Opener's rebid of 2NT (system: Simple SAYC)

The SAYC card specifies strong jump shifts by responder after a 1H opener, further explaining that it invites a slam. This suggests a 17-19 HCP range with 5+ cards and a good honor holding in the bid suit (though I warn you that point-count is insufficient to evaluate many slam invitational hands, and e.g. AKJxxxx Axx Kx x is a 15-count that suggests a strong jump shift).

Though 2NT only promises a minimum opener as explained by Aryabhata, your first priority must be to show your support for partner's spade suit. Your proper rebid is 4S by the principle of fast arrival. You know enough to sign off: your hand is not good enough to accept a slam invitation (thus the game), and you know your partnership has a spade fit (thus the strain). Bidding 3S here suggests to partner that slam is still a possibility.

If you'd like to read more about opener's rebids after a strong jump shift by responder, the bridge bum has a good summary.

Edit The question has been updated to make the auction start 1H-2C instead of 1H-2S.

SAYC suggests that 1H-2C-2NT should show a balanced hand, 12-14 HCP. Be aware that if the club bidder is an unpassed hand, 1H-2C promises a second bid from responder, and so you're forcing your side to the three level with a 2NT response. You should probably consider a different rebid if your hand doesn't stop the other suits (especially spades, the other major, as defenders prefer to lead majors against no trump contracts).

1H-2C-2H does not promise a 6th heart (as opposed to 1H-1NT-2H or 1H-1S-2H, which do). So if your 5-3-3-2 12-count is something like Jxx AKJxx Qxx Jx, I would rebid 2H. If instead it's AJT KJxxx QJx xx, 2NT seems better.


What happens to other land types (e.g. Legendary/Artifact) when some effects change the basic land types?

It might be a bit confusing, but 'legendary' and 'artifact' are not land subtypes, like Swamp and Mountain are. 'Legendary' is a supertype, and 'artifact' is a type.

  305.7. If an effect sets a land’s subtype to one or more of the basic land types, the land no longer has its old land type.

Evil Presence and Phantasmal Terrain do not remove 'legendary' and 'artifact', they influence the subtype. Hammerheim and Vault of Whispers don't have a subtype, but they will lose their abilities:

  The enchanted land loses its existing land types and any abilities printed on it. It now has the land type Swamp and has the ability “Tap: Add Black.” Evil Presence doesn’t change the enchanted land’s name or whether it’s legendary, basic, or snow.

(from the rulings below Evil Presence)

So a Hammerheim enchanted with an Evil Presence will still be legendary but only able to tap for black mana; a Vault of Whispers enchanted with Phantasmal Terrain set to 'Mountain' will still be an artifact land but only be able to tap for red mana.


What happens when I deal lethal damage to everyone at the same time?

The relevant rule is this one:

  104.4a. If all the players remaining in a game lose simultaneously, the game is a draw.

So the game is a draw. Nobody wins.


Actually, I've found that it's easier with fewer players.  My husband and I play two-player games with six epidemics and win about half our games, but when we play with two other (competent) players five epidemics gives us that win rate and six is hard.

While, with fewer players, you have fewer roles in the game, that's offset by not having so many other actions between your turns (that can completely change the board and thus your plans).  Some roles work better the more turns that role gets, e.g. dumpster-diving abilities and once-per-turn special actions.  You'll run through the deck at the same rate no matter how many players there are.

The medic is not necessary, and sometimes having that role in a two-player game is counter-productive.  Remember tha the goal is curing diseases; it's easy for the medic to get so pre-occupied with the board that he doesn't contribute enough to cures.  Medic as one of four roles is great; medic as one of two requires restraint.

In our games we deal two roles to each player and let the player choose one (consultation is allowed).  That hasn't hurt our two-player games even though the medic will only be an option about a third of the time.


How do multiple land creature affects work?

The power and toughness are set by the most recently created effect.

Permanent modification is covered by the layer system.  Inside a single layer effects are applied in timestamp order, and newer effects will overwrite old ones if they are mutually contradictory.

Thus, if Life and Limb is played after you trigger Liege's ability they will be 1/1s, but if Liege deals combat damage after Life and Limb is added then any land that you add a counter to will become an 8/8.

Oddly enough,  this means that you can put awakening counters on saprolings that have been landed by L&L, and they will become 8/8s, and stay that way even if L&L and Liege leave the battlefield.


Resource Monopoly when player only has one of the named resource

They must give the one they have.

This is covered by the rules.

Resource Monopoly
Name a resource. Each player must give you 2 of that type of resource if they have them.
You may name any of the 5 resources (ore, grain, wool, lumber, or brick). Each player must give you 2 of the named resource if he has them. If a player only has 1 of that resource, he only gives you 1.

It's basically a version of the original game's Resource Monopoly (which forced other players to give the user all of their cards of the named resource) that has been capped to two cards.


MTG - Does this do an infinite combo? Devil's play + Sevinne Chronoclasm + Geistblast from graveyard + Twinning Staff

No, because Geistblast is not cast. Its ability

{2}{U}, Exile Geistblast from your graveyard: Copy target instant or sorcery spell you control. You may choose new targets for the copy.

is an activated ability, not an alternative casting cost. Therefore Sevinne is not triggered and your chain falls apart at step 3.


All of the expansions for Eldritch Horror add content to the base game and require the base game to be played regardless of whether or not they include a new board.

Each expansion with the exception of the latest, Masks of Nyarlathotep, contain content that is usable with just the expansion and the base game and their content is independent of the other expansions (though there are some duplicate components; for example focus tokens).

Masks of Nyarlathotep contains Personal Mission cards for every character in every expansion. The Personal Mission cards are only usable if you have the expansion that includes the character of the Personal Mission. There is also a campaign mode introduced where you can use Elder Gods from other expansions. Everything else in Masks of Nyarlathotep does not require the other Eldritch Horror expansions.


Starting items for investigator not available

If the items are unavailable, the new investigator cannot take them.

From the official errata & FAQ:

  Q. What happens if a new investigator’s starting possessions are
  being used by another investigator?

  A. When a player chooses a new investigator, he receives
  that investigator’s starting possessions from the decks,
  discard piles, or reserve. If the starting possessions are not
  in these places, such as if another investigator or a defeated
  investigator has them, the new investigator does not start
  with those possessions.


When is it worth playing around "s" in Scrabble? I.e., trying not to spell words that "s" can be appended to for a parallel word

This is a balance between how many points you are scoring now and how many points you can potentially give up. If you play the lower-scoring word, how many points are you losing? Do remember that opponent might not be able to take advantage either, if they don't have an S.
Usually for any square except a triple word score (TWS) tiles, it's not worth giving up many points in order to avoid the potential hook. With TWSes you need a bit more math. How many outstanding tiles are there that can hook? For example if your word is ITCH, then there are exactly four tiles that hook to the end: the two Y's and the two Blanks. If all four tiles have already been used then you should have no qualms about using it. On the other hand there are significantly more tiles that hook to the front of ITCH. Therefore the potential front hook is much more dangerous than the back hook.
Because whether it's worth it to play around an S depends strongly on how many tiles have been used, what the score is (if you're behind you must take chances), etc, it's not possible to give more precise guidelines.
One more tip: if both blanks and three S's have already been used, and you're holding the last S, you should absolutely play the word without the S and keep the hook for a later play.


"Play at any time" means exactly that. Whenever the player wants to do it, they can.

"Play at any time during your turn" restricts the prior freedom in one way - it must be the turn of the person playing the card.

No other conditions are relevant.


For the purposes of moving rooms, a room is made up of every card in the stack at each of the five positions in your dungeon.

So when a card tells you to move a room, you move every card in that stack.

From the FAQs & Advanced Rules section of the rulebook (page 19):

  When an effect allows you to swap the placement of
  Rooms in a dungeon, how do you deal with Rooms
  built on top of other Rooms?

  You can rearrange any stacks of Rooms, but you
  cannot change the order of Rooms within each stack.
  The visible Rooms do not change.


You may do each of the following, in order.  In these steps, "pre-existing" means it was there at the start of your activation:

Place a sleeper token on one planet that has ground forces but no sleeper token.

Convert a pre-existing PDS into your flagship.

Convert each pre-existing sleeper token into either:

A PDS
A Mech and an Infantry

If you have a planet with just an infantry, it takes 3 activations of the sector to make your flagship through this ability chain (add sleeper token -> convert sleeper token to PDS -> convert PDS to flagship).

From the Rules Reference on Timing:

If the timing of an ability uses the word “before” or “after,” the ability’s effect occurs immediately before or after the described timing event, respectively.
If the timing of an ability uses the word “when,” the ability’s effect occurs at the moment of the described timing event.  Such an ability typically modifies or replaces the timing event in some way.
Effects that occur “when” an event happens take priority over effects that occur “after” an event happens.

From this, we have the following order of triggers:

Scanlink Drone Network triggers first, which modifies "activating a system" to include an exploration of one of that system's planets.

Terragenesis would trigger next, following the completion of the exploration component of the activation of the system.  If you don't have a sleeper token, the planet would gain one.

Awaken and Ouranos trigger third, following the completion of the modified activation.  You can resolve them in either order, but given they (unfortunately) don't interact, it's always better to have Ouranos trigger first so that you don't hit your PDS limit.  Ouranos requires you to have had a PDS in the system when you activated it.  You can choose to turn one of your pre-existing PDS into your flagship.  Any PDS with Awaken this turn can't turn into your flagship because they weren't there at the start of the activation (Ouranos says "you may replace 1 of those PDS").

Awaken requires you to have had sleeper tokens on at least one planet in the system when you activated it.  You can only use Awaken on sleeper tokens  that were there at the start of your activation; tokens added by Terragenesis can't be immediately awakened because they weren't there at the start of your activation (Awaken says "you may replace each of those tokens).

For each PDS you place with Awaken, Hecatoncheires triggers, and you can replace the PDS with a Mech and an Infantry.


What is the best strategy for Coppersmith in Dominion?

You are correct in your assessment that in most Kingdoms, Coppersmith is a poor card and you would be better off with something else or just Silver. It has a couple of problems, as you have seen. It's terminal, so it doesn't play well with basic drawing cards that could give you a hand full of Copper, like say Smithy. It doesn't provide a +Buy, so if you do manage to pull off some combo that lets you play it with a hand full of Copper, you'll need to add yet another piece to actually use your money. And assembling a powerful combo is difficult since you need to not trash your Copper or even discard it to, say, Warehouse.

That said, Coppersmith's best friend is probably Tactician. Tactician provides big hands with plenty of Copper, another Action to play with, and that critical +Buy that lets you actually do something with all of your money.

As Paul Marshall's answer hints at, a T1/T2 Coppersmith is fairly likely to connect with three Coppers and provide a T3/T4 Gold. That can help you get off to a good start, but then you have this increasingly-useless card in your deck. The presence of trash-for-benefit cards like Remodel, Apprentice, or Upgrade can make this kind of Coppersmith opening more attractive.

The Dominion Strategy Wiki has some more discussion. It also suggests that Coppersmith can be a boon to a very powerful draw engine that doesn't need to trash. Some combination of Wharf or Council Room (draw and +Buy) and King's Court or Throne Room (to magnify the power of the drawing) might make you take notice.


Identify the Game: reach the other side of the board, while avoiding barriers

Sounds like you are describing Quoridor.

  This abstract strategy is surprisingly deep for its simple rules. The
  object of the game is to advance your pawn to the opposite edge of the
  board. On your turn you may either move your pawn or place a wall. You
  may hinder your opponent with wall placement, but not completely block
  him off. Meanwhile, he is trying to do the same to you. First pawn to
  reach the opposite side wins.

There is a similar game called Blockade, but unlike Quoridor, the board for that one isn't square.


What Terrarion basically does, is repaint the color of mana. If you have two blue mana, but need a red and a green one, you can activate Terrarion's ability.

Let's look at that ability: The cost to activate it are on the left side of the :, and he effects on the right. The costs are: pay 2 mana, tap Terrarion and sacrifice it.

The mana may be of any color, or even colorless
Why bother tapping it if we're going to sacrifice it anyway? Terrarion comes into play tapped, and once it's tapped you can't tap it again. So, in the first turn you can't activate this ability.
Sactifice it. This one's obvious. Note that Terrarion has a leaves the battlefield triggered ability, so you get to draw a card.

As for the effect: You can choose to add 2 mana of any color (though not colorless - Terrarion requires us to choose from the Colors of Magic: Red, Green, White, Black or Blue). They can be two different colors, or 2 mana of the same color, as per Gatherer:

  You can get either two mana of the same color or one mana each of different colors.

But didn't we just pay two mana. Yes, we've paid 2 mana of color XY, and gained 2 mana of color WZ. You have effectively repainted 2 mana to better suit your purposes.


Would stealing control of my opponent's commander with Control Magic and killing it let me maintain control of it?

No, you won't retain control. Your enchantment will fall off and go to your graveyard, and Marath will go to your opponent's graveyard or command zone.

The primary reason is that when a creature changes zones, this rule kicks in:

  400.7. An object that moves from one zone to another becomes a new object with no memory of, or relation to, its previous existence.

Also, whenever a creature dies, it moves to its owner's graveyard - not its controller's. You don't become Marath's owner, just its controller temporarily. (There are lots of different rules covering the situations a creature might  die, but they all handle it the exact same way.)

When Marath dies, he (she? I don't know) is going to move to his owner's graveyard like any other creature. If Marath is your opponent's commander, your opponent has the option to instead move him to the command zone.

  903.11. If a commander would be put into its owner’s graveyard from anywhere, that player may put it into the command zone instead.

Either way, Marath changes zones. From the perspective of your Control Magic enchantment, the creature it enchanted has vanished completely, and so the enchantment goes to your graveyard. It doesn't move with Marath, just like how cards don't stay enchanted when they move to your graveyard. Elsewhere, in another zone, a brand new object called Marath, Will of the Wild appears, with no relation to the creature the enchantment once enchanted.

Your opponent regains total control of Marath, and can cast him from the command zone as usual (if your opponent chose to move him there, instead of to their own graveyard).

Even if you manage to take "permanent" control of Marath (e.g. with Perplexing Chimera), you still don't own him, and he'll return to your opponent's graveyard or command zone when he dies. Control of Marath is returned to your opponent completely thanks to 400.7 and business as usual resumes.


Chess variant that allows humans to be competitive vs computers

Yes.  In fact, Arimaa was designed explicitly for this purpose.

http://arimaa.com/

It was designed by an AI expert who wanted a game where humans could beat the best computers.  There is a contest every year called the Arimaa Challenge where AI's compete to try to beat the best humans.  So far, none have.


Settlers of Catan for 2. Rolling the dice twice.

I would say no, you cannot.

The rules explicitly state what you can do after each roll:

  Immediately after each of the two dice rolls, the two real players obtain resources and/or move the robber (a “7” result).

Since there is no mention of building or trading, I would say you could only build and trade after finishing all rolling.

That would make the order is Roll > Get resources > Roll a second time (repeating as necessary to get a different value than the first) > Get resources from second roll > Continue play as normal.

Think of it this way -- you are player two, and the other human player is player four.  You are effectively rolling for player one's roll, then you roll for yourself and can buy and trade as normal.  Then the other human player rolls for player three, and then they roll for themselves and can buy and trade as normal.


Do elders help the villain in a non-showdown fight round?

The Villain gets +1 Combat skill during the single Fight Round

Actually, the rules do mention Evil Elders outside the Showdown section. Specifically, on page 15.

  Evil Elders - When a Town Elder is shown to be evil, they cease to be a Town Elder and instead become an Evil Elder. The card is flipped over, any Secrets they had are discarded, and they are repositioned next to the Villain’s Record Sheet. Evil Elders give the Villain +1 Combat and have one Wound.

This bonus is applied to the Villain's Combat, regardless of whether this is a Showdown fight or not.

  Fighting the Villain - Occasionally a hero will have to engage in a single Fight Round with the Villain due to a Mystery Card or Minion Chart result. These Fights are NOT considered a Showdown and consequently, the Villain cannot actually be hurt. In these cases, a single Fight Round should be played out between the Hero and the Villain as described above (the Villain rolls Fight Dice equal to its Combat).


In solo play, am I the player to my right?

Yes, you are the player to your right (and left) when playing solo.

From Devin Low, the designer of Legendary:

  Blackheart's effects say "The player on your right reveals a [MARVEL KNIGHTS] Hero or gains a Wound." When you do this effect in a two-player game, the other player is the player to your right, so that player must reveal or gain a Wound. In a solo game, the player to your right (going around the table) is yourself, so you gain a Wound.


Deathtouch does not qualify because it doesn't target. Note Ashenmoor Liege says "... becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls". Spells and abilities that target will use the word 'target' (Auras also count as targeted spells). For example, the text of Seal Away says (emphasis mine):

  When Seal Away enters the battlefield, exile target tapped creature an opponent controls until Seal Away leaves the battlefield.

So casting Seal Away on Ashenmoor Liege triggers the ability. Deathtouch's text, however, says:

  Deathtouch (Any amount of damage this deals to a creature is enough to destroy it.)

Hence it doesn't target, and it doesn't trigger the ability.


Replacing face-up cards when only two regular Train Cars remain

This would be a very rare situation, and the rulebook does not directly address it.
There are basically 2 options for how to handle it.

Simply leave the 5 face-up cards with them having 3 or more locomotives in the set. This is how the mobile and online versions are implemented.

Follow the rule for a similar situation that is mentioned by the rules:

In the unlikely event that there are no cards left in the deck and there are no discards (because players are hoarding many cards in their hands), a player cannot draw Train Car cards. Instead he may only claim a route or draw Destination Ticket cards.

It makes sense to follow this rule in this situation, because while it's not true that "there are no cards left in the deck and there are no discards", it IS true that the cards that are left cannot make a valid set of face-up cards. So the recommendation would be to act as if there are no cards left, and not allow players to draw new train car cards until a route is claimed.
Source: https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1812513/there-are-only-locomotives-left-deckdiscard


Can Mirrorworks' ability be activated multiple times for the same artifact?

Since the thesunneversets is looking for an explict rules that prevent paying multiple costs to get multiple effects.
No. You can only get one token copy of Darksteel Relic for each nontoken Darksteel Relic that enters the battlefield.
Mirrorworks contains a triggered ability. We know this because its rules text begins with the word "When."

112.3c Triggered abilities have a trigger condition and an effect. They are written as “[Trigger condition], [effect],” and begin with the word “when,” “whenever,” or “at.” Whenever the trigger event occurs, the ability is put on the stack the next time a player would receive priority and stays there until it’s countered, it resolves, or it otherwise leaves the stack. See rule 603, “Handling Triggered Abilities.”

From rule 112.3c, we also know that the [Trigger Condition] is "another nontoken artifact enters the battlefield under your control", and with rule 117.12 (below) the [effect] is, "put a token that's a copy of that artifact onto the battlefield."
Rule 603.2c explains that abilities only trigger one time for each event that occurs (so if multiple nontoken Darksteel Relics were coming into play, it would trigger once for each occurence).

603.2c An ability triggers only once each time its trigger event occurs. However, it can trigger repeatedly if one event contains multiple occurrences. See also rule 509.4.
Example: A permanent has an ability whose trigger condition reads, “Whenever a land
is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, . . . .” If someone casts a spell that destroys all lands, the ability will trigger once for each land put into the graveyard during the spell’s resolution.

The final piece of the puzzle. We know from all the above, that there is a single existence of the triggered ability on the stack, and we know from the rule below that you can only get one token copy of the nontoken Darksteel Relic (the ability didn't say, "you may pay 2 any number of times", and this isn't an activated ability which allows playing a cost for an effect any time you have priority)

117.1. A cost is an action or payment necessary to take another action or to stop another action from taking place. To pay a cost, a player carries out the instructions specified by the spell, ability, or effect that contains that cost.
117.12. Some spells, activated abilities, and triggered abilities read, “[Do something]. If [a player] [does or doesn’t], [effect].” or “[A player] may [do something]. If [that player] [does or doesn’t], [effect].” The action [do something] is a cost, paid when the spell or ability resolves. The “If [a player] [does or doesn’t]” clause checks whether the player chose to pay an optional cost or started to pay a mandatory cost, regardless of what events actually occurred.
Example: You control Hesitation, an enchantment that says “When a player casts a spell,
sacrifice Hesitation. If you do, counter that spell.” A spell is cast, causing Hesitation’s
ability to trigger. Then an ability is activated that exiles Hesitation. When Hesitation’s
ability resolves, you’re unable to pay the “sacrifice Hesitation” cost. The spell is not
countered.

When the Mirrorworks trigger resolves, it gives you the option of paying a cost may pay 2. Then the [If you do] clause checks whether the cost was paid to determine if the [effect] (put a token that's a copy of that artifact onto the battlefield) occurs.


Is it legitimate/ethical to treat the same bid from different people in different ways?

It is legitimate, as long you disclose the known tendencies to the opponents.

If you don't, it is similar to having undisclosed agreements.


Which Electronic Scrabble Games / Platforms Offer The Hardest Computer Opponents?

There are two well-known Scrabble AIs.   One is the commercial Maven which is made by Atari and bundles with most official Scrabble versions.  The alternative is called Quackle and is free open-source and of comparable strength.


What are some good strategies for Elder Sign: Omens?

I went ahead and asked the creators of Elder Sign: Omens and here's some responses from them and other members of their message board:

There are easier/less difficult adventures. Sure, you are still at the whim of the dice, but target some of the easier ones - specifically with the investigation tokens. These are easier to roll and succeed at and in turn provide you additional items and rewards that can be used to overcome some of the more difficult adventures down the turn.

Don't write off an investigator. My two guys were slouchs at first but when I started picking my adventures a bit wiser they ended up coming on strong.

The footprint token that allows you to reroll glyphs is priceless. Added dice is nice but the reroll is fabulous.

Target adventures that don't have sequential phases with investigators that don't have reroll abilities. This allows you to use the dice that are available when you have them and not in the order the adventure dictates.

Remember the odds of the dice. Each green dice has the following sides - Investigation ×1, Investigation ×2, Investigation ×3,  Lore, Peril, Terror. Be sure to Focus according to the odds and the needs of the adventure. Yellow dice replaces Terror with an Investigation ×4. Red dice is like the Yellow dice but replaces Investigation ×1 with the Wild token - lovely, lovely wild.

Cashing in trophies tokens at the Entrance seems to be a waste if you are using four investigators - especially if you have the adventure that is hitting you for 2 trophies every midnight. With four investigators, you only get two turns per investigator per day. I'm going to try with less than four to see if that dynamic will change.

Assist is a great feature that works if you fail an adventure and then have a second investigator come in. Instead of focusing one dice, you'll be able to focus two. A nice synergy in the game and makes getting past some of those tough adventures a little bit easier.

I used some/all of these tips and I was finally able to win a couple games.


What's a good table-topping material for tile-based games?

Felt. A thousand casinos can't be wrong.
Padded felt also makes it easier to pick cards/chits up off the table.


You can only equip the Ring of Valkas as a sorcery (so, only during one of your main phases) but once it is equipped, the Ring stays on the equipped creature until it is moved or the creature dies. So, you put it on your creature this turn and it starts getting counters on it during your next upkeep, assuming it's still alive.

Edit: Looks like I missed part of the question. Any +1/+1 counters remain on the creature, even if you move the Ring to a different creature, or the ring is destroyed.


Meklord Emperor Wisel vs Dragonic Diagram

No, you activated the effect of a Spell Card, not the card itself. All instances of activating a Spell Card is activating a Spell Card effect, but it is not the case that all instances of activating a Spell Card effect is activating a Spell Card.


Broadly, no. The exception is if nobody noticed that the dummy played a card not indicated by declarer until each side has played to the following trick.
The relevant passages from the Laws of Duplicate Bridge

Law 45 (Card Played)
...
B. Play of Card from Dummy
Declarer plays a card from dummy by naming the card, after which dummy picks up the card and faces it on the table. In playing from dummy's hand declarer may, if necessary, pick up the desired card himself.
C. Card Deemed to be Played
...

A card in the dummy is played if it has been deliberately touched by declarer except for the purpose either of arranging dummy's cards, or of reach a card above or below the card or cards touched.

...
D. Dummy Picks up a Non-designated Card

If dummy places in the played position a card that declarer did not name, the card must be withdrawn if attention is drawn to it before each side has played to the next trick, and a defender may withdraw and return to his hand a card played after the error but before attention was drawn to it; if declarer's RHO changes his play, declarer may withdraw a card he had subsequently played to that trick. (See Law 16C.)

When it is too late to change dummy's wrongly placed card (see above), the play continues normally without alteration of the cards played to this or any subsequent trick. If the wrongly placed card was the first card of the trick, then the failure to follow suit to that card may now constitute a revoke (see Laws 64A, 64B7 and 64C). If the wrongly placed card was contributed to a trick already in progress and dummy thereby has revoked, see Laws 64B3 and 64C.

...
F. Dummy Indicates Card
After dummy's hand is faced, dummy may not touch or indicate any card (except for purpose of arrangement) without instruction from declarer. If he does so the Director should be summoned forthwith and informed of the action. Play continues. At the end of the play the Director shall award an adjusted score if he considers dummy suggested a play to declarer and the defenders were damaged by the play suggested.


“Agricola” is the Latin word for “farmer” (dictionary).

It is derived from “ager” (“field”) and “-cola” (“-tiller”, “-cultivator”). “Agriculture” shares the same root, and so does “acre” (albeit indirectly).

That a Roman general had it as his last name is unrelated.


Can I interact with a creature exiled with Eldrazi Displacer?

Specifically for Eldrazi Displacer, no. Its ability's effects all resolve at once, so the creature will be exiled and be put back onto the battlefield immediately. Unlike say, Flickerwisp, there is no delay in returning the creature, so there is no chance for you to target it in exile.


Can I put any ranged weapon on a Crisis Battlesuit?

The Army List entry would be referring to the "Tau Empire Wargear List" on pg 95.

This lists 5 sections: Ranged Weapons, Signature Systems, Drones, Support Systems and Vehicle battle Systems.

So they could take up to 3 items from the Ranged Weapons and/or Support Systems lists on this page.


How many submarines do I need to take down an aircraft carrier?

Check out the Axis & Allies Combat Simulator/Calculator. You can choose which variant of the game you're playing (Original, Revised Edition, etc.), how many simulations to run, and a number of other options. (There's even a iPhone and Android versions!) The combat simulator then tells you the average IPC loss for both sides and the average winning percentage.

Presuming you play with the Revised Edition (a/k/a, the 2nd Edition), here are the odds. (Note that each simulation has a link to the combat simulator with the attacking and defending units already entered. The link sets the simulation runs parameter to 1,000, but the results I present here were computed using 5,000 runs.)

1 sub: 49.8% chance of winning, average IPC loss: 4 for attacker, 8 for defender
2 subs: 85.4% chance of winning, average IPC loss: 4 for attacker, 14 for defender
3 subs: 97.9% chance of winning, average IPC loss: 2 for attacker, 16 for defender

What about super subs (which attack at a 3 instead of a 2)? If so, here are how the odds unfold:

1 supersub: 67.1% chance of winning, average IPC loss: 3 for attacker, 11 for defender
2 supersubs: 95.0% chance of winning, average IPC loss: 2 for attacker, 15 for defender
3 supersubs: 99.6% chance of winning, average IPC loss: 1 for attacker, 16 for defender

Also, because a sub has the benefit of "first attack," there will never be a scenario where both the sub and carrier are destroyed. In this type of battle you know that one side (and only one side) will be standing at the end.


How Can I Identify How To Beat My Computer At Chess?

Basically, you have to find out what level your computer plays at. And then train to beat that level.

Computers are very good at looking deep into "branches" of moves. That's where they have an advantage over humans, and that's why the best ones can beat Gary Kasparov.

Computers aren't quite as good at certain "judgmental" aspects of chess, like when to sacrifice a pawn for a positional advantage. They tend not to do as well in a middle game as in either the opening (when there are few pieces out) or the endgame (when there are few pieces left).

Basically, you need to get to the point where your "branching" reading is almost (but not quite) as good as your computers. Then you have to steer for a complicated middle game, where the computer's branching algorithm may break down, while your better judgment prevails. (That's what Kasparov tried to do.) As good as they are, it's fun to see a computer get confused when you throw a "curve ball" at them, in any application.

That should happen to your computer at "some" level of play. Hopefully it won't be too much higher than yours.


That is correct. The Sliver Overlord is a Sliver so it is a legal target for the token's ability. Once you have control of it the Legend Rule kicks in. The "Legend Rule" says:

  704.5k If a player controls two or more legendary permanents with the same name, that player chooses one of them, and the rest are put into their owners' graveyards. This is called the "legend rule".

So it is perfectly legal to choose the token copy of the Overlord to put into the Graveyard, and then you can proceed to kill them with their own commander. Note that you aren't 'sacrificing' the token, it is just being put into the Graveyard by state based effects. It will still 'die' and trigger anything that cares about creatures dying, but it won't trigger anything that cares about sacrificing creatures.


Does "prevent all damage to target creature" save the other creatures in a gang block?

No; you must assign lethal damage in blocking order, but this doesn't take into account effects that prevent, redirect, or alter damage when it's actually dealt.
From the Comprehensive rules:

509.1. First, the defending player declares blockers. This turn-based action doesn't use the stack. To declare blockers, the defending player follows the steps below, in order. If at any point during the declaration of blockers, the defending player is unable to comply with any of the steps listed below, the declaration is illegal; the game returns to the moment before the declaration (see rule 717, "Handling Illegal Actions").
509.2. Second, for each attacking creature that's become blocked, the active player announces that creature's damage assignment order, which consists of the creatures blocking it in an order of that player's choice. (During the combat damage step, an attacking creature can't assign combat damage to a creature that's blocking it unless each creature ahead of that blocking creature in its order is assigned lethal damage.) This turn-based action doesn't use the stack.

bunch of other stuff happens.

509.5. Fifth, the active player gets priority. Players may cast spells and activate abilities.

Therefore, yes, there is an opportunity to play prevention spells after blockers are assigned and assignment order has been decided.
So, the Oracle text for Indestructible Aura reads: Prevent all damage that would be dealt to target creature this turn. Let's use that on the first creature in the assignment order. Sounds like a plan.
As per 615.6

615.6. If damage that would be dealt is prevented, it never happens. A modified event may occur instead, which may in turn trigger abilities. Note that the modified event may contain instructions that can't be carried out, in which case the impossible instruction is simply ignored.

As per 509.2, the rest of the creatures in the assignment order can't be assigned damage unless the creature ahead of it has been assigned lethal damage. You might think "hey, all that damage is prevented, and therefore it never happened."
But — wait a sec! We skipped the damage assignment part of the rules. This is the long and confusing but most important rule in this situation. Emphasis mine.

510.1c A blocked creature assigns its combat damage to the creatures blocking it. If no creatures are currently blocking it (if, for example, they were destroyed or removed from combat), it assigns no combat damage. If exactly one creature is blocking it, it assigns all its combat damage to that creature. If two or more creatures are blocking it, it assigns its combat damage to those creatures according to the damage assignment order announced for it. This may allow the blocked creature to divide its combat damage. However, it can't assign combat damage to a creature that's blocking it unless, when combat damage assignments are complete, each creature that precedes that blocking creature in its order is assigned lethal damage. When checking for assigned lethal damage, take into account damage already marked on the creature and damage from other creatures that's being assigned during the same combat damage step, but not any abilities or effects that might change the amount of damage that's actually dealt. An amount of damage that's greater than a creature's lethal damage may be assigned to it.
Example: The damage assignment order of an attacking Vastwood Gorger (a 5/6 creature) is Pride Guardian (a 0/3 creature) then Llanowar Elves (a 1/1 creature). Vastwood Gorger can assign 3 damage to the Guardian and 2 damage to the Elves, 4 damage to the Guardian and 1 damage to the Elves, or 5 damage to the Guardian.
Example: The damage assignment order of an attacking Vastwood Gorger (a 5/6 creature) is Pride Guardian (a 0/3 creature) then Llanowar Elves (a 1/1 creature). During the declare blockers step, the defending player casts Giant Growth targeting Pride Guardian, which gives it +3/+3 until end of turn. Vastwood Gorger must assign its 5 damage to the Guardian.
Example: The damage assignment order of an attacking Vastwood Gorger (a 5/6 creature) is Pride Guardian (a 0/3 creature) then Llanowar Elves (a 1/1 creature). During the declare blockers step, the defending player casts Mending Hands targeting Pride Guardian, which prevents the next 4 damage that would be dealt to it. Vastwood Gorger can assign 3 damage to the Guardian and 2 damage to the Elves, 4 damage to the Guardian and 1 damage to the Elves, or 5 damage to the Guardian.
Example: The damage assignment order of an attacking Enormous Baloth (a 7/7 creature) is Trained Armodon (a 3/3 creature) that already has 2 damage marked on it, then Foriysian Brigade (a 2/4 creature that can block an additional creature), then Silverback Ape (a 5/5 creature). The damage assignment order of an attacking Durkwood Boars (a 4/4 creature) is the same Foriysian Brigade, then Goblin Piker (a 2/1 creature). Among other possibilities, the active player may have the Baloth assign 1 damage to the Armodon, 1 damage to the Brigade, and 5 damage to the Ape, and have the Boars assign 3 damage to the Brigade and 1 damage to the Piker.

You prevent all damage to that target creature but the rest of the damage assigned to other creatures isn't prevented. In the middle of rule 510.1c it says that the attacker does not have to take into account any abilities that change the amount of damage actually dealt. If the attacker chooses, he could assign all the damage to the first creature and it all would be prevented, but he doesn't have to take the prevention effect into account so that would under most circumstances be sub-optimal.
In your example, the attacker doesn't have to assign more than three damage to your first creature. Three damage is lethal damage. Among other options, his best choice would be to assign 3 damage to the first creature, 2 to the second, and two to the third, killing the 2/2 and 2/1 blockers.
PS. If this is an accurate quote, Ken got it wrong in 2010. Here's the rule change announcement in 2009. From that post:

So ... what is "lethal damage"? For the purposes of damage assignment, "lethal damage" is the amount of damage necessary for a creature to be destroyed, ignoring all abilities and damage prevention effects. In other words, it's that creature's toughness minus any damage that's already been dealt to it or that is simultaneously being assigned to it. It doesn't matter whether that creature has protection, is indestructible, will prevent the next 8 damage that would be dealt to it, etc.


Is it possible for a Creature permanent to become a non-Creature permanent without losing its abliities?

I think this is the highly unusual case they talk about:
Have Bludgeon Brawl, Dominating Licid (or any other Licid) and Stone Haven Outfitter on the battlefield.
So far every permanent is just as they are printed.
Activate the Licid targeting a creature. Respond by casting Mirrorweave on the Outfitter.
When Mirrorweave is resolved the Licid is an exact copy of a printed Outfitter. So it loses the "You control enchanted creature." ability too here.
When the Licid's activated ability is resolved it becomes an Enchantment - Aura and stops being a creature and it becomes attached to the creature. It still has all abilities of the Outfitter.
Cast Mycosynth Lattice.
The Licid becomes an Artifact in addition to it other types. Bludgeon Brawl therefore makes it an Equipment with Equip 2 and "Equipped creature gets +2/+0", based on it having CMC 2 from being a copy of Outfitter. It retains its other abilities.
The Licid is now considered as both equipping as enchanting the creature it's attached to because all that matters for being equipped/enchanted is that it is attached and is an Equipment/Aura.
The enchanted/equipped creature will have +2/+0 because of the Brawl and +1/+1 for each Outfitter you control.
The Licid's typeline and textbox will be:

Enchantment Artifact - Aura Equipment
Enchant creature
Equip 2
Equipped creature gets +2/+0.
Equipped creatures you control get +1/+1.
Whenever an equipped creature you control dies, draw a card.


"Give off abilities" is not clear. It helps if you use proper jargon or at least an example. I believe you are talking about continuous effects created by static abilities such as Wizened Cenn's.

Effects created by static abilities take effect the moment the object on which they reside enters the battlefield, and they end the moment that object leaves the battlefield.

For example, say you have Wizened Cenn and Amrou Seekers on the battlefield, and your opponent deals 2 damage to each of your creature. This marks two damage on both your creatures. This kills off your Cenn, which reverts your Seekers to 2/2, which kills them off too.


Does a card like Languish count as a damage-dealing sorcery?

No, only spells and abilities that actually say damage deal damage. (Creatures can also deal damage in combat or when fighting, of course.) Languish just changes power and toughness.


Do you re-determine player order in this exceptional case?

If you are the only one to build no cities in round 1, you will go last in round 2.

The determine turn order step in round 2 is not straightforward at all; in most games I see, players build different numbers of cities in round 1, ranging from 1 to 3.  That your play group has been skipping the turn order step in round 2 means you have probably been playing wrong in one way or another.

My best guess of the mistake you are making is it sounds like you are only allowing players to build a single city in round 1.  Players can build multiple cities in round 1 (there is nothing in the rules that prevents you from buying more cities on the same turn you buy your starting city).  Most players usually do buy multiple cities on round 1, as many of the early power plants can power more than one city.  The adjusting of turn order in round 2 is an important mechanic to balance against this: players who buy a power plant that can only power one city in round 1 can then build only 1 city to get the a better turn slot on round 2 (later in turn order is better) to make up for their lost income.


What are common strategies for beating the robot in Race For The Galaxy?

From http://hiewandboardgames.blogspot.ca/2008_12_01_archive.html

  To beat the robot you need to understand how it works and know how to minimize the chances of indirectly helping it. Knowing that sometimes it "copies" your actions, you need to think twice before selecting Consume x 2 if the robot's economy size is 5 (i.e. it would score 10VP if it also does Consume x 2). The robot's main ways of scoring are the 6-cost development tiles and the victory points. I find that usually it doesn't score much from worlds or normal developments. The 6-cost dev tiles (as opposed to dev cards) are a mechanism to adjust the difficulty level. The robot most of the time will be able to play all of its 6-cost dev tiles, unless you are really really quick in ending the game. So when you decide to play with 1 6VP tile (easy), 2 6VP tiles (medium) or 3 9VP tiles (hard), you are more or less already deciding that the robot will at least have 6VP / 12VP / 27VP.

  You need to watch the robot's economy size closely. It's kind of a countdown timer. The robot's economy will grow, sometimes quickly sometimes not, and the bigger it grows, the more dangerous it will be. You cannot allow it to do Consume too many times, especially when its economy size is big. It can earn lots of VPs this way, and also end the game very quickly by exhausting the VPs.


What kind of mechanics can make MTG fun for my opponents?

This isn't mechanics specific, but theming is a good way to go. Themes can be based on Magic blocks with poor synergy or underpowered mechanics, like Kamigawa block (which likely will just make people laugh), or themes can be pulled from outside of the game, like trying to make a Lion King themed deck (or something else you like). Themes limit your options while being interesting to watch, especially if other players know the theme. Half the fun of out of Magic themes is in players trying to guess how specific cards fit into the theme.

As an example, I'm currently working on an Apocolypse deck (not the block, the out of Magic concept). The commander will be  Child of Alara, with the four horsemen of the apocalypse as  Iroas, God of Victory (War),  Mogis, God of Slaughter (Death),  Phiraka, God of Affliction (Pestilence), and  Phenax, God of Deception (Famine). After getting these five cards set, the next step of the deck was to find cards that included the name of the four horsemen, so things like  Sudden Death and  War Elemental. This doesn't quite fill up the deck, especially if you're avoided hated cards like  Death Cloud, so the rest of the deck is made up of mechanics that fit the four horsemen's mechanics. This included some mill for Famine, like  Glimpse the Unthinkable, and some extra sacrifice for Death like  Cruel Edict.

What you'll notice is that this deck isn't very synergistic and it will play differently every game. Competitive decks are tuned to play identically every time even though you only have 1 of every card. The theming will take away that consistency and will be fun to watch. And generally, you're going to have to put a decent amount of thought into the cards in a theme deck to make sure you're staying on theme, so it's going to take as much thought to produce as a well-tuned competitive deck. This process has the added benefit of causing you to think about Magic in a way you wouldn't normally, and maybe you'll find some playstyle or set of interactions you hadn't ever done before.


How long should a draft round last by official rules?

Appendix B of the Tournament Rules provides required and suggested time limits for official events. Check this document for all the details you need.

In general:

Required minimum game time is 40 minutes. Recommended game time for typical Limited/Constructed Swiss rounds is 50 minutes.
WotC recommends giving players 30 minutes to register and construct a draft deck.
The individual booster draft timer values in judge apps come from a chart in Appendix B (page 43 as of the current revision). Note the sentence after the chart that provides short "evaluation" periods in between packs as well.

Note that organizers are allowed to deviate from most of these conditions, but are required to announce it clearly in advance.


Is the ability cost of the commander part of the color identity?

The colour identity of  Rhys the Exiled is Green and Black.

As per the Commander colour identity rules:

  A card's colour identity is its colour plus the colour of any mana symbols in the card's rules text.

The colour doesn't have to be just in the casting cost (which determines the card's colour), any mana symbol cost in the rules text counts towards the card's colour identity.

See also Comprehensive Rule 903.4:

  903.4. The Commander variant uses color identity to determine what cards can be in a deck with a certain commander. The color identity of a card is the color or colors of any mana symbols in that card's mana cost or rules text, plus any colors defined by its characteristic-defining abilities (see rule 604.3) or color indicator (see rule 204).
  Example: Bosh, Iron Golem is a legendary artifact creature with mana cost {8} and the ability "{3}{R}, Sacrifice an artifact: Bosh, Iron Golem deals damage equal to the sacrificed artifact's converted mana cost to target creature or player." Bosh's color identity is red.


Is it possible to win in MTG when you don't have enough cards in your library to complete your draw phase?

Sure it's possible, but you'd need to win at instant speed. An example: your opponent has 3 life left, and you're holding a Lightning Bolt. Then when the Howling Mine triggers but before it resolves (which would kill you), you point Lightning Bolt at him and kill him. You could also do this on your upkeep, before the draw phase.
Or are you asking why the rules says "he or she draws the remaining cards, and then loses the game the next time a player would receive priority" as opposed to simply "he or she loses the game the next time a player would receive priority"? That would be because it's possible to not lose the game even though you are supposed to lose. For example, if you are controlling Platinum Angel, then you don't lose for trying to draw from an empty library. In that case it makes sense for you to draw the remaining cards anyway.


Is it "We Didn’t Playtest This At All"?
It has cards with really strange rules like you describe and there are indeed booster packs.


Can you kill a Blessed Spirits with a Fiery Impulse in response to an enchantment being cast?

It depends on exactly what you are responding to (and if you have Spell Mastery, I'm assuming you don't for purposes of this answer). The Spirits' ability does indeed use the stack, so if you respond to that you will destroy them, if you wait for the ability to resolve but before the enchantment spell resolves it will not destroy them.

The ability of the Blessed Spirits is what is called a triggered ability, and whenever their condition occurs they trigger and go on the stack.

What happens when they cast the Grasp is the Blessed Spirits ability triggers and goes on the stack. The stack then looks like  this:

Blessed Spirits ability
Grasp of the Hieromancer targeting Blessed Spirits

At this point you have to opportunity to respond with Fiery Impulse, if you do it will go on the stack on top of the Blessed Spirits ability. Since it is above the Blessed Spirits ability it will resolve first, dealing 2 damage to the Spirits. Since 2 damage is enough to destroy the Spirits they get sent to the graveyard as soon as State Based Actions are checked after the Impulse resolves. At this point the Blessed Spirits ability resolves, but does nothing since the Spirits are already in the graveyard, the the Grasp gets countered due to a lack of legal targets.


What are the differences between various versions of Citadels

Took some time to compare the rules, but man there's more than I thought. Some are more subtle, others are complete game changers. Here's a complete list (unless I missed any):

Poor House

US: costs 5 gold to build.
EU: costs 0 gold to build.

Removing characters

US: First put down the face-down card, then the face-up cards. If needed, replace the king from the face-up cards. The starting player can not look at the face-down card.
EU: First put down the face-up card, then replace the king if necessary, then play the face-down card. The starting player can look at the face-down card.

End of turn

US: After all the characters have been called, each player returns his character card to the Character Deck.
EU: At the end of your turn, place your character card at the center of the table.

Discarded cards

US: Face-down at the bottom of the deck
EU: Face-up discard pile

Character abilities

US: Used after performing an action (choosing gold or cards)
EU: Can be used before or after performing an action

Queen ability

US: Receives three gold if you are sitting next to the King or the Emperor (eg the person with the King/Emperor card).
EU: Receives three gold if she sits next to the player with the wooden king piece.

Warlord ability (in combination with Bell Tower)

US: May not destroy a district in a city that is already completed by having eight districts.
EU: May not destroy districts from cities that already has eight districts.
receive any gold from the Poor House or from their Alchemist ability.

Emperor ability

US: The player who receives the Crown chooses to give you either one gold or one district card from his hand.
EU: (no such rule exists)

Diplomat ability

US: Used at end of turn. Can not exchange with a completed city.
EU: Used at any time during your turn. Can exchange with a completed city.

Identical districts

US: You may not build a district such that you have two identical districts in your city.
EU: (no such rule exists)

Bell Tower

US: Bonuses are awarded for seven districts instead of eight.
EU: (no such rule exists) bonuses are awarded for eight districts.

Cemetery

US: If you are using the Diplomat you must remove the Cemetery.
EU: If you are using the Diplomat, the Cemetery loses its function.

End of game scoring (in case of tie)

US: Most points wins. In case of a tie, only look at points from district cards. If there's still a tie, whoever has the most gold wins.
EU: Most points wins. In case of a tie, only look at points from district cards.

Everything on the list is based on these documents

English
German
Dutch
French

I haven't found any differences between the German, Dutch and French versions, they seem to be mutually consistent.


Skulk Hollow: what information is available in a discard pile?

EDIT:  I posted the question on BGG here and game designer Eduardo Baraf has clarified.  Discards are face up and both piles can be reviewed by either player at any time.
A discard pile is almost always face up. (this is based my own experience over last 15 years so so of attending UK based games clubs and conventions)
If a discard pile was face down then you run the risk of a player drawing a card from discard pile by mistake. If a discard pile was meant to be face down and its contents secret I would expect this to be specified by that games rules
However, there is an argument that Skulk Hollow should be played with a face down discard even though this isn't explicitly stated.
The Prepare action allows a player to discard a card a draw two cards. It might be the intention to not let your opponent know what card you discarded.  Also the recall ability says:-

A hero unit with the RECALL ability may spend one power to allow the
hero player to examine the contents of their discard pile, choose one
card, and return it to their hand.

Even though the rules don't explicitly state you may not examine your discard pile this ability explicit states you may when taking that action.  You could infer from that that normally you would not be able to.
The difficulty here is the the rules are not specific about this.   Personally I would play with a face up discard as that's what I'm used to in other games but in your situation I would suggest agreeing with who you were playing against first how you play it.


It would act more or less the same as if you did not have Yarok out.

Animate Dead is still an Aura spell, which means that it is targeted; and you choose that target when you cast the spell, before it enters the battlefield:

  303.4a An Aura spell requires a target, which is defined by its enchant ability.

So you must target a creature card in a graveyard. This target is not going to change or get doubled or anything like that by Yarok.

Animate Dead does have a triggered ability that triggers when it enters the battlefield, so due to Yarok, this ability will trigger twice. The full effect of the ability that triggers is:

  When Animate Dead enters the battlefield, if it's on the battlefield, it loses "enchant creature card in a graveyard" and gains "enchant creature put onto the battlefield with Animate Dead." Return enchanted creature card to the battlefield under your control and attach Animate Dead to it. When Animate Dead leaves the battlefield, that creature's controller sacrifices it.

So that will trigger twice. This means there will be 2 copies of that ability on the stack, and they will resolve one at a time.

When the first ability resolves, you will do these things in order:

Animate Dead loses "enchant creature card in a graveyard" and gains "enchant creature put onto the battlefield with Animate Dead."
You return enchanted creature card to the battlefield under your control and attach Animate Dead to it.
Then it sets up a delayed trigger for when Animate Dead leaves the battlefield.

When the second ability resolves, you will still go through these steps in order, although certain things will now not function the same:

Animate Dead loses "enchant creature card in a graveyard" and gains "enchant creature put onto the battlefield with Animate Dead."

Animate Dead didn't have the ability it's supposed to lose, so it won't lose anything. It will gain "enchant creature put onto the battlefield with Animate Dead" again, but having 2 of that ability is redundant.

You return enchanted creature card to the battlefield under your control and attach Animate Dead to it.

The enchanted creature card is already on the battlefield, and Animate Dead is already attached; so this instruction won't do anything extra.

Then it sets up a delayed trigger for when Animate Dead leaves the battlefield.

This will set up an additional delayed trigger, but that extra delayed trigger won't do anything special, because you won't be able to sacrifice the same creature twice.

Day of the Dead is exactly the same; all the relevant wording is identical.

Necromancy is different, however. Because it is not an aura spell, you do not choose a target as part of casting Necromancy. Instead, the triggered ability itself is what targets. This means that you will have 2 targeted triggered abilities on the stack, and you can choose a target for each ability when you put it on the stack. You could choose different targets for each one; which would allow you to return 2 creature cards to the battlefield. Necromancy will attach to the first one, then "move" and attach to the second one. The first one will remain, without Necromancy attached to it.


Am I allowed to take a red 5 after reaching?

I think most "official" rules will not allow you to do this. (For reference, I looked up the Japanese Mahjong rules from the European Mahjong association here.)

In principle, I think swapping tiles that do not change the wait structure would be allowed, but it is impossible to verify. In your example of swapping the 5 for the 8, all that is visible is the discarded 8. From an outsider perspective, it is possible that you completed a different meld and simply discarded an 8 from 5-6-7-8 in hand.

It also appears that the hidden kan/kong is allowed, but only when the pung is isolated and cannot be interpreted as a different set of melds (e.g., you cannot draw and complete a kong if you have 1-1-1, 2-2-2, 3-3-3, because those tiles could be interpreted as 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3).


Are you allowed to play a monster in face up defense position?

Is that correct?

Yes.

When you normal summon or set you can only do it in face up attack position, or face down defense position, respectively.

There is no thing as "face down attack position". There was before, on the Darkness Approaches card, but it had an errata that removed that effect.

You could however special summon a monster on face up defense position if it is possible. One example may be any Synchro, XYZ, or Fusion Summon you carry out, where you can select how to place that card (unless otherwise restricted).


Is there any card game where the cards' back color is meaningful?

Nertz requires a different color back (or back design) for each player to determine the score at the end of the game, so two-player Nertz would match your description.

  Each player (team) scores one point for each of their own cards that they managed to play into the common area. To determine this, the foundation piles have to be sorted out according to the owners of the cards - this is why it is necessary that the decks have different backs.


What board game does this die belong to?

The die belongs to the 2013 version of Taboo, which added the new "game-changer die". You can see it in the picture below along with the other components of the game:

As a game variation, you can roll the die before each round and have a chance to play with an alternate rule

T: Play with standard Taboo rules
Roman Column: You must be perfectly still, like a statue, while giving the clues. The person with the buzzer must turn the cards for you.
Two People: Both teams guess as you give the clues, but still give tallies separately
Clock x2: You get double the time and turn over the timer the first time it runs out.
One person: Only one person can guess during the round, instead of your whole team.


Llawanor Elves Trampled on desert Oasis. Act of God or Force of Nature?

Very simply, if the defending player activates the Circle of Protection choosing the Force of Nature, they lose no life, the attacking player gains 7 life, and the blocking Llanowar Elves dies. Alternatively, the attacking player can leave the Llanowar Elves alive and gain no life. Specifically, combat proceeds like this:

The Declare Attackers Step begins.

The active player declare Force of Nature as an attacker.

The Declare Blockers Step begins.

The defending player declares Llanowar Elves as the single blocker for Force of Nature.
The defending player taps Llanowar Elves for one mana, activate their Circle of Protection: Green choosing the Force of Nature, and activate Oasis targeting the Elves. This is their last opportunity to do those things before damage is dealt.

The Combat Damage Step begins.

The active player chooses how to assign Force of Nature's damage. If they're smart, they assign all of the damage to Llanowar Elves, because all of the damage assigned to the defending player will be prevented.
The defending player chooses how to assign Llanowar Elves' damage. The only choice is to assign a single point to Force of Nature.
Combat damage is dealt simultaneously. Force of Nature deals 7 damage to Llanowar Elves after 1 is prevented, and the active player gains 7 life. Llanowar Elves deals 1 damage to Force of Nature.
The active player gains priority and Llanowar Elves dies as a state based action because it has lethal damage.

Alternatively, step 3 could have gone like this (highlighting what's different)

The Combat Damage Step begins.

The active player chooses how to assign Force of Nature's damage. They assign 1 damage to Llanowar Elves and 7 damage to the defending player.
The defending player chooses how to assign Llanowar Elves' damage. The only choice is to assign a single point to Force of Nature.
Combat damage is dealt simultaneously. Force of Nature deals no damage to Llanowar Elves after 1 is prevented, no damage to the defending player after Circle of Protection's ability prevents it, and the active player gains no life. Llanowar Elves deals 1 damage to Force of Nature.
The active player gains priority, and nothing dies as a state based action.

Of course, the active player could also assign any amount of damage between 2 and 7 to Llanowar Elves and gain a corresponding amount of life.

As Ivo Beckers points out, if the Llanowar Elves somehow gained Banding, the defending player would choose how the Force of Nature's damage is assigned, which would allow them to choose the alternate option and save the Elves.

The rules for Trample specify exactly how Trample modifies damage assignment. Specifically, 702.19b says

  The controller of an attacking creature with trample first assigns damage to the creature(s) blocking it. Once all those blocking creatures are assigned lethal damage, any remaining damage is assigned as its controller chooses among those blocking creatures and the player or planeswalker the creature is attacking. When checking for assigned lethal damage, take into account damage already marked on the creature and damage from other creatures that’s being assigned during the same combat damage step, but not any abilities or effects that might change the amount of damage that’s actually dealt. The attacking creature’s controller need not assign lethal damage to all those blocking creatures but in that case can’t assign any damage to the player or planeswalker it’s attacking.


Can an opponent bolt a mana-generating creature to stop me from generating mana?

Your opponent would be better off waiting until later in your turn to kill your dork.

Llanowar Elves has a mana ability. This doesn't go on the stack, and thus cannot be responded to.

  605.3b An activated mana ability doesn't go on the stack, so it can't be targeted, countered, or otherwise responded to. Rather, it resolves immediately after it is activated. (See rule 405.6c.)

So your opponent doesn't even get the chance to bolt your creature before you get your mana. He can only bolt once he has priority, which presumably you won't pass until you perform whatever action it was you were tapping for mana for.

But even if it were a card like Nettle Drone, the ability would go on the stack, and when it resolved the damage would still be dealt. The ability itself will never be countered solely on the actions of your opponent, short of a Stifle effect that specifically counters the ability. It would only get countered if it would have got countered anyway (lack of targets, illegal targets).

So your opponent would be best off waiting to bolt your dude. You might play a creature that he'd rather bolt instead, or you might do something else that he might want to use the mana for. Once it's tapped, it would have to be untapped (something that -can- be responded to) and then he could bolt. If nothing else, he can bolt on end step.


Android netrunner: may I trash a card before I am forced to discard?

No because, unlike magic, Netrunner doesn't have a stack. Situations resolve in order the based on who's turn it is. If the corp spends a click to trash your resource you cannot "as a response" trash the resource for its ability. It is the corps turn so their click goes through first and by the time a paid ability window gets around for you to use the ability your resource is already gone.

Edit: As Andrew mentioned in the comments, there is one exception to this. Cards that have prevent or avoid as a "keyword" (most of these are related to damage and/or tags) CAN be used as a response.


How does losing a turn work in Arkham Horror?

Short Answer: Being lost in time and space means that during your next turn, you skip all phases, including Upkeep. The only exception is during that same turn's Movement Phase, you simply stand up your token.

Long Answer: Here is the text on what happens when lost in time and space (core rulebook, pg. 17):

  Any investigator who is lost in time and space is immediately moved to the Lost in Time and Space area of the board. The investigator is now delayed, and the player should place the investigator marker on its side. The investigator loses his next turn, remaining in the Lost in Time and Space area. The player may only stand his investigator marker back up during the Movement Phase. On the following turn, at the start of the Upkeep Phase, the player may move his investigator to any location or street area of his choice in Arkham.

So the order is as follows:

Immediately go to the Lost and Time and Space area and become delayed (place your character sideways to mark that, as usual).
During your next turn, stand your character up during the Movement phase as normal for being delayed. As an extra rule for Lost in Time and Space, you skip all other phases (this is what is meant by "lose your next turn"). There are no encounters you can take anyway so skipping the Encounter Phase is moot, and there is no Upkeep phase (good if you want to stay Blessed, bad if you were hoping for income from a Retainer). This is confirmed by a topic on the Fantasy Flight Arkham Horror forum.
During the Upkeep phase of the following turn, you move your investigator to any location or street area in Arkham and continue with your turn as normal.


Where can I find the story of Magic the Gathering?

I don't read them myself, but every year Wizards of the Coast releases novels which are a companion to the latest Magic sets/block.  If you want the complete "story behind the game", this is probably the best path to go down.

Here's a useful link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Magic:_The_Gathering_novels

The Magic Daily site also has quite a fun column called "Savor the Flavor" which contains essays on the latest sets from a storytelling and flavour perspective - you can't get a full picture of what's going on from reading it, I don't think, but it may appeal to someone who is interested in the ongoing story aspect of Magic, not just the mechanics of the game:

http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/Archive.aspx?tag=SavortheFlavor&description=Taste%20the%20Magic


How exactly do "start of turn" affects trigger

When the start of turn triggers happen at 1.2 every card currently in play which has a start of turn trigger tries to trigger. Since it's the runner's turn, their effects go first. The runner can choose the order of their own effects, so you can gain a credit from data folding, and then use that credit to pay to install something off The Supplier.

What you cannot do is install something off The Supplier / Personal Workshop and then have that newly installed card trigger a start of turn ability; it wasn't in play for the start of turn signal, and so has missed it's chance.

So you are correct, and the Data Folding wouldn't have given him any money for that turn.


Is a player forced to cast a spell which originally had an illegal target?

To answer your last sentence first, the particular violations each player made are straightforward according to the Magic Infraction Procedure Guide (IPG). This is the document that defines various tournament infractions, as well as the proper remedies at Competitive and Professional Rules Enforcement Levels. At Regular REL, such as Friday Night Magic, the IPG doesn't technically apply, but the fix the judge gives will likely not be significantly different.

The player who cast the Temporal Mastery and didn't exile it committed a Game Play Error—Game Rule Violation (IPG 2.5) for not resolving his/her spell completely. The other player has committed a Game Play Error—Failure to Maintain Game State (IPG 2.6) by failing to notice this. The judge should give both players a Warning.

Regarding the game state, there are four categories with specific fixes listed. Quoting one of them:

  If an object is in an incorrect zone either due to a required zone change being missed or due to being put into the wrong zone during a zone change, the identity of the object was known to all players, and it can be moved with only minor disruption to the state of the game, put the object in the correct zone.

Nothing more specific is given about altering the game state, but the judge has discretion to perform a minor backup or leave the state as is. Since the Temporal Mastery should never have been a legal target, I'd guess most judges would backup the cast of the Surgical Extraction so it never happened, then perform the fix of exiling Temporal Mastery, but the exact fix is somewhat at the discretion of the judge. If he decides a backup would be too disruptive of the game state and they should play on, it's his call.


If I cast Reality Ripple with Eon Hub out, is the target Permanently phased out?

Yes. From the comprehensive rules:

  702.25m If an effect causes a player to skip his or her untap step, the phasing event simply doesn’t occur that turn.

If by 'permanently' you mean 'until something is done about the thing that prevents untap steps', yes.
However, if that thing is removed, untap steps will happen again, and phased out permanents will phase back in.


Jace, Telepath Unbound and Casting a Spell from the Graveyard

I don't know how MTG Duels exactly works but my guess is this, the card says

  You may cast target instant or sorcery card from your graveyard this turn

Which means that you are able to target a card in your graveyard but decide to not cast it. After this ability resolves you still have to manually cast it from your graveyard. You have the entire turn for that. It doesn't automatically get cast when the ability resolves.


The changing of player order is accomplished via use of the Kings Camp. During Placement phase, players can place a worker in the Kings Camp. The first player to play a worker in the Kings Camp puts the worker on the space with the "1" on it. The second player puts their worker on the space with a "2". Each player may only place the maximum of 1 worker in the Kings Camp.

Resolution of player order then occurs in the next phase (as part of the Collection phase). The first player to place then gets to decide which player order they want to be. If they already control the number they wanted, they simply turn it over (to the gray side). Otherwise, they switch their crest with another player and then turn their crest over to the gray side. NOTE: the player whose crest was swapped remains with the colored side up.

If a second player had a worker in the Kings Camp, they now can swap with any player except the player who's crest has the colored side up (i.e. they can't claim the crest # from the player who went before them in the Kings Camp). This continues until all players in the Kings Camp have had an opportunity to act.

After the Collections phase ends, all players now turn their crests so that the colored side is facing up. Now the Action phase now begins. However the order of this phase is determined by the player order as shown on the crests. Thus the player with the crest #1 now acts first, taking all of their actions, followed by the player with crest #2, etc.

This new player order will also be in effect during the placement phase of the next round.


How do you select wonders at the beginning of a 7 Wonders game?

Default rule is that playing cards are provided within the box and players pick from them in the usual random way. Also when they turn the card face up, they play the the side of the letter which is up (i.e. if A letter on the card is upwards they play A)

From my personal experience and based on opinions of people I play it with - It doesn't matter if you mix A and B together. B side is intended for advanced players, A is intended for beginners (with A side Giza and Rhodos as ideal starting wonders for novices).
Sure, we may argue that B side is stronger and, in the hands of experienced player, it probably is - but the main game "magic" happens through card deal and player's actions within their chosen strategy.
Also it is a matter of personal preference - e.g. I love playing for B side of Babylon, which most of the people I play it with do not like.

As for the third question - no, not really, as it makes only minimal difference for the base game without expansions, which I believe that you refer to. What we do sometimes is that before we choose wonders to play, we randomize an order in which we sit around the table, as we believe, that particular people as your neighbors in the game can make difference.


Can "loss of life" abilities be triggered by combat and/or direct damage?

I'm not sure to which card you're referring, but consider the wording of Archfiend of Despair:

  At the beginning of each end step, each opponent loses life equal to the life that player lost this turn. (Damage causes loss of life.)

So combat damage and direct damage do cause loss of life. One of the main differences is that there are several cards preventing combat and/or direct damage, but only very few prevent loss of life (usually worded as 'your life total can't change').


Monopoly Deal Wild Property and paying debts

Yes, they are able to (and indeed must) withhold the card. This follows from the fact that the card cannot be used to pay rent (as you cite) and that

  If you have no cards in front of you worth any monetary amount shown on the corner of the card, you do not pay anything.

(Quoted from this site)


Are ships unable to heal between battles when multiple parties are present in the same hex?

You are correct. Ships are not repairing in between battles between players on a single hex.
Repairing ships is done at the end of the entire combat phase along with drawing reputation tiles and placing influence disks. (page 21 of the rules).


Can I keep on pumping Phyrexian Devourer?

Yes, you can achieve what you want by activating Phyrexian Devourer's second ability and Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord's second ability in response to Phyrexian Devourer's first ability.

Most abilities trigger when when an event occurs. This one is different.

  603.8. Some triggered abilities trigger when a game state (such as a player controlling no permanents of a particular card type) is true, rather than triggering when an event occurs. These abilities trigger as soon as the game state matches the condition. They’ll go onto the stack at the next available opportunity. These are called state triggers. (Note that state triggers aren’t the same as state-based actions.) A state-triggered ability doesn’t trigger again until the ability has resolved, has been countered, or has otherwise left the stack. Then, if the object with the ability is still in the same zone and the game state still matches its trigger condition, the ability will trigger again.
  Example: A permanent’s ability reads, “Whenever you have no cards in hand, draw a card.” If its controller plays the last card from his or her hand, the ability will trigger once and won’t trigger again until it has resolved. If its controller casts a spell that reads “Discard your hand, then draw that many cards,” the ability will trigger during the spell’s resolution because the player’s hand was momentarily empty.

Because Phyrexian Devourer's first ability won't go on stack as long as it's already on the stack, you can freely activate its second ability as many times as you want in response to its first ability.

Activate Phyrexian Devourer's second ability.
Let it resolve.

Phyrexian Devourer gains +1/+1 counters.

[...]
Activate Phyrexian Devourer's second ability.
Let it resolve.

Phyrexian Devourer gains +1/+1 counters.

Phyrexian Devourer's first ability triggers.

Place Phyrexian Devourer's first ability on the stack and retain priority.
Activate Phyrexian Devourer's second ability (in response to its first).
Let it resolve.

Phyrexian Devourer gains +1/+1 counters.

[...]
Activate Phyrexian Devourer's second ability (in response to its first).
Let it resolve.

Phyrexian Devourer gains +1/+1 counters.

[...]
Activate Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord second ability (in response to Phyrexian Devourer's first).
Let it resolve.

Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord causes your opponents to lose a bucktetload of life.

Let Phyrexian Devourer's first ability resolve.

It does nothing.


Anyone know what game uses these six-sided dice with letters and a dart-like glyph on them?

While trying to track this down, I found a patent that describes something very similar to this. This die may be a further iteration of the idea described here: http://www.freepatentsonline.com/y2018/0021669.html


Can you raise the CMC with Geist-Fueled Scarecrow?

Yes, Horribly Awry will still counter your Sylvan Messenger.  (And so to answer the title question, no you can't raise the CMC of a spell.)  Geist-Fueled Scarecrow adds an additional cost, but this doesn't affect either the mana cost or the converted mana cost of the spell:

  202.4. Any additional cost listed in an object’s rules text or imposed by an effect isn’t part of the mana cost. (See rule 601, “Casting Spells.”) Such costs are paid at the same time as the spell’s other costs.


what is the maximum number of achievements a player can have in an 2-player innovation game?

I think I have a way (assuming that you get to finish your action).

Dogma on computers, melds self-service. (universe achievement) and splays a color up (wonder). self services is used to dogma socialism (monument, empire and world follow from tucking many cards)


Identify this card game, where you have to beat previous cards put on the table

It is called President and goes by many different other names, most of which are better not mentioned here. A rule you forgot to mention is that the winning player(s) from last round get the best cards of the loosing player(s).

Here you can find all the details with many variants


Can one creature block multiple attacks?

No, one creature cannot be chosen to block multiple attackers (unless otherwise specified on the card, like Avatar of Hope). Each blocking creature may be assigned to one attacking creature. The rule, as you've pointed out, states (emphasis mine):

  509.1a The defending player chooses which creatures that he or she controls, if any, will block. The
  chosen creatures must be untapped. For each of the chosen creatures, the defending player
  chooses one creature for it to block that’s attacking him, her, or a planeswalker he or she
  controls.

The rule starts out by saying that the defender chooses all creatures that will block. Declaring all blockers at the same time is important. The defending player then assigns each blocker to one creature to block. Since all blockers are declared at the same time, it cannot be assigned to block one creature multiple times; each blocker is assigned to one attacker when blockers are declared.


Does Rayami, First of the Fallen exile itself?

Yes.

The first paragraph creates a replacement effect. A replacement effect changes what happens as it happens, rather than reacting to it like a triggered ability does.

When Rayami, First of the Fallen would die (would be moved to the graveyard from the battlefield), it must necessarily be on the battlefield. As such, it is subject to its own ability.

Put differently, a game of Magic is a sequence of discrete states. This means that a creature that dies is on the battlefield one instant, and in the graveyard (or exile) the next. It's never in between. That means that Rayami must be on the battlefield when you decide to where to move it (because it couldn't possibly be in the graveyard or exile already).

Of course, if Rayami is your Commander, you don't have to exile it; you could choose to move it to the Command Zone instead. In that situation, you'd have two replacement effects vying to change Rayami's destination, so you get to apply the effects in the order of your choice (though the order doesn't matter here).


Can you throw animals into the stewpot if you don't have enough pasture room for any of them?

Yes, you can cook them directly. From the rulebook, p.9:

  1 Sheep (Stage 1): Place 1 Sheep on this space in the Replenish phase (Phase 2) of each round. A player who selects this action takes all the Sheep from the Action
  space and must either put them into his farmyard or use an Improvement
  to turn them into food. Sheep that cannot be pastured or turned into Food are returned to the general supply.

The same applies to the other animal spaces.

This is an important tactical option. The threat of having all the sheep grabbed and devoured often forces a player with pastures to pick the sheep up sooner than they might like.

So in your example, yes you may cook three and keep one, or cook all four immediately, at your discretion.

On the other hand, during harvest you may not send a newly bred animal straight to the stew pot if you don't have room.

On p.4 of the rules:

  Baby animals and parent animals may not be converted into Food immediately after the birth(for example, if you only have room for two animals of that type); they simply run away if they cannot be accommodated.


Infractions/Player Communication - Infernal Tutor and Lion's Eye Diamond

There is no way to give absolute answers to some of those scenarios in a vacuum on the internet.  I agree with Hackworth's answer as far as the 'most correct' interpretation based on the rules absent any other information, but you did ask about player communication in a CREL event.  Judges are in fact required to, well, apply judgement in some situations and there is not always a 100% correct answer or 100% repeatability.

Taking scenario C, it could be:

1) Storm player is leaning forward over table looking down, holding his hand of cards, taps a swamp and puts down a Ritual and a Tutor, still leaning forward, without looking up, grabs pen with other hand to mark paper then reaches for LEDs.  Opponent says some possibly more polite version of "Haha, you forgot to explicitly retain priority, picking up the pen isn't a game action so it implies you were done casting, GG sucker."  Storm Player calls for judge.

2) Storm player puts down Ritual and Tutor, leans back in chair, puts down hand of cards, makes eye contact with opponent, then picks up pen, marks, then reaches for LEDs.  Opponent calls for judge.

As much as we'd like paper magic to be an absolute black and white game as if we were on MODO, these are different situations and some judges will treat them differently.  That's the reality of a situation that has three human participants.  (Further compounded by the fact that the judge probably didn't actually witness it personally!)  If a head judge gives you a ruling on the day-of, that is the ruling.  "Some guy on the internet said XYZ" will get you nothing but reminded not to argue with judges.


Help identify an old board game with three rooms in a castle and a ghost

It appears to be Le Fantôme des Mac Gregor
Since this one appears to have been published in 2005 this is probably a reprint and might have some rule changes.


How many accessories can a mouse equip in Mice and Mystics

This BGG thread contains confirmation from the game's designer that you can equip as many accessories at once as you want.


The wording on the exploding kitten card from the rules

  You must show this card immediately. Unless you have a Defuse card, you’re dead. Discard all of your cards, including the Exploding Kitten.

That wording does not indicate that it only happens when you draw it from the deck. So no matter how the card gets into your hand, once it is in there you will have to follow the instructions for it.


Website / software for playing bridge against computer, but partnering with a human

Bridgebase Online will do this. They call their computer players "robots". "Advanced" robots are $1/day, "Basic" ones are $1/week. The advanced ones are slower and stronger. I recall that they once offered free robot access one day per month, but it's not mentioned in the FAQ.


Can I cast a spell after a certain part of the stack is resolved in MTG?

Initially I forgot that Snapcaster Mage has Flash. Oops.

Yes you can do this. The resolution goes like this.

Fireball is cast, put on the stack.
In response, you put Snapcaster Mage on the stack. (Which you can only do, of course, because it has Flash and can be cast as an instant.)
You put nothing more on the stack, your opponent declines to put anything else on the stack.
Because both players pass priority, stack starts resolving in Last In First Out order. Snapcaster Mage resolves.
Triggered ability of Snapcaster Mage is put on the stack. You choose Mana Leak as the target.
Both players pass priority. Last effect on stack resolves, Mana Leak gains flashback.
As Mana Leak is an instant (IMPORTANT) you can now pay the flashback cost (in this case same as the casting cost) to put Mana Leak on the stack.
Both players pass priority. Mana Leak resolves.
Your opponent must now pay {3} or Fireball is countered.

The important bit to remember is that yes, as usual, you can put spells/effects on the stack at any time even after spells have started to be resolved, as long as said spells/effects can be cast at "instant speed", not "sorcery speed".

The comprehensive rule which answers your question "Can I really do this after the resolving of spells on the stack has begun?" is 116.3. which determines when players have priority and I will paraphrase:

Active player gets priority at the beginning of steps and phases (after "beginning of" triggered abilities are put on the stack.)
Active player gets priority after a spell/ability on the stack resolves.
A player gets priority after they put a spell/ability on the stack.
If a player passes priority, the next player in turn order receives priority.

So the priority rules make it clear that there is always a chance to respond even after spells on the stack start resolving.


When you're looking at games like Monopoly or Chutes and Ladders, you're looking for fairness and equality.  Everyone is at the mercy of the dice, and you should take the dice you roll (and the probability of something happening) into account when you roll them.

Taking Monopoly, for instance, you have spaces that are your usual spaces (which are your property tiles).  When making a game with that in mind, and the fact that you want something to happen every now and then, you should space things out so the chance that someone will land on an action space is even enough.  A roll of a 1d6 (one six sided die) is going to be much more different then 2d6.  In fact, a 2d6 is going to be even more wildly different then a 1d12, since a 1d12 is all consistent (given the die isn't weighted) while 2d6 will produce more 7's than anything.

You have to also weigh in on if you want both negative and positive effects, only negative effects, how bad those are, ect...  This all plays into how 'randomly' your spaces are hit.  And, again, I will stress that the players have to be treated fairly in this regard.  Since they cannot choose a path or how many spaces they move, you remove the tactical and strategic thinking from that aspect of the game.  If it's something simple, like a child's game, then this makes sense.  If it's more of an advanced game, you need to bake some tactics or decision making into the event spaces.


Card game based on dropping 3 of a kind or minimum of a 3 card straight flush

I used to play this game with my grandma, we called it "combinations", but I am not sure about the real name.

Rummy have tons of variations, maybe you can find it here:
https://www.rummypassion.com/rummy-wiki/rummy-game


Tak - Do you still win, if in creating your road, you also created a road for the other player?

From the rules for Tak on Cheapass Games' website (page 2):

  Double Road: If a player creates a winning road for both players in the same move, then the active  player is the winner.

If you create a road win for both players on your turn, you still win the game.


What happens if Krosan Verge does not have a land of the specific type to pull?

You can get just a plains from your library without also finding a forest.

If a card instructs you to search for something specific (in this case, "a Forest card" and "a Plains card"), you can "fail to find" and simply take nothing out of your library. If you are searching for two or more cards, as in this situation, you can find one but not the other, so in the specific case you describe, you can get just a plains from your library and put it onto the battlefield.

This is covered by rule 701.18b:

  If a player is searching a hidden zone for cards with a stated quality, such as a card with a certain card type or color, that player isn’t required to find some or all of those cards even if they’re present in that zone.


In Catan, can I ask how many cards are in a player's hand?

Per the Settlers of Catan FAQ here:

  Is it true that the number of cards in your hand is always open and
  available information? Specifically, should it be readily apparent how
  many development cards you have, but have not yet played? Or can you
  hide the resource cards under the table or in your pocket so that no
  one can see how many cards you have?

  Yes. The quantity of cards you have in your hand is public
  information. But the identity of those cards is not. If another player
  asks, for example, how may resource cards do you have, right before he
  moves the robber, you must tell him truthfully the number of resource
  cards you have in your hand. The same goes for Development or Progress
  cards. The number of each type of card (resource, development, etc.)
  that you have is public knowledge at all times. (But, not the specific
  cards, i.e. wood, sheep, rock…)

It's a terrible idea to allow players to dissimulate about the number of cards in their hand.  For one thing, it means that unscrupulous types could pretend they didn't need to lose resources to the robber.  For another, it runs the risk of creating a situation where everyone has to keep track on paper or mentally of what everyone else draws just to make sensible plays, and that would be a big waste of time and effort.


How is the panic card affected by Range?

Yes, you can use a panico card to take a card from someone who is two places away from you if you have a scope.
 As per page 7 of the bang rules:

  Panic!

  The symbols state: “Draw
  a card” from “a player at
  distance 1”. Remember that this distance is not modified by
  weapons, but only by cards such as Mustang and/or Scope.

Remember there is a difference between "number of places a player is away from you" and "range". Consequently, I would probably word your example a little differently:

Panico only works on players who are at range 1 from you.
If you have a scope (and no one else has any range affecting cards), the two players to your left (and the two players to your right) are both at range 1 (range can never go below 1), so you can panico from any of those four players.

I think wording it this way is less confusing - you can never panico cards from someone who is at range two - but, you can reduce the range of a player who is two places away to range 1, by using a scope.

Similarly, if your neighbour has a mustang, yes, they will be at range two, and no, you cannot use a panico card to take a card from them.

As an aside, remember that range adjusting cards stack - say you have a scope, and your immediate neighbour (Jane) to the left has both a mustang and a hideout, while the player to her left (Bob) has no blue cards.

Jane's range from you is 2:  1 for the number of places, +1 for the hideout, +1 for the mustang, -1 for your scope. You cannot panico from her, even though she is one place away.
Bob's range from you is 1: 2 for the number of places, -1 for your scope. You can panico a card from him, even though he is two places away, past Jane.

Just remember each card in play in front of you needs to be unique (amongst your tabled cards). But, you can have cards with a duplicate effect in play, as long as they have different names.


What is the smallest territory in go that can be successfully invaded?

I've seen and played a version of this were you put the black stones along the center lines of a regular 19x19 board so you carve out a 9x9 space. White is then supposed to create a living group inside. For players of equal strength this is approximately a fair game. I'm not sure what the result of perfect play for either side would be but I'm pretty sure this is the edge case. So 8x8 should be killable if both sides know what they are doing and 10x10 should live. The interesting lines of play for a 9x9 space usually start with white playing the 3-3 point and black answering on the 2-2 point.