Anyone play Puerto Rico? - Chess and Board Game Strategy

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Anyone play Puerto Rico?

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02-22-2012 , 09:59 AM

Priptonite

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 17,204

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Rico_(board_game)

One of my roommates just bought PR last week and I can't get enough of it. This game has almost no random elements, making the outcome of the game entirely skill based.

The game is available to play online for free at boardgamearena.com, though using BGA to learn to play may be tricky, as the user interface won't be very intuitive to someone who has never played before.

There's tons of strategy out there since the game came out in 2002 but also not many active discussions. I'm hoping there are some 2p2ers that play that are interested in discussing strategy.

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02-22-2012 , 10:07 PM

KyleJRM82

old hand

Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 1,785

I've played it once. I'm afraid I don't have any clever strategies to share. I do have a moderately interesting story.

In college, I had a female friend who I worked with at the newspaper who was into board games, and so was her boyfriend. Her boyfriend was some kind of strategy game savant. He was absolutely unbeatable at everything. One time, I went to a board game convention with them. We go to the table for Puerto Rico, which none of us had ever heard of. He picks up the rulebook and reads it for about five minutes, then says "I've got it." He spent the next few hours wiping out all comers.

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02-23-2012 , 01:51 AM

Priptonite

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 17,204

That's pretty incredible. I think the gameplay is pretty easy to pick up but the strategy definitely isn't.

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02-24-2012 , 11:13 AM

icepick

old hand

Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 1,756

I haven't played it in years, but it is a great game.

Though, there is some criticism from people that believe that with 4 equally skilled players that it becomes pretty boring to play, and comes down to plantation draw luck. I say phooey to that.

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02-24-2012 , 01:51 PM

g-bebe

because robots are strong

Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 22,860

i'm a settlers of catan fiend and would consider myself an expert at that (lol) despite the large luck factor. i also play some dominion and citadels if you're familiar with them. never played carcassone

puerto rico anything like these? i've heard lots about it but never seen it live

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02-24-2012 , 02:06 PM

Priptonite

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 17,204

Quote:

Originally Posted by g-bebe

It's closest to Dominion in the sense that you more or less build your own "deck." I haven't played much Dominion, but I think that in Puerto Rico there is more concern with other players' plays.

Edit: In addition, Puerto Rico also uses both money and victory points. Early game you typically focus on money, mid/late game switching the focus to victory points. I imagine the strategy is similar in Dominion. There are limited buildings, like there are limited cards in Dominion. There are several end conditions. That might be the last one I have lol.

The actual gameplay isn't very similar, but the underlying mechanisms are.

Last edited by Priptonite; 02-24-2012 at 02:17 PM.

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02-26-2012 , 12:07 PM

Supine

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 16,122

It's great - try posting this in POG imo

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