turtler7China Gold offers 2 options on each turn for the first phase of the game. To start their turn, a player flips discs(blue) to determine the number of prospecting markers they can flip up. The player must flip exactly that number and can only flip markers that lie in a straight line. As an alternative option, the player can instead turn one visible gold marker back over (red). Two possible options of markers to flip up are shown in green.1discs000marker_5_8 1 discs 2 marker_2_2 3 marker_3_2 3 marker_4_2 3 marker_5_2 3 marker_6_5 3 marker_7_5 3 marker_8_5 3 marker_9_5 3
turtler7One player scores for rivers (connected by blue lines) and one player scores for mountains (green shaded background regions). These assignments are shown in red border.
Each time a complete river or mountain region is flipped up, the active player collects all markers in his completed regions. Flip up the three markers highlighted in blue by clicking on them then hit turn up selected markers button at the top.1discs010gamehelp_river 1 gamehelp_mountain 1 maintitlebar_content 2 turnUp 2 marker_9_6 2 marker_9_7 2 marker_9_8 2
turtler7Players have the option of trying to disrupt high gold collecting options of their opponents, collecting regions they can complete with the current action, or flipping over tiles so that they are threatening completion of a larger area on their next turn.1disc1000
turtler7Turning up 1 one marker will not offer me good options for collecting next turn. Instead, I am going to disrupt my opponents goal of collecting the marked gold tiles by flipping one back down.
Click the bottom one shown in blue and then hit turn up selected markers at the top.1disc1010marker_4_1 1 marker_5_2 1 marker_5_3 1 maintitlebar_content 2 pagemaintitletext 2 turnUp 2 marker_5_4 2
turtler7The game starts with three discs so that the player can flip anywhere from 1-5 markers up on a turn. As the game progresses and less downward area markers lie in a line, some discs are no longer thrown resulting in 1-4 and then 1-3 being the maximum number a player can turn up in a turn.
When at most only one line of three downward markers remain, the legendary China Gold end game begins. 1disc1000
turtler7China Gold's end game is what almost all reviews and comments about the game are focused on. Advanced strategies rely on controlling the endgame board layout even when it might require missing out on some short term gain opportunities or allowing the opponent to gain a large region. During the end game, players can flip exactly one or two markers up but can no longer turn a marker back down.
I will let the game play until just before the end game begins.1disc1000
turtler7There are only two regions of three length left turned down (green). I can either turn a marker back up or begin the end game now. I have a plan in place for the end game and unless my opponent does something unexpected I believe I can control the greater gain of gold. I am going to flip up the right three and allow my enemy to take the river there.1discs000marker_1_1 3 marker_1_2 3 marker_6_2 3 marker_1_3 3 marker_6_3 3 marker_6_4 3
turtler7When he takes the spot in red and claims the red outlined markers he will give me the one marked in green and allow me to take the other two marked in blue just after.1disc1000marker_5_1 1 marker_6_2 1 marker_6_3 1 marker_7_4 1 marker_6_5 2 marker_7_6 2 marker_6_4 3
turtler7Think about what options my opponent will have if I flip up these 2 red outlined markers. 1discs000marker_1_1 1 marker_1_2 1
turtler7If he flips either the red or blue marker, I can flip the other and still leave him no new options to claim gold.1disc1000marker_2_1 1 marker_1_3 2
turtler7If he flips the red marked tile it will give me that gold, I can then flip the blue and still not offer him any chances to claim gold.2disc1000marker_4_2 1 marker_2_3 2
turtler7If he flips either the red or blue marker, I can flip the other and still leave him no new options to claim gold.4discs000marker_2_3 1 marker_1_5 2
turtler7If he flips the red marked tile, I can flip the blue. Or vice versa.5disc1000marker_4_5 1 marker_2_6 2
turtler7If he flips either the red or the blue, I can flip the other and claim all of the markers.6discs000marker_6_8 1 marker_9_9 2
turtler7He cleverly flipped both of these red markers leaving me two different regions I can claim in blue and the other he can take on his turn. This has nearly turned my own strategy against myself leaving him all the future collection options. Thankfully there is still one way out.1discs000marker_1_5 1 marker_2_6 1 marker_2_3 2 marker_4_5 2
turtler7If I go here it will give him that one gold but secure the rest for me.1disc1000marker_1_3 1
turtler7Now I can collect the last 4 gold and win the game 32 to 29. There are an odd number of gold tiles to avoid a tie being possible.1discs000marker_6_8 1 marker_7_8 2 marker_8_9 2 marker_9_9 2