Board Game Arena

Avoid *
They engage in a hoarding tactic where they amass cards only to switch hands, or disconnect once you're a card away from winning.

Why is there no way of reporting this type of behavior?


*Moderation Edit: please do not use the Forums to call out specific tables or players by name, this is what the Moderation Reports are for. The Forums should remain a general discussion.

Just had the same, given a red thumbs down. Playing with friends who participated and actively boasted this in the chat

What is wrong with this strategy? Seems perfectly fair and legitimate to me. (Stockpiling cards, that is.)

The rules state: “ Solo is a simple game, in which you must be the first to play every card in your hand.”

Card hoarding may not be against the rules, but it’s not in line with the purpose of the game if you are only doing it with intent to trade hands and amass points against another player. It sounds like poor player ethics to me, and would absolutely ruin the fun of the game for me. That’s my take on it.

The version of the rules that is linked to the game here on BGA doesn't say that you "must" play a card when you can.
It's clearly legal to collect cards in order to pass them to another player. If it wasn't, the game would be programmed to make it impossible.
I don't see how you can say that it is "poor player ethics" to do something that the rules allow. To me, "poor player ethics" means breaking the rules, not competing within the rules.
At the same time, I would be unhappy if my strategy made you angry. My goal is to play a competitive game and to win but not to make my opponents angry. That's not worth it. I can always play with someone else. The problem is this: How am I supposed to know ahead of time that you will be angry when I play in a way that the rules permit?
The only solutions I can see are:
(a) some kind of negotiation before the game begins;
(b) some kind of negotiation after the game begins, and possibly mutually agreeing to abandon; or
(c) requesting a setup option to require players to play a card when they can (i.e., an optional rule that forbids "passing").
Do you see any other options?

I too hate this strategy, but I realize it is indeed a legitimate tactic. My solution? I just "thumbs down" that player after the game so I don't play with them again. Easy peasy.

Because rules & ethics are two different things. The rules allow or disallow a certain action, ethics govern behaviour that may or may not be acceptable by individual principle. As in, my ethics dictate that card hoarding is lame & a tactic for knobheads.

yeah the problem seems more like its a bad game then a bad strategy

the problem is the game can go on for a long time. don't play with anyone who takes over 30 cards. over 20 is pushing it

do not play with *** for this reason! ***

50 minute game. they took up to 50 cards over and over again just to be a nuisance

Edited by moderator: please do not target specific users by name or by linking to a table.