For many board gamers, how to win Ticket to Ride and the quest to build the most impressive rail network and claim the longest routes is an obsession. Ticket to Ride is a modern classic that scratches that itch perfectly with its elegant design and endless replayability.
However, simply understanding the rules is just the first step – to truly master this game requires a strategic mindset and keen skills. In this guide, we’ll explore advanced tactics that can elevate your play and put you on the path to victory.
Check out our review of Ticket to Ride: Legends of the West Here
Charting Your Course: Planning Efficient Routes
Proper route planning is the foundation of any successful Ticket to Ride strategy. A well-designed network can earn you a massive score, while a haphazard approach will leave you struggling to complete your destinations and wasting precious trains.
Here are some in-depth tips for mapping out a winning strategy:
The Quest for the Continent-Spanning Route
When planning out how to win Ticket to Ride, your primary objective should be to identify and claim one long, high-scoring route that spans a significant portion of the map. These epic cross-country routes are the backbone of your strategy, yielding a substantial point haul and allowing you to control large sections of the board.
Some prime examples of these coveted continent-spanning routes include:
- Los Angeles to New York (21 points)
- Portland to Nashville (17 points)
- Vancouver to Montreal (20 points)
- San Francisco to Boston (20 points)
Securing one of these long routes early on is crucial, as it not only provides a massive point boost but also makes it easier to connect smaller routes along the way. However, be prepared for stiff competition, as savvy opponents will also be vying for control of these key arteries.
Complementary Connections
While your epic cross-country route should be the main focus, it’s also wise to keep one or two shorter routes in mind that can connect to your long route. This reduces the total number of routes you need to complete and maximizes the efficiency of your train placements.
For example, if you’ve claimed the Los Angeles to New York route, you could complement it with shorter routes like:
- Denver to Oklahoma City (4 points)
- Kansas City to Little Rock (5 points)
- El Paso to Oklahoma City (6 points)
These shorter routes can often share connections with your long route, allowing you to complete multiple destinations with a single, well-planned train network.
Synergistic Strategies
When selecting your routes, it’s crucial not to view each ticket individually. Instead, pay close attention to how different routes can work together and share connections. In figuring out how to win ticket to ride, a well-planned network can turn seemingly disparate destinations into a cohesive, high-scoring strategy.For instance, if you have the following tickets:
- Los Angeles to New York
- Denver to El Paso
- Kansas City to Houston
At first glance, these may seem like unrelated routes. However, with careful planning, you can create a network that connects all three by claiming the Los Angeles to New York route, then branching off to Denver and El Paso, and finally looping back to Kansas City and Houston.
This synergistic approach not only maximizes your point potential but also allows you to control large swaths of the board, making it more difficult for opponents to disrupt your plans.
The Third Ticket Dilemma
At the start of the game, you’ll draw three route tickets. If your third ticket doesn’t mesh well with your other two routes, don’t be afraid to skip it. Sometimes, it’s better to focus your efforts on a more streamlined approach rather than spreading yourself too thin.
For example, if your first two tickets are Los Angeles to New York and Denver to El Paso, but your third ticket is something like Calgary to Winnipeg, it may be wise to skip that third ticket. Trying to complete a route that’s completely disconnected from your main network can often lead to inefficient train placements and wasted efforts.
Placing Trains Like a Grandmaster
Once you’ve mapped out your routes, it’s time to start placing trains on the board. However, this is more than just a simple matter of connecting cities – there’s an art to efficient train placement that can give you a significant edge.
The Early Game Patience
In the early rounds, resist the temptation to claim routes immediately, even if they align with your overall strategy. Instead, focus on collecting train cards of different colors. This will allow you to claim longer, more valuable routes in a single turn later in the game.
For example, if you’re targeting the 21-train Los Angeles to New York route, spending the first few turns drawing cards puts you in a stronger position to potentially claim that entire route in one go, rather than having to split it up over multiple turns.
The Art of Misdirection
When placing trains, avoid a linear approach that clearly telegraphs your intentions to opponents. Instead, place trains sporadically across different areas of the board, creating a web of potential routes that keeps everyone guessing.
You might claim a route from Denver to Omaha one turn, then the next turn place trains between El Paso and Oklahoma City. This scattered placement makes it much harder for opponents to discern your true destination goals.
Zig-Zag to Victory
Whenever possible, try to zig-zag your routes rather than taking the most direct path between cities. Indirect paths are longer, increasing your chances of earning the highly coveted Longest Route bonus at game’s end.
For example, when connecting Los Angeles to Miami, instead of taking the straight shot through Dallas, zig-zag up through Denver and Chicago before cutting back down. This circuitous route is 9 trains longer than the direct path.
Controlling the Junctures
Key juncture cities and routes that control access to larger areas should be prime targets early in the game. Securing these strategic locations can give you a significant advantage as the board becomes more congested later on.
Critical junctures include cities like Denver, Kansas City, Chicago, Pittsburgh and El Paso. Establishing a presence in these hubs early can allow you to radiate outwards and block opponents.
The Grey Route Advantage
Grey routes that allow any color of train car should be high-priority targets when needed, as they provide valuable flexibility in your network.
For example, the grey route between Duluth and Toronto is only 6 trains but can help connect longer routes between the northwest and northeast regions. Snapping up these wild card routes gives you more options.
Managing the Information Flow
One of the key things to remember when trying to figure out how to win ticket to ride, information is power. By carefully managing what you reveal and gleaning insights from opponents’ actions, you can gain a crucial strategic edge.
Reading the Tea Leaves
Study your opponents’ actions closely – the train cards they draw, the areas they seem to focus on, and their reactions to certain plays can all provide valuable hints about their potential routes.
For example, if you notice an opponent drawing several green cards, then suddenly claiming the route between Toronto and Montreal, you can start to infer that they may be working on an eastern corridor towards the northeast.
The Art of Deception
When drawing train cards, avoid taking face-up cards from the display, as this can give away which colors you need. Instead, draw from the deck to keep your intentions hidden.
You can employ a similar tactic when claiming routes. If you need a specific set of cards to claim a valuable route, acquire some of those cards from the deck first before allowing face-up cards of that color to be visible.
The Occasional Feint
Occasionally, it can be beneficial to feint interest in an area you don’t actually need. This can mislead your opponents and throw them off your true plans.
For example, you might slowly acquire and play train cards to claim part of a route towards Boston, making your opponents think you have a destination ticket for that area. This could cause them to avoid blocking routes they think you need.
Poker Face Required
Throughout the game, be mindful of your reactions and body language. Subtle cues like sighs, smirks or raised eyebrows can inadvertently reveal information to savvy opponents, so maintain a poker face as much as possible.
Don’t get overly excited when drawing a critical card or completing a long route. Likewise, don’t show frustration at getting blocked or having to take a suboptimal play. Experienced players will be watching for these tells.
Alternative Strategies: Ignoring Tickets
While the traditional approach to how to win ticket to ride involves completing destination tickets, there are alternative strategies that can be highly effective against unsuspecting opponents.
The Longest Route Supremacy
One daring approach is to ignore your tickets entirely and focus solely on claiming the longest possible continuous route on the board. This aggressive strategy aims to build a rail network of epic proportions, often earning you more points than completing tickets.
The key is to stake your claim on a very long route early and do everything possible to extend it, even if it means suboptimal plays or blocking yourself temporarily. As long as your opponents aren’t employing a similar tactic, you can rack up a massive score.
The Two-Ticket Gambit
Another variation is to keep only your two shortest route tickets, complete them quickly in the first few turns, and then dedicate the rest of the game to pursuing the longest routes possible over new tickets.
This hybrid approach combines the security of a few guaranteed ticket points with the potential for massive payoffs from an endless rail network. Once those first two tickets are scored, you’re free to disregard new destinations.
By mastering these advanced strategies and techniques on how to win Ticket to Ride, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a grandmaster. Remember, the key to victory lies in maximizing your points per train played through an efficient use of long routes and controlling the flow of information about your plans. With practice and a keen strategic mindset, you’ll be leaving your opponents in the dust as you build the most impressive rail network the world has ever seen.
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