Community consensus / unwritten rules about blocking?

[speedypuzzlement]

Personally, I play for fun. I don't railroad people into having to play outside of the rules because some arbitrary nonsense annoys me. I enjoy playing the game and respecting my opponent's options, whether it be to disrupt their plays or to ensure they can't stop mine, etc. I didn't come to play solitaire. If there are modifications to be made to the initial gameplay rules, the players discuss clearly defined changes everyone agrees to before the game even starts.

Definitely. As long as everyone plays by the same rules, it should be a good time.

[LimeTheMartenDragon]

I'm bloking other players sometimes, but for me is anoying if your opponent block all tracks to town. I dont realized any tickets beacouse of it

[Bex213]

1) I don't block and would prefer others not to block my routes on purpose (fine when they need the path for themselves).
2) I don't block, but I have no problems with others blocking it to win the game or prevent me from gaining too many points.
3) I don't block, but I don't care when and why others block my routes.
4) I block only when I need the route for points and hope others do this only in such case too.
5) I block and don't mind others blocking for any reason.

6. Play to win with any strategy the rules allow, and don't get annoyed when other players also play to win.

Number 6 I don't like. I don't like players who play to win at all costs. It's suppose to be a fun experience and players like you ruin that for others. Is it that important that you win at the expense of others enjoyment?

I completely agree with you! It really turns me off from the game when people just block block block instead of trying to actually play the game.

[Ceaseless]

6. Play to win with any strategy the rules allow, and don't get annoyed when other players also play to win.

Number 6 I don't like. I don't like players who play to win at all costs. It's suppose to be a fun experience and players like you ruin that for others. Is it that important that you win at the expense of others enjoyment?

I completely agree with you! It really turns me off from the game when people just block block block instead of trying to actually play the game.

Block, block, block, is one of many ways of playing the game. Sometimes it's the only option to not get crushed.
https://boardgamearena.com/table?table=382071776 While the score implies domination on my part, in reality I barely won the game, and without blocking I wouldn't even have been a player. With 77 points in hand from 4 high value tickets, my opponent was impossible to outscore. My series of blocks resulted in their negative score, yet without it the total they presently have would be increased by 154 points for ticket gains alone, a +10/-10 shift of 20 total points for longest path going to them instead of me, and still further boosts for greater route efficiency.

I came to play the game, not "whoever draws better tickets wins" solitaire where the opponent is just window dressing. Blocking means a player has to respect what their opponent can do.

[Suoivax]

6. Play to win with any strategy the rules allow, and don't get annoyed when other players also play to win.

Number 6 I don't like. I don't like players who play to win at all costs. It's suppose to be a fun experience and players like you ruin that for others. Is it that important that you win at the expense of others enjoyment?

I completely agree with you! It really turns me off from the game when people just block block block instead of trying to actually play the game.

Blocking IS playing the game. If all I have are 4 point tickets, my only real option for winning g is to block you and make your 22 point tickets negative points.

[james1974]

personally I rarely block. My preference is to finish the game as quickly as possible and hope that this also denies my opponent some routes, but also I have blocked on occasion once I have completed my routes, and there is a risk the opponent is pulling off new york to LA plus new york to seattle or similar overpowered combo, because it's hard to compete with 40 points from two routes.

The most satisfying games have had are when my opponent has tried to block me and failed, or tried to block me and guessed wrong.

I would not block outside of Arena, also blocking in a 3 player game seems to hand the game to the 3rd player.

[thg0724]

My take: Blocking if you need the route, ok.
Blocking because you just want to keep the other guy from winning or delay his game is bad sportsmanship.

If it's a two player game, "keeping the other guy from winning" is the same as "winning".

[Yahyra]

My take is that there are plenty of 'cooperative' games available in general and on BGA. Ticket to ride is not a cooperative game. If it will lead me to victory I will play a blocking move. Best wishes.

[cofunguy]

If game is NOT a friendly game, expect to be blocked PERIOD.

Sorry but if you believe blocking is NOT viable option then you shouldnt play in TTR games. People expect to complete their 20+ tickets when the other person has 5-10 pt tix?? If so, might as well flip a coin and move on. It is a strategy game and not a "let me complete my tix" game.

[Robinb444]

Blocking = strategy. It wouldn’t be a rule if they didn’t allow it or want you to do it. They would create a game rule that says ,no blocking. Block away.