Province/Colony-buying sprees)?
9
votes
6answers
3k views
Examples of board games with good/interesting rules for trading?
Trading is in my opinion often an overlooked aspect of rules for board games. The lack of such rules often results in players modifying or making up these rules themselves. While making up the rules ...
9
votes
3answers
785 views
Advice for responding to “Kwabang” attack when playing Japan?
When playing Axis & Allies as Japan I occasionally have an opponent use the "Kwabang" opening against me, which is where UK attacks Kwangtung on her opening move with the two infantry and fighter ...
8
votes
2answers
205 views
After using Act of Treason and Cloudshift, does a creature re-enter the battlefield under my control?
If player A has a creature, and then on player B's turn, he/she uses Act of Treason on it, and then Cloudshift, does that card, once it has been cloudshift-ed, return to the battlefield under the ...
8
votes
2answers
584 views
Are the utilities worth buying?
In Monopoly, there are two utilities. They cost 150, and rent is 4x the dice roll if one utility is owned, or 10x the dice value if both are owned.
Are the utilities something I want to purchase if ...
8
votes
1answer
143 views
Close to winning means no go for you?
A long while back I was playing crib with a friend, and his crib board (I might be imagining things here, but I'm fairly certain) was shaded in the 118, 119, and 120 point area. This three-point zone ...
8
votes
2answers
345 views
Do I need to sacrifice again if I copy Goblin Grenade?
Let's say that I cast Goblin Grenade, sacrificing a goblin to pay it's additional cost. Then, before it resolves I cast Increasing Vengeance, which allows me to copy the Goblin Grenade. Since I've ...
8
votes
1answer
403 views
Can you buy with a copper after buying Grand Market?
If you buy the Grand Market in your turn, can you then use spare copper to buy something else? Or does doing so forbid you from having bought the Grand Market?
8
votes
2answers
380 views
Do we have Go endgame tablebases, just like Chess?
I am a relative newcomer to Go and more interested in the programming aspects of designing a Go Engine.
Do Go engines use a systematic list of Endgame positions with known wins, the way chess ...
8
votes
2answers
1k views
What is the most damaging thing a cylon can do in BattleStar Galactica on a turn he is revealing himself?
What I have seen people do is try to brig a player making a final attempt to sway someone to help. The best success I have had in a game was grab the admiral position for a turn with a character ...
