Strategies

[SaariTech]

Let us discuss about the strategies of Palace!

I have some tips to share:

1. In two player mode: To get rid of the low cards effectively and you knew which cards the other player have, play the cards in chain mode. For example you have 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 etc. Start with 4 later 6 or 3 later 5. If the other player collect the playing pile at the end (lowest is 4), put 3 and let see if the other player is willing to put 4 and you can just put the cards in chain if the other player is not using a counter for this.

2. If the playing cards pile is not that tall and the cards have high values like 8 or upper (the higher ranked cards, the thinner pile and the earlier game is better) and it might be reasonable to collect them.

3. And of course, manipulate the other player's choice of cards. Isn't it the main strategy of Palace?

There is a lot of useful strategies for Palace.

What is your strategies?

[RicardoRix]

What is your strategies?

I'm not really sure I agree with any of those points.

1.
If you know (or are counting) on the opponent picking up, then them having the lowest possible cards is normally the best.

2.
Picking up on-purpose is only viable when you definitely know you're going to be picking up anyway at the end of the cycle. There also needs to be cards in the pile that can help you in the current cycle.

It's good to realise that what goes around comes around. In a 3-player game if playerA has a huge pile of cards then ultimately it gets passed along to the next player and then the next, it's almost inevitable - 10's and 4 of-a-kind burns being the exception.
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Your main focus should be the next potential stopping point when you have to pick-up, or your opponent picks up. Try and envisage this happening.
Each table card is one step closer to winning.
If you can setup a big chain of cards, then if you go out (no cards left in-hand) just at the right time when the opponent picks-up OR if they only have low cards in-hand. Then you're going to go through the table cards quickly with any luck.

The '9' is the main strange card to focus on, if any are out in-play. They have the most potential for opponent to slip-up.

[SaariTech]

1. You are right, having them the lowest cards as possible is best. My point is throwing away so many cards as possible in a short time, if the other player have 3, 7 and J, the next cards in the pile might be 5, 8, Q, etc. The main player's highest cards are Q and K. Let say there are Player A and B, if using the "chain method" then this would be played like this:

Cycle 1
A4, B7, A7, BJ, AQ, The player B collects the cards.

Cycle 2
A3, B3, A5, B5, A6, B7, A8, BJ, AK. The player B collects the cards again.

Cycle 3
A8, B8, AQ. This might be the best moment for player B to collect even if he/she can play K.

If skipping one step between low cards and you will have the chance to play them again in the next cycle for the other side of the chain. Rather than giving away your high ranked cards to the other player and you still haven't finished your low cards. The 9-card can be a counter strategy in the end for the other player if the main player doesn't have 2, 9 or other lower ranked cards. The other counter strategy is the second player forces the main player to play higher ranked cards or collect the playing pile in early-mid cycle.

[RicardoRix]

I don't think this is any different to just playing your lowest card.
Thinking about it the other way around. At the end of the cycle you will not have an empty hand if you have skipped any of your cards.
The best you can 100% guarantee when you know you have the highest card, is then you can have at most 1 rank in your hand and the end of the cycle. And you of course play those next after the pickup.
So if that's 2 different kind of positive endings when the opponent picks up:
#1. Best: no cards in-hand. You get a free play from your table.
#2. 2nd Best: 1 rank left in-hand. You get to play and empty your hand. With a strong chance of playing from the table.

The only situation to think about here are your faceup table cards. And whether the opponent can immediately force you to pick up.
This is definitely the situation to avoid the most. #1 above can be your only hope in this situation.
Remember the mantra: Each table card is one step closer to winning.