Author Topic: Leaving gaps on the board game (Read 1860 times)

OlivierWery · « **on:** March 24, 2020, 03:35:54 PM »

Hi Everyone
Quick question, to which we can't seem to find a clear answer. We play the standard game + River + Princess and Dragon + Cathedral and Inns.
We seems to argue when one of us has a chance to finish a city but it would mean leaving a gap on the board as per the picture attached.
Could someone please clarify if it is allowed?

Linkback: http://www.carcassonnecentral.com/community/index.php?topic=4567.0

Meepledrone · « **Reply #1 on:** March 24, 2020, 03:56:04 PM »

Hi OlivierWery,

Welcome to the forum! Hope you enjoy a lot all the contents and discussions you may find here.

Although leaving a gap in the game board is always ugly to the eye, it is perfectly valid.

Cheers!

Decar · « **Reply #2 on:** March 25, 2020, 03:09:14 AM »

Welcome to Carcassonne Central Olivier!

It's a very important part of Carcassonne strategy to leave pieces incomplete.
The rules do not require you to complete features, and especially not for other players.
Tiles can be placed anywhere where it connects to the existing board and so that all of the edges that do connect to the board match their neighbouring tiles (Field to Field, City to City, Road to Road, River to River).

It's great fun when you figure out that certain tiles are no longer available, and your opponent won't get their meeple back this game

Sinscerly · « **Reply #3 on:** March 31, 2020, 03:42:03 AM »

Welcome to the forum. Hope you may find all you need here.

Exactly this I wanted to say, you take the words out my mouth:

Quote from: Decar on March 25, 2020, 03:09:14 AM

It's great fun when you figure out that certain tiles are no longer available, and your opponent won't get their meeple back this game

This is of course all strategy, when playing with the abbey, you could fill the gabs easier.

t2k · « **Reply #4 on:** June 01, 2020, 02:53:08 PM »

OlivierWery,

There is no rule in Carcassonne that disallows gaps if a feature is complete and does not violate the placement rules. Those "gaps" are a form of strategy, also. Completing a feature and leaving a gap where further tile placement is impossible, is a strategy. The player that claimed a feature they can't complete won't like it, but it's legal.

Game rules are like the clause in a devil's contract, "Anything excluded is deemed included". In plain English, if it doesn't say you can't, then you can.

It doesn't really work that way in life, but this is gaming.

Bumsakalaka · « **Reply #5 on:** June 01, 2020, 03:29:02 PM »

Quote from: t2k on June 01, 2020, 02:53:08 PM

Game rules are like the clause in a devil's contract, "Anything excluded is deemed included". In plain English, if it doesn't say you can't, then you can.

Funny thing.
You plain english explanation is a main principe of european continental law, which becomes from Ancient Roman law (if I remember my school lessons correctly).
Anyway, this is absolutely different as basic law principes in UK and U.S.

Paul · « **Reply #6 on:** June 02, 2020, 03:35:20 PM »

Gaps certainly was an option when we played with 10.007 tiles in one game as we played with real basic rules. But I filled any gap I could find to save space, and still won.

danisthirty · « **Reply #7 on:** June 02, 2020, 04:00:30 PM »

Welcome to the forums OlivierWery, and thanks for sharing that awesome photo of your game!

As most of the others above have already pointed out, if the rules don't say you can't then you can (within reason!) so making holes is perfectly legitimate.

If you think it might be of use/ interest, feel free to refer to our Carcassonne FAQ for any other clarifications (your questions is point #6

)

Have fun!

shushman · « **Reply #8 on:** June 15, 2020, 09:16:49 AM »

Halflings might help.

Meepledrone · « **Reply #9 on:** June 15, 2020, 10:38:53 AM »

Hi shushman!

Welcome to the forum... So you are a Halflings fan? Don't say that in a loud voice here.

So what are you up to regarding Carcassonne? Are you a seasoned player or a newcomer? Do you play classic edition or new one? Any prefered combination of expasnions?... Or are you a base game player... like Danisthirty?

Cheers!