Looking for help reviewing games

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pschulam
Posts: 5
Joined: 08 October 2024, 17:35

Looking for help reviewing games

Post by pschulam »

Hi everyone,

I just started to play Splendor, and am enjoying it. However, I'm consistently losing by ~5 points in 1v1.

I've reviewed my games and have also reviewed recent games of some of the top players, but am struggling to identify actionable things to work on.

If anyone would be willing to review this game and provide some tips or things to think about, I'd really appreciate it!

https://boardgamearena.com/table?table=699468558

Thank you!
Ceaseless
Posts: 1303
Joined: 12 November 2022, 17:06

Re: Looking for help reviewing games

Post by Ceaseless »

Neither of you needed to reserve much. If I had to pick anything to reserve early on I might have reserved the bottom row green at the start of the game to guarantee I'd get it, but frankly no one fought for it, so there was nothing stopping either of you from just picking up tokens and buying it normally, then laddering up the various greens on the board. The reservations just slowed down your ability to grab the tokens and control the colors, and if you really wanted to reserve certain cards you likely could have waited until you had all of the tokens of that color you could get before doing it.
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relaxed-llama112
Posts: 18
Joined: 03 July 2025, 06:51

Re: Looking for help reviewing games

Post by relaxed-llama112 »

Took a cursory look at your opening.

If you start out holding the 6 reds 3-points card, the first thing you need to think about is how to complete the hand as quickly as possible, which is usually done by either (1). Take 2 rubies and hold two more cards as soon as possible (and then buy the card with a gold gem), or (2). There is a level 1 red card on the board, buy it as soon as possible.

If you choose (1), then the next two cards you hold are better for buying other cards that need to be bought with red (since you already have red, you should use it to your advantage). In a game like yours, I would hold the 2-point white card (need 4 red, 2 black, and 1 green ).

If you choose (2), you should make sure that this level 1 red card doesn't go to your opponent, and you'll probably need to hold one more card in order to have enough (gold) gems to buy 6 reds 3-points. If I were you, I would probably also hold that 2-point white card.

If there is a red card of level 1 on the card market (and there are other high-value cards that need red), I would generally choose to prioritize (2).

You may watch your opponent in action. He holds a 5-Red, 2-points white card, and then a 6-3 points white card. This is a wise move because after he buys that white card, he can try to buy a 3-6 white card with the advantage of having one more white card.

In other words, you should try to buy as many valuable cards as you can (cards that can score more points with fewer gems) while using the bought-in cards to continue to increase your advantage.

Also, if you choose to hold lv2 or lv3 high-value cards (e.g. 5 stone 2 points, 6 stone 3 points, 7 stone 4 points) in your opening hand, you should try to buy them as soon as possible, especially the 7 stone 4 points from the lv3 hold, otherwise they'll be stuck in your gem position, unless you're simply trying to keep them out of your opponent's hands.

In addition, based on my experience, don't rush to hold these two level 2 cards of the same color (i.e. 5 stones 2-points and 6 stone 3-points) , because it is not easy to complete two cards quickly. In most cases, you can only complete one of them, unless your opponent is really weak and lets you take the green gems.

Lastly, watch the market every turn and try to maximize your advantage with the cards you have purchased. For example, in the opening round, there is a LV1 green card that was purchased for 4 stones, and then there are LV2 green cards on the market that are worth 5 stones 2-points, 6 stones 3-points, and also 7 stones 4-points LV3 green cards , all of which are high value cards. If I were you, I would choose to buy the LV 1 green and then try to buy these high value greens instead of the HOLD 6 stone 3 point black. This would also allow you to try and complete the Noble card. It's two birds with one stone.
pschulam
Posts: 5
Joined: 08 October 2024, 17:35

Re: Looking for help reviewing games

Post by pschulam »

Ceaseless wrote: 11 July 2025, 02:22 Neither of you needed to reserve much. If I had to pick anything to reserve early on I might have reserved the bottom row green at the start of the game to guarantee I'd get it, but frankly no one fought for it, so there was nothing stopping either of you from just picking up tokens and buying it normally, then laddering up the various greens on the board. The reservations just slowed down your ability to grab the tokens and control the colors, and if you really wanted to reserve certain cards you likely could have waited until you had all of the tokens of that color you could get before doing it.
Thank you ceaseless. A big theme seems to be lining up one or two high value cards with coordinated colors. With that in mind, very clear that I was erratic in my reserves that game.

Appreciate your time!
pschulam
Posts: 5
Joined: 08 October 2024, 17:35

Re: Looking for help reviewing games

Post by pschulam »

relaxed-llama112 wrote: 11 July 2025, 07:18 Took a cursory look at your opening.

If you start out holding the 6 reds 3-points card, the first thing you need to think about is how to complete the hand as quickly as possible, which is usually done by either (1). Take 2 rubies and hold two more cards as soon as possible (and then buy the card with a gold gem), or (2). There is a level 1 red card on the board, buy it as soon as possible.

If you choose (1), then the next two cards you hold are better for buying other cards that need to be bought with red (since you already have red, you should use it to your advantage). In a game like yours, I would hold the 2-point white card (need 4 red, 2 black, and 1 green ).

If you choose (2), you should make sure that this level 1 red card doesn't go to your opponent, and you'll probably need to hold one more card in order to have enough (gold) gems to buy 6 reds 3-points. If I were you, I would probably also hold that 2-point white card.

If there is a red card of level 1 on the card market (and there are other high-value cards that need red), I would generally choose to prioritize (2).

You may watch your opponent in action. He holds a 5-Red, 2-points white card, and then a 6-3 points white card. This is a wise move because after he buys that white card, he can try to buy a 3-6 white card with the advantage of having one more white card.

In other words, you should try to buy as many valuable cards as you can (cards that can score more points with fewer gems) while using the bought-in cards to continue to increase your advantage.

Also, if you choose to hold lv2 or lv3 high-value cards (e.g. 5 stone 2 points, 6 stone 3 points, 7 stone 4 points) in your opening hand, you should try to buy them as soon as possible, especially the 7 stone 4 points from the lv3 hold, otherwise they'll be stuck in your gem position, unless you're simply trying to keep them out of your opponent's hands.

In addition, based on my experience, don't rush to hold these two level 2 cards of the same color (i.e. 5 stones 2-points and 6 stone 3-points) , because it is not easy to complete two cards quickly. In most cases, you can only complete one of them, unless your opponent is really weak and lets you take the green gems.

Lastly, watch the market every turn and try to maximize your advantage with the cards you have purchased. For example, in the opening round, there is a LV1 green card that was purchased for 4 stones, and then there are LV2 green cards on the market that are worth 5 stones 2-points, 6 stones 3-points, and also 7 stones 4-points LV3 green cards , all of which are high value cards. If I were you, I would choose to buy the LV 1 green and then try to buy these high value greens instead of the HOLD 6 stone 3 point black. This would also allow you to try and complete the Noble card. It's two birds with one stone.
Thanks llama; this is a really helpful breakdown. For the next few games, I plan to focus on what you've suggested: targeting high efficiency cards in L2/L3 and sequencing them to build into one another when possible, supported by some L1 buys when possible.

Also, really helpful insight into how to think about reserved cards. Makes sense that you want to get them played ASAP so they don't inhibit your ability to reserve later in the game (and not reserve too many at the same time so that it takes too long to get them played).

Really appreciate your time and the detailed response!
Ceaseless
Posts: 1303
Joined: 12 November 2022, 17:06

Re: Looking for help reviewing games

Post by Ceaseless »

pschulam wrote: 11 July 2025, 00:49 Hi everyone,

I just started to play Splendor, and am enjoying it. However, I'm consistently losing by ~5 points in 1v1.

I've reviewed my games and have also reviewed recent games of some of the top players, but am struggling to identify actionable things to work on.

If anyone would be willing to review this game and provide some tips or things to think about, I'd really appreciate it!

https://boardgamearena.com/table?table=699468558

Thank you!
I recently finished a game and it made me think of yours. https://boardgamearena.com/gamereview?table=700316420 Primarily the early game. My opponent went first and went for their 3 pointer, meaning I got to go for the cheapest reds first, but they counter reserved those so they could get to it. I applied some token warfare and they ended up using golds on their cheap cards and struggled in their primary color red, despite it being overflowing in the bottom row. Going first the initial momentum was theirs, but they gave it up to be to secure cards that weren't as critical as they thought, only to lose the value of those cards when I dominated the token control.

If you do reserve cards, make sure it's because they're essential compared to everything else, whether defensively or offensively, because reserving is expensive, costing time and potential tokens. Absolutely worth it when used on the right cards at the right time, but it can backfire when it's not.
pschulam
Posts: 5
Joined: 08 October 2024, 17:35

Re: Looking for help reviewing games

Post by pschulam »

Ceaseless wrote: 12 July 2025, 19:37
I recently finished a game and it made me think of yours. https://boardgamearena.com/gamereview?table=700316420 Primarily the early game. My opponent went first and went for their 3 pointer, meaning I got to go for the cheapest reds first, but they counter reserved those so they could get to it. I applied some token warfare and they ended up using golds on their cheap cards and struggled in their primary color red, despite it being overflowing in the bottom row. Going first the initial momentum was theirs, but they gave it up to be to secure cards that weren't as critical as they thought, only to lose the value of those cards when I dominated the token control.

If you do reserve cards, make sure it's because they're essential compared to everything else, whether defensively or offensively, because reserving is expensive, costing time and potential tokens. Absolutely worth it when used on the right cards at the right time, but it can backfire when it's not.
Thanks for sharing the game and the analysis, ceaseless.

What moves in particular would you classify as token warfare in that game?

One that stood out to me: your opponent was 1/ blocked on 3 reserved cards, 2/ out of gold, and 3/ had 2 red cards and 2 red gems, so they couldn't buy the 3 point/5 red card. This gave you time to build up red and snap it up yourself. Not sure if this is what you mean; I'm curious to understand this aspect of the game more. I don't have a good mental model of resource control yet.
Ceaseless
Posts: 1303
Joined: 12 November 2022, 17:06

Re: Looking for help reviewing games

Post by Ceaseless »

pschulam wrote: 15 July 2025, 05:23
Ceaseless wrote: 12 July 2025, 19:37
I recently finished a game and it made me think of yours. https://boardgamearena.com/gamereview?table=700316420 Primarily the early game. My opponent went first and went for their 3 pointer, meaning I got to go for the cheapest reds first, but they counter reserved those so they could get to it. I applied some token warfare and they ended up using golds on their cheap cards and struggled in their primary color red, despite it being overflowing in the bottom row. Going first the initial momentum was theirs, but they gave it up to be to secure cards that weren't as critical as they thought, only to lose the value of those cards when I dominated the token control.

If you do reserve cards, make sure it's because they're essential compared to everything else, whether defensively or offensively, because reserving is expensive, costing time and potential tokens. Absolutely worth it when used on the right cards at the right time, but it can backfire when it's not.
Thanks for sharing the game and the analysis, ceaseless.

What moves in particular would you classify as token warfare in that game?

One that stood out to me: your opponent was 1/ blocked on 3 reserved cards, 2/ out of gold, and 3/ had 2 red cards and 2 red gems, so they couldn't buy the 3 point/5 red card. This gave you time to build up red and snap it up yourself. Not sure if this is what you mean; I'm curious to understand this aspect of the game more. I don't have a good mental model of resource control yet.
Within my first 4 moves I had access to 3 white tokens and 3 blue tokens, preventing my opponent from having the 3 white and 2 blue they needed for their reds. My reserving from the top of the deck on move 7 (I'll be using the replay log's moving counter) made it so that when I finally picked up to 10 on my following turn my opponent would be forced to pick up green, red, and black when they desperately wanted white and blue. On move 12 my opponent used 1 gold token to buy their red card. While I bought the green card in my hand using white and blue on turn 11, my opponent was at full token capacity, meaning they would have to discard tokens if they wanted to pick up the white and blue offered. By move 13 I picked up the white token they desperately wanted again (they wanted to use 3 white for their red in hand, or even 2 white to buy a red on table to help get their 3 point red.) I eventually release my 3 white to buy a black 1 pointer, thinking black is a strong color and that my advancement here is worth more than further disruption. On move 16 my opponent again burns a gold to buy a red on the table.

My opponent eventually gets enough white and red to buy the reds they had reserved, but by this point other matters emerge that also take up their attention and use up those resources instead. They end up with several turns where they can't get to the 6 red they need to buy either of the 2 high value reserved cards, and end up locked with 3 reserved cards they can't reach. Part of this is due to my color warfare, another part was them committing golds to try and fight me elsewhere (they spend 2 gold to buy a black 2 pointer on move 38 in our fight for black, gold they couldn't really afford to spare). Naturally I avoid letting red tokens hit the table for them by choosing not to buy anything that would force me to give up those tokens at a bad time, until I finally spend the red on move 53 that lets them get to the 6 red they need next turn, but that's because my next 2 turns are set to end the games, in part thanks to the points and white bonus I got from said purchase. Since nothing they can do will match that pace, I no longer need to worry about their advancement.
pschulam
Posts: 5
Joined: 08 October 2024, 17:35

Re: Looking for help reviewing games

Post by pschulam »

This is awesome, thank you. Looking forward to working through your annotations of this game.
Ceaseless
Posts: 1303
Joined: 12 November 2022, 17:06

Re: Looking for help reviewing games

Post by Ceaseless »

pschulam wrote: 17 July 2025, 20:28 This is awesome, thank you. Looking forward to working through your annotations of this game.
I didn't have any notes written for this game, it just took my attention since it was a recent game where I had someone aggressively reserve early and I punished them for it. They may have the cards in hand and gold, but you have more tokens and control of the colors, so you can stop them from taking the colors they want on early turns and mess with their development while being able to buy the cards still on the table. With control of the early game momentum ideally you seal off the advantages of the cards they took.
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