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Re: Community consensus / unwritten rules about blocking?

Posted: 22 December 2024, 02:31
by Kaixam
If you don't like your opponent making the most logical move that will win them the game, including hindering your progress, you might not want to play games (on here) and you probably don't love stiff competition very much.

I'd recommend you stick to playing with friends who share this semi cooperative view of playing board games, but not really fair to try to force others to share your friendly approach to playing games. Or try some straight up cooperative games so everyone is on the same team.

There's no such thing as a spirit of a game. If so, the spirit of any game is to win, either individually or as a team.

And no offense to Alan, but who cares what Alan Moon has to say about the topic? He doesn't get to define the so-called spirit of the game for us. He designs the game and defines the rules and then it takes on a life of its own.

Re: Community consensus / unwritten rules about blocking?

Posted: 22 December 2024, 22:20
by mjwills
And no offense to Alan, but who cares what Alan Moon has to say about the topic? He doesn't get to define the so-called spirit of the game for us. He designs the game and defines the rules and then it takes on a life of its own.
Alan was cited since those against blocking or "malicious blocking" keep stating or implying that blocking is not what the designer intended, as an attempt to strengthen their position. In that context, pointing out what the designer views on that matter weakens their position - hence why we quoted his views.

Re: Community consensus / unwritten rules about blocking?

Posted: 22 December 2024, 23:35
by Meeplelowda
When the Ticket to Ride 20th Anniversary World Tournament was announced I asked if there was going to be a No Blocking division, but surprisingly this game variant is excluded from this competition.

Even worse, this recap from one of the tournament games shamelessly glorifies blocking!
As I said before, the shortest path to link all his cities was full of short routes, and that is not a good option for top players. Too much time, too few points. Thats' why otk chose the long way, claiming Houston - El Paso - Oklahoma City - Denver... with the idea of a link to Duluth via Helena, and then Toronto. A longer road, but a lot of points... the idea was good, but otk forgot to be careful. He let his opponent nibble the north. Helena - Omaha, then Omaha - Duluth ... no reaction... and then Bravo6cap, who seemed to have perfectly read otk's plan, claimed Duluth - Sault Ste Marie, leaving only two roads to otk to fulfill his tickets : Sault Ste Marie - Toronto, or Toronto-Montreal. otk had the cards needed to claim this route. Did he ? No, he played Duluth - Toronto, which was not a danger. Without a surprise, Bravo6cap chose to block Montreal, claiming small routes, earning small points... but what a block ! otk lost 22 points with two tickets uncomplete... and lost the game.

Re: Community consensus / unwritten rules about blocking?

Posted: 23 December 2024, 14:41
by Mr_Magic
Meeplelowda wrote: 22 December 2024, 23:35 When the Ticket to Ride 20th Anniversary World Tournament was announced I asked if there was going to be a No Blocking division, but surprisingly this game variant is excluded from this competition.

Even worse, this recap from one of the tournament games shamelessly glorifies blocking!

Thats because top players block as its an integral strategy at that level. People calling for a No Blocking league need some self-reflection

Re: Community consensus / unwritten rules about blocking?

Posted: 23 December 2024, 20:40
by Meeplelowda
Mr_Magic wrote: 23 December 2024, 14:41
Meeplelowda wrote: 22 December 2024, 23:35 When the Ticket to Ride 20th Anniversary World Tournament was announced I asked if there was going to be a No Blocking division, but surprisingly this game variant is excluded from this competition.

Even worse, this recap from one of the tournament games shamelessly glorifies blocking!

Thats because top players block as its an integral strategy at that level. People calling for a No Blocking league need some self-reflection
irony: noun

the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect.

Re: Community consensus / unwritten rules about blocking?

Posted: 26 December 2024, 00:00
by Mr_Magic
Meeplelowda wrote: 23 December 2024, 20:40
Mr_Magic wrote: 23 December 2024, 14:41
Meeplelowda wrote: 22 December 2024, 23:35 When the Ticket to Ride 20th Anniversary World Tournament was announced I asked if there was going to be a No Blocking division, but surprisingly this game variant is excluded from this competition.

Even worse, this recap from one of the tournament games shamelessly glorifies blocking!

Thats because top players block as its an integral strategy at that level. People calling for a No Blocking league need some self-reflection
irony: noun

the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect.
My apologies! There has been so much nonsense in this thread it's become hard to tell the real posts from the fake ones.

Re: Community consensus / unwritten rules about blocking?

Posted: 26 December 2024, 04:51
by Meeplelowda
Mr_Magic wrote: 26 December 2024, 00:00 My apologies! There has been so much nonsense in this thread it's become hard to tell the real posts from the fake ones.
Apologies. Not to suggest I'm in the same league as Jonathan Swift, but I thought it was so over the top that, like proposing eating poor children to solve the problem of families being overburdened by too many children, I didn't think it could possibly be taken seriously.

Re: Community consensus / unwritten rules about blocking?

Posted: 29 December 2024, 11:20
by GevenC
I've recently started playing Ticket to Ride on this platform.

In my opinion, it's normal to block your opponent if that increases your chances of winning. After all, it's a game against each other, not a co-op.

However, when I do that, I get all kinds of frustrated people in my chat who say I'm cheating, etc. So annoying!