Special rules for playing with 2 players
Special rules for 2 players
When playing with 2 players, use all the normal rules, but with the following changes: there is a third, imaginary player, that we have named Alea (= “a lucky energetic adversary").
The preparation for 2 players is identical to that for 3 and 4 players. For Alea, there is no preparation, except that all the skyscrapers in one of the two unchosen colors are placed next to the board in the general skyscraper supply. These are Alea’s skyscrapers.
Playing the game is nearly identical; only the auctions are played differently: and only here,Alea competes against the other players in each auction for building in the districts in the following way:
1.) First, the player who triggered the auctions begins the auction or passes as in the 3 or 4 player game.
2.) Next, the second player makes his first bid or passes as in the 3 or 4 player game.
3.) Always, as the third bidder, comes Alea: for Alea’s bid, the players draw black cards, one after the other, placing each face up on the table until they draw and place a card with the same number as one already drawn and placed.
This is Alea’s complete bid for the auction and will total between 8 and 21 (see figure to the right). He will bid no higher!
4.1)If Alea’s bid is less than or equal to the highest bid so far, he is out of the auction and the auction continues with the two real players as in the 3 or 4 player game.
4.2)If Alea’s bid is now higher than the previous high bid, the auction continues
with the two real players as in the 3 or 4 player game. If the others both pass with Alea’s bid the highest,Alea wins the auction. If one (or both) real players overbid Alea’s bid, then Alea is out of the bidding for this auction.
In any case,Alea’s bid cards are put on the bottom of the black stack after the auction.
If Alea wins in Central Park, he does not build. If Alea wins in a district, he builds in the district using his skyscrapers from the general supply with these rules:
zAlea always builds 1 skyscraper on a building plot, rega rdless of the number of skyscrapers shown on his bid cards.
zAlea always builds on an empty building plot, even if he has already built skyscrapers in this district with a previous auction. As an exception to the real players, Alea may build in different building plots in a district.
zAlea always chooses the most valuable building plot (the one that would score the most points) to build his skyscraper. If there is more than one building plot that would tie for highest score, he builds 1 skyscraper in each such building plot!
in a game with 2 players, there is a third, imaginary player: Alea
all is the same except for the auctions, where Alea competes as a third bidder; he draws black cards until he draws a duplicate number - these cards are his total bid
Alea’s possible combinations:
if Alea wins a district auction, he builds
zalways only 1 skyscraper in a building plot
zalways in an
empty building plot
zalways in the most valuable empty building plots
Example: Alea [red] would build as shown above.fig.13
z If Alea wins an auction for a district with no empty building plots, he | Note: Alea never scores victory |
declares a building stop in this district.The 2 real players score points as in | points, neither when scoring |
the 3 or 4 player game. | districts, a building stop, nor at |
| game end. |
When a player wins an auction, he pays and builds as in the 3 or 4 player game. |
|
When a player declares a building stop in a district, he scores Alea’s skyscrapers as |
|
well as those of the 2 real players. |
|
The game ends as in the 3 or 4 player game when the business supply row is |
|
empty or the second building stop is completed. |
|
11
