Is blocking/denial drafting in Ink considered legitimate strategy or "anti-jeu"?

[krettig]

Hey everyone,

I wanted to get the community's thoughts on the ethics and norms of blocking in Ink, specifically in competitive arena.

The Situation:
In a recent game, Player A used their move on the quill wheel to draft a tile that Player B clearly needed to complete/expand a specific color area for an objective. It effectively blocked Player B's progress. Afterward, Player B accused Player A of engaging in "anti-jeu" (anti-play/unsportsmanlike conduct) by blocking them instead of just focusing on their own board.

Because Ink has a completely open, public draft wheel, keeping an eye on what your opponent needs is a visible part of the game state.

The Question:
Where does the BGA community draw the line on this? In a tight or 2-player match, is defensive blocking considered a standard, valid tactical move to stop a competitor? Or do you view it as crossing the line into poor sportsmanship (anti-jeu) when a move is made purely to deny someone else?

Curious to hear how you all approach the social contract of the game!

[mysterykat]

Defensive blocking by picking up a piece someone else needs is definitely part of the game play. Sure, it's fun to build your beautiful spills perfectly, but our boards are public facing for a reason. I think the tutorial even mentions this as a strategy, but it's been a long time since I played it.

[RosieHel]

I also think this is legitimate. There are other offensive actions in the game like putting a bottle on any tile in the wheel and making all opponents draw a X card. So its clearly a game designed with some level of interaction with the opponents plan in mind.