Which to discard: the Last 4R or the 5R

[Daredek]

Has anyone worked out the better strategy:

A) discard the last 4R, saving the 5R and hope to use a flamboyant to either play the 4R sooner (or reshuffle it).
B) discard the 5R, saving the 4R and wait to use a flamboyant to play the 5R in the end game (or reshuffle it).

[nccc]

i think discard 5r is better.
if u discard 5r, it means u can still play r4 normally, without flamboyant,and wait for r5.
But if u discard 4r, it means u HAVE TO wait for flamboyant to play 4r.

[GeraldineMerida]

Also, if you are unlucky with flamboyants and cannot get a card back from the discard pile, then if you have discarded the last 4R, you will be down 2 points at the end of the game (for the unplayed 4 and 5), but if you have discarded the 5, you only lose 1point.

[brucellosis]

Good points

[Romain672]

Yeah I agree with all those spots.

Playing r4 has the drawback of letting you 'lost' a turn compared if you play it during the last turn. But you could just instead keep r4 until the last turn. Compared to r5, it would have (in average, without other arguments for it) only upsides.

edit: playing r4 is 99% of the time obviously good.

[
For those who don't understand why playing r4 make you lose a turn, here is an example:
Played: all but r4/r5/b5.
2cards in deck. 0clue left.
under (brackets) are globally known.
Alice: x-x-x-x-(r4)
Bob: x-x-x-x-x
Cathy: x-x-x-(r5)-(b5)
Your turn as Alice.
]

[SteveV]

For those who don't understand why playing r4 make you lose a turn, here is an example:
Your turn as Alice; Played: all but r4/r5/b5; 2cards in deck. 0clue left; under (brackets) are globally known.
Alice: x-x-x-x-(r4)
Bob: x-x-x-x-x
Cathy: x-x-x-(r5)-(b5)

wait, in this example, couldn't Alice play r4, Bob discard and then Cathy play R5?
(I haven't played in a while so I'm probably forgetting some nuance...)

[Silene]

wait, in this example, couldn't Alice play r4, Bob discard and then Cathy play R5?
(I haven't played in a while so I'm probably forgetting some nuance...)

you forgot the info: "2 cards in deck, 0 clue left".
If it happens as you say, then cathy can only play one of r5 or b5. Because the game ends before Cathy can play the other.
If Alice discards instead of playing r4, then Bob can spend a clue (because from the discard there is a clue to spend!), then cathy play b5 and you play the reds next turn so all of those cards can get played.

[Daredek]

We got lucky. Reshuffled the 4R and played the 5R relatively quickly. Scored 30 with the last turn!