Tournament (Cornucopia)

Tournament Strategy Guide

Tournament is a fascinating $4 Action card from Cornucopia that creates unique gameplay dynamics and offers access to powerful Prize cards. This guide will explore how to effectively utilize Tournament, when to pursue a Tournament strategy, and how to navigate the various decision points it presents.

1. Basic Mechanics and Prizes

First, let's understand what Tournament does and what Prizes are available:

Tournament gives you: - +1 Action (always) - A choice to reveal a Province if you have one - If you reveal a Province: gain a Prize or Duchy to top of deck - If no other player reveals a Province: +1 Card, +$1

The available Prizes are: - Followers (Action, $0): +2 Cards, +1 Action, each other player discards down to 3 cards and gains a Curse - Princess (Action, $0): +$2, while this is in play, cards cost $2 less - Trusty Steed (Action, $0): Choose two: +2 Cards, +2 Actions, +$2, or gain 4 Silvers - Diadem (Treasure, $0): Worth $2, +$1 per unused Action you have - Bag of Gold (Action, $0): +1 Action, gain a Gold to top of deck

1. Core Tournament Strategies

2.1 Early Game Approach

The early game with Tournament typically follows one of two paths:

a) Rush Strategy - Buy Tournament as soon as possible - Acquire a single Province early (around $8-$9) - Use that Province repeatedly with Tournament to gain Prizes - This approach sacrifices some economy for faster Prize acquisition

b) Economic Build - Build to consistent $8 first - Buy Tournament when convenient - Get Province naturally through strong economy - More stable but slower Prize acquisition

2.2 Province Management

Proper Province management is crucial for Tournament success: - Don't discard your Province unless you can gain a valuable Prize - Consider keeping Province if opponents also have Tournament - Sometimes worth buying an extra Province just for Tournament - Track opponent's ability to reveal Provinces

1. Prize Selection Strategy

3.1 First Prize Priority

The first Prize you gain is often the most important decision:

Followers - Best first Prize if: - Multiple opponents - Attack cards are allowed - You need deck control - Provides both offense and cycling

Princess - Best first Prize if: - You plan to buy multiple expensive cards - Strong payload cards exist in kingdom - Cost reduction synergies available

Trusty Steed - Best first Prize if: - You need immediate economy boost - Your deck lacks actions or draw - Silver gain valuable in kingdom

Bag of Gold - Best first Prize if: - You need reliable treasure - Top-deck matters - Gold is particularly valuable

Diadem - Best first Prize if: - You have surplus actions - Kingdom lacks other +$ cards - Terminal draw heavy strategy

3.2 Subsequent Prize Selection

Later Prize choices should complement your strategy: - Consider how Prizes interact with each other - Look for synergies with your existing deck - Think about counter-plays to opponent's strategies

1. Timing and Tempo

4.1 When to Play Tournament

Optimal Tournament play timing: - Early in your turn if seeking draw/coin bonus - Later if you want Prize on top for next turn - Consider opponent's Tournament status - May want to wait if opponent likely has Province

4.2 Tempo Considerations

Tournament affects game pace: - Early Prizes can accelerate your deck - Province revealing slows victory point accumulation - Balance Prize acquisition vs. traditional strategy - Consider whether to compete for Prizes

1. Synergies and Combinations

5.1 Strong Synergies

Tournament works particularly well with:

Deck Inspection - Warehouse - Patrol - Scout - Helps find Provinces reliably

Province Acquisition - Expand - Governor - Trading Post - Helps get Provinces earlier

Card Recovery - Haven - Archive - Treasury - Helps reuse Provinces

5.2 Prize Synergies

Notable Prize combinations:

Princess + Other Prizes - Makes subsequent Prizes free - Enables multiple Prize plays - Strong with expensive kingdom cards

Diadem + Action Generators - Village variants - Festival - Market - Maximizes Diadem value

Followers + Trusty Steed - Strong deck control - Flexible options - Good economy

1. Counter-Play and Competition

6.1 Defending Against Tournament

Ways to counter Tournament strategies:

Direct Competition - Get your own Tournament - Race for Provinces - Deny Prize opportunities

Alternative Strategies - Go for faster VP routes - Attack deck consistency - Push Province pile

6.2 Tournament Wars

When multiple players have Tournament: - First Province reveal is crucial - Consider holding Province defensively - May need multiple Provinces - Timing becomes more important

1. Kingdom Considerations

7.1 Favorable Kingdoms

Tournament shines with: - Strong card draw - Province gainers - Deck filtering - Action chains - Cost reduction

7.2 Unfavorable Kingdoms

Tournament struggles against: - Heavy attacks - Fast alternate VP - Cursing - Lack of +Buy - Poor economy

1. Common Mistakes to Avoid

8.1 Strategic Errors

• Over-committing to Tournament strategy
• Revealing Province too early
• Poor Prize selection
• Neglecting basic economy
• Ignoring opponent's capabilities

8.2 Tactical Mistakes

• Playing Tournament too late in turn
• Discarding Province without clear benefit
• Failing to track opponent's Provinces
• Neglecting alternative victory paths

• Poor Prize timing

• Advanced Techniques

9.1 Province Cycling

Methods to reuse Provinces: - Deck drawing strategies - Haven/Archive effects - Careful discard timing - Trading Post loops

9.2 Prize Chaining

Maximizing Prize effectiveness: - Princess first for cost reduction - Multiple Prize plays per turn - Prize sequencing - Action management

1. Specific Kingdom Analyses

10.1 Strong Kingdoms

Example strong Tournament kingdom: - Village - Library - Market - Trading Post - Workshop Enables consistent Province finding and Prize use

10.2 Weak Kingdoms

Example weak Tournament kingdom: - Militia - Bureaucrat - Gardens - Curse-givers - Terminal draw Makes Tournament unreliable and slow

1. Game Phase Considerations

11.1 Opening Phase

Priority decisions: - Tournament vs. economy - Province acquisition timing - First Prize selection - Competition assessment

11.2 Mid-Game

Key focuses: - Prize accumulation - Deck development - Province management - Opponent tracking

11.3 End-Game

Critical choices: - Prize vs. Province gaining - Timing game end - Victory point calculation - Final Prize utility

1. Conclusion

Tournament is a powerful card that requires careful strategic planning and execution. Success depends on: - Proper timing of Province acquisition and revelation - Smart Prize selection and utilization - Balanced economic development - Awareness of opponent's capabilities - Kingdom context understanding

The card rewards skilled play and adaptation, offering multiple paths to victory through Prize acquisition while maintaining traditional deck-building considerations. Master these elements to maximize Tournament's potential in your games.

Key Takeaways: 1. Early Tournament acquisition often crucial 2. Province management is essential 3. Prize selection should match strategy 4. Balance Prize pursuit with victory path 5. Consider kingdom context carefully 6. Adapt to opponent's strategies 7. Maintain strong economic foundation 8. Time Tournament plays carefully

With proper understanding and application of these principles, Tournament can be a powerful engine for victory in appropriate kingdoms while avoiding the common pitfalls of over-commitment to its strategy.