Ticket to Ride

Easy to learn and play but hard to master. This is the description that all puzzle and strategy type games strive for. Ticket to Ride is a very easy game to learn and play. A perfect intoductory to the world of Euro Games. Almost abstract this puzzle/strategy train game plays very well in almost perfect 60 minutes each time.

Players stars off with 4 train cards and 3 tickets (players may discard one). The ticket deck and the train deck is set aside. 5 cards from the train deck is displayed face open. The goal is to get the most points. Each turn Players get to do one of 3 things:

Claim a route

Draw 2 train cards* (blind draw or from open face cards, if player draws a wild card from open face cards then draw only one) *One at a time and immediately replaced.

or take 3 tickets and discard up to two.

Players discard sets of cards equal to the colour and number of tracks on the board (map of North America). Players gets points based on the chart and the number of tracks he or she claims. To get more points players has to fulfil their tickets by connecting the 2 cities on their ticket. Failing to do so results in negative points based on the ticket.

The player with the longest track gets a special 10 points ticket.

Game ends when one player has 2 or less trains left. Each other players gets their last turn and the tally begins.

Overall this game is very simple. It has its flaws for example the cards used are not standard sized cards and the luck of the ticket plays a lot in predetermining the winner. But the game is perfect for an easy enjoyable game, a game to teach beginners and newcomers, and when you have only an hour to play.