Board Game Arena - User contributions [en]

Gamehelpcatanck

2023-12-21T15:26:21Z

Coser23: City Walls

=== Changes from the Base Game: ===

==== 1. New Commodities: Paper, Cloth, and Coins: ====

* Obtained from Forest, Meadow, and Mountain spaces respectively.
* Cities producing two of a resource now yield 1 resource and 1 corresponding commodity.
* Start the game with 1 city and 1 settlement, making commodities easier to acquire.

==== 2. City Improvements and Commodity Decks: ====

* City improvements are built using commodities and confer various advantages.
* Three commodity-specific decks replace the development card deck, corresponding to paper, cloth, and coins.
** Yellow Deck gives trading bonuses
** Blue Deck gives knight bonuses
** Green Deck gives resource bonuses
* Drawing cards tied to improvements - the more built, the higher the chances to draw.
* Attaining four improvements of a commodity grants a metropolis worth 2 additional VPs.

==== 3. Knights and Barbarian Defense: ====

* Knights can be built along road networks, used to claim intersections and move the Robber.
* Defend against periodic barbarian attacks using knights.
* Successful defense rewards players with the most knights; failure downgrades the fewest knight holders' cities to settlements.

=== Strategies: ===

==== Commodities and City Improvements: ====

* Resource Conversion: Utilize cities' new output for commodities; focus on acquiring and utilizing paper, cloth, and coins for city improvements.
* Strategic Building: Balance resource production with the acquisition of commodities for improvements.
* Metropolis Pursuit: Aim for four improvements of a commodity to secure the metropolis and gain additional VPs.
* City Walls: The square game piece allows a player to increase his max cards for the robber by two. Must be played under a city, so you can only play as many as you have cities.

==== Knight Management and Defense: ====

* Strategic Placement: Position knights strategically to claim intersections, move the Robber, and defend against barbarian attacks.
* Defensive Collaboration: Collaborate with other players to ensure collective defense against barbarian invasions.
* Upgrade and Activate Knights: Balance the activation of knights with improvements while considering their strength in defense.

=== Winning Condition: ===
Accumulate 13 Victory Points through cities, settlements, improvements, metropolises, and successful defenses against barbarian invasions to claim victory in "Catan: Cities and Knights."

Gamehelpcatanck

2023-12-18T23:57:48Z

Coser23: /* 2. City Improvements and Commodity Decks: */

=== Changes from the Base Game: ===

==== 1. New Commodities: Paper, Cloth, and Coins: ====

* Obtained from Forest, Meadow, and Mountain spaces respectively.
* Cities producing two of a resource now yield 1 resource and 1 corresponding commodity.
* Start the game with 1 city and 1 settlement, making commodities easier to acquire.

==== 2. City Improvements and Commodity Decks: ====

* City improvements are built using commodities and confer various advantages.
* Three commodity-specific decks replace the development card deck, corresponding to paper, cloth, and coins.
** Yellow Deck gives trading bonuses
** Blue Deck gives knight bonuses
** Green Deck gives resource bonuses
* Drawing cards tied to improvements - the more built, the higher the chances to draw.
* Attaining four improvements of a commodity grants a metropolis worth 2 additional VPs.

==== 3. Knights and Barbarian Defense: ====

* Knights can be built along road networks, used to claim intersections and move the Robber.
* Defend against periodic barbarian attacks using knights.
* Successful defense rewards players with the most knights; failure downgrades the fewest knight holders' cities to settlements.

=== Strategies: ===

==== Commodities and City Improvements: ====

* Resource Conversion: Utilize cities' new output for commodities; focus on acquiring and utilizing paper, cloth, and coins for city improvements.
* Strategic Building: Balance resource production with the acquisition of commodities for improvements.
* Metropolis Pursuit: Aim for four improvements of a commodity to secure the metropolis and gain additional VPs.

==== Knight Management and Defense: ====

* Strategic Placement: Position knights strategically to claim intersections, move the Robber, and defend against barbarian attacks.
* Defensive Collaboration: Collaborate with other players to ensure collective defense against barbarian invasions.
* Upgrade and Activate Knights: Balance the activation of knights with improvements while considering their strength in defense.

=== Winning Condition: ===
Accumulate 13 Victory Points through cities, settlements, improvements, metropolises, and successful defenses against barbarian invasions to claim victory in "Catan: Cities and Knights."

Gamehelpcatanck

2023-12-05T14:28:30Z

Coser23: Description of Metropolis, award for most knights, and end game condition

The game changes the base game in three main ways:

First, there are 3 new commodities in the game, distinct from resources - paper, cloth, and coins, which can be acquired from Forest, Meadow, and Mountain spaces, respectively. Cities that would normally produce two of one of those resources instead produce 1 resource and 1 of the corresponding commodity. (To make commodities easier to obtain, each player starts the game with 1 city and 1 settlement on the board.) These commodities allow players to build city improvements that confer various advantages and eventually points.

Second, the deck of development cards is replaced by three different decks, each corresponding to one of the commodities. Building city improvements gives players a chance to draw these cards with every roll of the dice. Building more improvements will increase these chances, but cards cannot be bought directly in any way. These cards are similar to the development cards in the base game, but with a wider range of effects. (Some cards are balanced better as well - the new Resource Monopoly card, for example, can take no more than 2 of the named resource from any one player.) In addition to commodity cards, the improvements also grant a metropolis for each commodity once you achieve four improvements (Similar to the longest road, it can be stolen by the first person to five). These are each worth two additional VPs, so the game is played to thirteen VPs instead of 10.

Finally, players can also build knights on the island along their network of roads. These knights can be used to claim certain intersections and move the Robber (taking the place of Soldier cards), but are also used to defend the island from periodic barbarian attacks. If the island is successfully defended, the player(s) with the most knights are rewarded (VP for single player, commodity card for multiple players). If not, the player(s) with the fewest knights each have a city downgraded to a settlement.

Tips euchre

2023-08-09T15:58:46Z

Coser23: format

=== Calling Trump ===
Most of the strategy in Euchre comes in the calling trump phase. Typically, you can depend on your partner for a trick, so if you know you can take two tricks, you should call. Aces don't always go through, so don't call if you only have the right and an ace, but if you have an additional trump card with those two, call it up. It is also worth paying attention to who the dealer is, because they will pick up the card in the middle. If your partner is picking up the card, you can be more aggressive. If an opponent is picking up, you should be less aggressive. Ultimately, this part mostly comes with practice, but more aggressive players typically end up better off.

=== Going Alone ===
Going alone is all about measuring probabilities. What is the probability that you will take all five tricks against the probability that your partner helps you get to five tricks. If you have four trump, including either bauer, go alone. If you do not have a bauer, don't go alone. If you have three trump, including both bauers, and you have either two aces or an ace and another card of the same suit as the ace, you can go alone. There are some other situations where it's not a terrible idea to go alone, but those are the main situations that you should.

=== Gameplay ===
If you are leading and your team called trump, lead trump. If the opponent called trump, play anything but trump. Typically you lead either high(A,K) or low(9,10). If the opponent calls trump, play the suit of the other color that you only have one of, if applicable. This is the most likely suit for the caller to have in his hand, which allows your partner to potentially pull a trick. Bleeding trump is typically a good idea if you have a lot of aces.

Tips euchre

2023-08-09T15:58:20Z

Coser23: Created page with "Calling Trump Most of the strategy in Euchre comes in the calling trump phase. Typically, you can depend on your partner for a trick, so if you know you can take two tricks, you should call. Aces don't always go through, so don't call if you only have the right and an ace, but if you have an additional trump card with those two, call it up. It is also worth paying attention to who the dealer is, because they will pick up the card in the middle. If your partner is pickin..."

Calling Trump

Most of the strategy in Euchre comes in the calling trump phase. Typically, you can depend on your partner for a trick, so if you know you can take two tricks, you should call. Aces don't always go through, so don't call if you only have the right and an ace, but if you have an additional trump card with those two, call it up. It is also worth paying attention to who the dealer is, because they will pick up the card in the middle. If your partner is picking up the card, you can be more aggressive. If an opponent is picking up, you should be less aggressive. Ultimately, this part mostly comes with practice, but more aggressive players typically end up better off.

Going Alone

Going alone is all about measuring probabilities. What is the probability that you will take all five tricks against the probability that your partner helps you get to five tricks. If you have four trump, including either bauer, go alone. If you do not have a bauer, don't go alone. If you have three trump, including both bauers, and you have either two aces or an ace and another card of the same suit as the ace, you can go alone. There are some other situations where it's not a terrible idea to go alone, but those are the main situations that you should.

Gameplay

If you are leading and your team called trump, lead trump. If the opponent called trump, play anything but trump. Typically you lead either high(A,K) or low(9,10). If the opponent calls trump, play the suit of the other color that you only have one of, if applicable. This is the most likely suit for the caller to have in his hand, which allows your partner to potentially pull a trick. Bleeding trump is typically a good idea if you have a lot of aces.

Gamehelpeuchre

2023-08-09T14:34:32Z

Coser23: Format

This is a standard trick-taking game played with a 24-card deck(9-A). There are two stages to each round, and you play to a set number of points based on how many tricks you take in the round.

=== '''Calling Trump''' ===
After each player is dealt five cards, the top card of the remaining cards in the middle is flipped up. The player to the left of the dealer is then given first choice to decide whether he wants the dealer to pick up that card. If the dealer picks it up, the suit of that card becomes trump. If he decides to pass, play continues to the left, with the same decision being made by each player. If all players (including the dealer) pass, the card in the middle is turned over, and the player to the dealer's left may choose any other suit to become trump without any cards being picked up by the dealer. If he does not have good enough cards to call, he may pass, and play continues to the left until someone calls trump. In standard games, if everyone else passes a second time, the dealer must call trump (called sticking the dealer). There is an option that players can call no trump instead of a particular suit once the middle card is turned over.

=== '''Gameplay''' ===
The second stage of the round is the actual gameplay. The most difficult part of Euchre is understanding how the jacks work. For whichever suit is called trump, instead of the normal order of priority (Ace high, K,Q,J,10,9), the Jack of trump is the highest card (Right bauer), and the jack of the same color but a different suit is played as trump, and becomes the second highest card (Left bauer). Thus, if hearts is called trump, the order of priority for trump would be J of H, J of D, A of H, K of H, Q of H, 10 of H, 9 of H.

The player to the left of the dealer leads the first trick. Play then continues to the left. Players must follow suit, but if they have no cards of the suit, they may play any card. The highest card in the suit led wins the trick, but if a trump card is played, the highest trump wins the trick instead.

=== '''Scoring''' ===
If the team that calls trump wins three tricks, they earn one point. If they win all five tricks, they earn two points. If they do not win three tricks, they have been euchred, and the other team earns two points.

In the trump-calling phase there is an option for a player to call trump and go alone. When this happens, his partner does not play the round, but if he wins all five tricks, he gets four points. Otherwise, scoring is normal. (one point for three tricks, two points to the other team for getting euchred).

Gamehelpeuchre

2023-08-09T14:33:21Z

Coser23: Created page with "This is a standard trick-taking game played with a 24-card deck(9-A). There are two stages to each round, and you play to a set number of points based on how many tricks you take in the round. Calling Trump After each player is dealt five cards, the top card of the remaining cards in the middle is flipped up. The player to the left of the dealer is then given first choice to decide whether he wants the dealer to pick up that card. If the dealer picks it up, the suit o..."

This is a standard trick-taking game played with a 24-card deck(9-A). There are two stages to each round, and you play to a set number of points based on how many tricks you take in the round.

Calling Trump

After each player is dealt five cards, the top card of the remaining cards in the middle is flipped up. The player to the left of the dealer is then given first choice to decide whether he wants the dealer to pick up that card. If the dealer picks it up, the suit of that card becomes trump. If he decides to pass, play continues to the left, with the same decision being made by each player. If all players (including the dealer) pass, the card in the middle is turned over, and the player to the dealer's left may choose any other suit to become trump without any cards being picked up by the dealer. If he does not have good enough cards to call, he may pass, and play continues to the left until someone calls trump. In standard games, if everyone else passes a second time, the dealer must call trump (called sticking the dealer). There is an option that players can call no trump instead of a particular suit once the middle card is turned over.

Gameplay

The second stage of the round is the actual gameplay. The most difficult part of Euchre is understanding how the jacks work. For whichever suit is called trump, instead of the normal order of priority (Ace high, K,Q,J,10,9), the Jack of trump is the highest card (Right bauer), and the jack of the same color but a different suit is played as trump, and becomes the second highest card (Left bauer). Thus, if hearts is called trump, the order of priority for trump would be J of H, J of D, A of H, K of H, Q of H, 10 of H, 9 of H.

The player to the left of the dealer leads the first trick. Play then continues to the left. Players must follow suit, but if they have no cards of the suit, they may play any card. The highest card in the suit led wins the trick, but if a trump card is played, the highest trump wins the trick instead.

Scoring

If the team that calls trump wins three tricks, they earn one point. If they win all five tricks, they earn two points. If they do not win three tricks, they have been euchred, and the other team earns two points.

In the trump-calling phase there is an option for a player to call trump and go alone. When this happens, his partner does not play the round, but if he wins all five tricks, he gets four points. Otherwise, scoring is normal. (one point for three tricks, two points to the other team for getting euchred).

Tips spades

2023-04-03T10:23:35Z

Coser23: 23% instead of 33%

Beware the bags, but it's almost always better to underbid than to overbid.

If you have a lot of spades, bid higher.

===Can your partner beat a high card?===

If you have the queen of one suit, there is a 55.5% chance that your partner has a card to beat it (i.e. king or an ace). So even if your hand with a queen of spades is otherwise very weak, you should not go for a nil unless you are behind by many points, as the base success rate is only 55% [you can only expect 100*0.55+(-100)*0.45=10 points from the play, and will likely saddle your partner with bags].

If you have the jack of one suit, there is a 70.3% chance that your partner has a card to beat it.

If you have the ten of one suit, there is a 80.2% chance that your partner has a card to beat it.

===Who is undersuited, and by how much?===

If you have two cards of one suit, there is a 3.3% chance that someone has no cards of that suit (1.1% chance that your partner has no cards in the suit, and 2.2% chance that either of your opponents has no cards in the suit); 19.2% chance that someone has only one card of the suit (6.4%, 12.8%); and 47.7% chance that someone only has two cards of the suit (16.9%, 33.8%)

If you have three cards of one suit, there is a 5.1% chance that someone has no cards of that suit (1.7% chance that your partner has no cards in the suit, and 3.4% that either of your opponents has no cards in that suit); a 25.8% chance that someone has only one card of that suit (8.6%, 17.2%); and 58.5% chance that someone only has two cards of that suit (19.5%, 39%).

If you have four cards of one suit, there is a 7.8% chance that someone has no cards of that suit (2.6% chance that your partner has no cards in the suit, and 5.2% that either of your opponents has no cards in that suit); a 35% chance that someone only has one card of that suit (11.7%, 23.4%); and 70% chance that someone only has two cards of that suit (23.3%, 46.6%).

Tips modten

2023-03-09T11:50:06Z

Coser23: Created page with "If you are the first player, lead with the suit of which you have the most cards. Any time you play a card, you should try to not let the other person play to ten. This is accomplished by realizing that the cards you don't have are the cards your opponent has. Thus, if the current sum is at 3, and you know your opponent has a 6, it would be best not to lay down a one."

If you are the first player, lead with the suit of which you have the most cards. Any time you play a card, you should try to not let the other person play to ten. This is accomplished by realizing that the cards you don't have are the cards your opponent has. Thus, if the current sum is at 3, and you know your opponent has a 6, it would be best not to lay down a one.