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This page contains a list of common terms and abbreviations used in discussion of the game of Dominion
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This page contains a list of common terms and abbreviations used in discussion of the game Dominion.
  
== Common Terms and Phrases ==
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== Common terms and phrases ==
* [[Dominion_(Base_Set)|Base]]: The original Dominion, with no expansions.  E.g., “In base, Chapel is the best early-game trasher.”
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* [[Big Money]]:  Strictly speaking, a strategy where no Actions are bought at all, only Treasure and Victory. In practice, often used to refer to a strategy emphasizing Treasure and Victory cards that is merely supplemented with one or two Actions. Compare Engine.
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=== B ===
* Board (or Set, Table, or Tableau):  The set of cards that make up the game of interest.
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* [[Dominion_(Base_Set)|Base]]: The original Dominion, with no expansions.  For example, “In Base, {{Card|Chapel}} is the best early-game trasher.”
* [[Cantrip]]:  Any card that gives at least +1 Card, +1 Action; it costs no action to spend it and it replaces itself in the hand. Can technically refer to Villages, but in practice usually refers to cards like Spy.
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* [[Big Money]]:  Strictly speaking, a strategy where no [[Action card|Actions]] are bought at all, only [[Treasure]] and [[Victory card|Victory]] cards. In practice, it is often used to refer to a strategy emphasizing Treasure and Victory cards that is merely supplemented with one or two Action cards. Compare with ''[[engine]]''.
* Chain:  A deck in which the same card(s) are played either multiple times per turn (or simply every turn for some powerful cards).  E.g., “Lab chain”.
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* Board (or set, table, or tableau):  The set of cards that make up the game of interest.
* City Trap: Purchasing multiple Cities in a game in which no piles (other than Province or Colony) are likely to be emptied; the Cities are very expensive Villages in this case.
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* Clog (or Bloat, Gum Up…): Add cards to a deck (preferably an opponent’s) that interfere with the engine being used. Often happens voluntarily in the endgame.
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=== C ===
* Colony Game: Any game in which Colony and Platinum (from Prosperity) are available for purchase.
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* [[Cantrip]]:  Any card that gives at least +1 Card, +1 Action; it costs no action to spend it and it replaces itself in the hand. Can technically refer to [[Village (card category)|villages]], but in practice usually refers to cards like {{Card|Spy}}.
* Counter: A card that acts to neutralize another card (usually an attack), whether directly (e.g., Moat) or indirectly (e.g., Library vs. Militia/Goons).
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* Chain:  A deck in which the same card(s) are played either multiple times per turn or simply every turn for some powerful cards. For example, “{{Card|Laboratory|Lab}} chain”.
* Cycling: To move quickly through your deck. Chancellor provides an extreme example of cycling, but cards like Warehouse and Laboratory also cycle your deck effectively.
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* City Trap: Purchasing multiple {{Card|City|Cities}} in a game in which no piles (other than {{Card|Province}} or {{Card|Colony}}) are likely to be emptied; the Cities are very expensive [[Village (card category)|villages]] in this case.
* DoubleJack: A strategy involving buying only two copies of Jack of All Trades, and otherwise exclusively Treasure and Victory cards.
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* Clog (or bloat, gum up, etc.): Add cards to a deck (preferably an opponent’s) that interfere with the [[engine]] being used. Often happens voluntarily in the endgame.
* Draw Dead: Generally refers to drawing an Action card when you have no more Actions to play. In context, may refer to drawing an Action card that cannot be effectively used (e.g., Baron without Estate, Moneylender without Copper).
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* Colony Game: Any game in which {{Card|Colony}} and {{Card|Platinum}} (from [[Prosperity]]) are available for purchase.
* [[Duchy dancing|Duchy Dancing]]: Towards the end of a game, when both players are buying Duchies and neither side is willing or able to take the final Province(s)
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* Counter: A card that acts to neutralize another card (usually an [[Attack]]), whether directly (like {{Card|Moat}}) or indirectly (like {{Card|Library}} vs. {{Card|Militia}}/{{Card|Goons}}).
* Early Game: Most purchases are low-cost cards; players are defining their overall strategy.
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* Cycling: To move quickly through your deck. {{Card|Chancellor}} provides an extreme example of cycling, but {{Card|Warehouse}} and {{Card|Laboratory}} also cycle your deck effectively.
* Endgame (or Late Game): Players are purchasing almost exclusively victory cards. Often accompanied by jockeying with lower-value victory cards, e.g., PPR.
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* End on piles: Force the game to end by emptying three or more piles (four or more with 5+ players).
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=== D ===
* [[Engine]]: Loosely defined, the Action cards that “drive” one’s deck. An “engine-based” strategy refers to a strategy emphasizing Actions. Compare Big Money.
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* DoubleJack: A strategy involving buying only two copies of {{Card|Jack of all Trades}}, and otherwise exclusively [[Treasure]] and [[Victory card|Victory]] cards.
* {{Card|Envoy|Envoy}}/[[Big Money]]: see {{Card|Smithy|Smithy}}/Big Money
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* Draw Dead: Generally refers to drawing an [[Action card]] when you have no more actions entitling you to play it. In context, it may refer to drawing an Action card that cannot be effectively used (like {{Card|Baron}} without {{Card|Estate}} or {{Card|Moneylender}} without {{Card|Copper}}).
* [[Greening]] / “Go Green”: Begin purchasing victory cards.
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* [[Duchy dancing|Duchy Dancing]]: A situation toward the end of a game when both players buy {{Card|Duchy|Duchies}} and neither is willing or able to take the final {{Card|Province}}(s).
* [[Isotropic]] (or Iso): http://dominion.isotropic.org — an exceedingly popular online implementation of Dominion, often linked to from these forums.
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* Midgame: Most purchases are actions or treasures of value {{Cost|5}} or higher, but rarely with hands above {{Cost|6}} (Province game) or {{Cost|9}} (Colony game); players are refining their strategies and attempting to tune their engines.
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=== E ===
* Mirror Match: When both players pursue identical or near-identical strategies
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* Early Game: Most purchases are low-[[cost]] cards; players are defining their overall strategy.
* Non-Terminal (or Non-Terminal Action, sometimes NT): Any action card that gives at least one additional Action.
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* [[Endgame]] (or Late Game): Players are purchasing almost exclusively [[Victory card|Victory cards]]. Often accompanied by jockeying with lower-value Victory cards, like with ''[[Penultimate Province Rule|PPR]]'' (below).
* [[Opening]]: Purchases made on the first two turns. Usually clarified by a 4/3 or 5/2 opening.
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* End on piles: Force the game to end by emptying three or more [[Supply]] piles (four or more with five or more players).
* Piles: see “end on piles”
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* [[Engine]]: Loosely defined, the [[Action card|Action cards]] that “drive” one’s deck. An “engine-based” strategy refers to a strategy emphasizing Actions. Compare with [[Big Money]].
* Province Game (rarely, Non-Colony Game): A standard game in which Colony and Platinum are not available.
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* Envoy/Big Money: Similar strategy to {{Card|Smithy}}/[[Big Money]], but with {{Card|Envoy}} in place of Smithy (see below)
* Pseudo-Trash: Remove cards from your deck without trashing them, e.g., Island.
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* Estate tennis: The first phase of an {{Card|Ambassador}} game, in which players pass back and forth their starting {{Card|Estate|Estates}}. This can be said to "sit on" the game, delaying its actual start by several turns.
* Sift: Filter through your cards by removing unwanted cards. Similar to cycling, but with more finesses. See, e.g., Warehouse.
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* Smithy / Big Money: A strategy involving one purchase of a Smithy and otherwise exclusively Treasure and Victory. Reaches 4 Provinces in approximately 14 turns.
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=== G ===
* Split: Treasure values of the first two hands (5/2 or 4/3). Tournament and league play often gives players the same split. Can also refer to the split in gaining a key card in the game, such as {{Card|Minion}} or {{Card|Grand Market}}.
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* [[Greening]] / “Go Green”: Begin purchasing [[Victory card|Victory cards]].
* [[Terminal]] (or Terminal Action): Any action card that does not provide another Action when played.
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* Terminal clash: Drawing multiple terminal cards together, such that you can only play one of them
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=== I ===
* Terminal Silver: Any terminal action that gives {{Cost|2}}.
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* [[Isotropic]] (or Iso): http://dominion.isotropic.org — an exceedingly popular online implementation of Dominion, often linked to from these forums. Defunct since March 2013.
* Top-Deck: Place a card on top of your deck that would normally go elsewhere (e.g. Alchemist, Royal Seal).
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=== L ===
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* Level X City: A shorthand for referencing the power level of a {{Card|City}}. Typically follows either a 1/2/3 or 0/1/2 (which references the number of empty piles) formatting.
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=== M ===
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* Midgame: Most purchases are [[Action card|Action]] or [[Treasure]] cards of value {{Cost|5}} or higher, but rarely with hands above {{Cost|6}} (in {{Card|Province}} games) or {{Cost|9}} (in {{Card|Colony}} games); players are refining their strategies and attempting to tune their [[engine|engines]].
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* Mirror Match: When both players pursue identical or near-identical strategies.
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=== N ===
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* Non-Terminal (or Non-Terminal Action, sometimes NT): Any [[Action card]] that gives at least one additional action (+1 Action).
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=== O ===
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* [[Opening]]: Purchases made on the first two turns. Usually clarified as a 4/3 or 5/2 opening.
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=== P ===
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* Piles: see ''end on piles''.
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* Province Game (rarely, Non-Colony Game): A standard game in which {{Card|Colony}} and {{Card|Platinum}} are not available.
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* Pseudo-Trash: Remove cards from your deck without trashing them, for example with {{Card|Island}}.
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=== S ===
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* [[Sifter|Sift]]: Filter through your cards by removing unwanted cards. Similar to cycling, but with more finesses. See, for example, {{Card|Warehouse}}.
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* Smithy / Big Money: A strategy involving one purchase of a {{Card|Smithy}} and otherwise exclusively [[Treasure]] and [[Victory card|Victory]] cards. Reaches four {{Card|Province|Provinces}} in approximately 14 turns.
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* Split: [[Coin]] values of the first two hands (5/2 or 4/3). Tournament and league play often gives players the same split. Can also refer to the split in gaining a key card in the game, such as {{Card|Minion}} or {{Card|Grand Market}}.
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=== T ===
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* [[Terminal]] (or Terminal Action): Any [[Action card]] that does not provide actions when played.
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* Terminal collision: Drawing multiple [[terminal]] cards together, such that you can only play one of them.
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* [[Terminal Silver]]: Any terminal action that produces {{Cost|2}}.
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* Top-Deck: Place a card on top of your deck that would normally go elsewhere (like with {{Card|Alchemist}} or {{Card|Royal Seal}}).
 
* [[Trasher]] (or Deck-thinner):  Any card that allows one to remove cards from one’s deck.
 
* [[Trasher]] (or Deck-thinner):  Any card that allows one to remove cards from one’s deck.
* [[Trasher#Trash_for_benefit|Trash for Benefit]]: Any card that gives a benefit at the cost of trashing a card. Apprentice draws additional cards, Salvager gives cash, etc.
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* [[Trasher#Trash_for_benefit|Trash for Benefit]]: Any card that gives a benefit at the cost of trashing a card. For example, {{Card|Apprentice}} draws additional cards and {{Card|Salvager}} produces [[coin|coins]].
* [[Village (card category)|Village]]:  Besides the card of the same name, can refer to any card which gives +2 Actions; most (but not all) such cards have “Village” in their names.
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* Village Idiot:  Village seems like a great card to an inexperienced player, and it is good–but taking Villages without any terminals makes the Villages worthless.  Hence, Village Idiot.  More loosely, refers to any poor strategy that buys too many Actions.
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* Virtual +Buy: Cards like Ironworks and Workshop, which allow you to gain an additional card on your turn along with your ordinary Buy
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== Abbreviations ==
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=== V ===
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* [[Village (card category)|Village]]: Besides the {{Card|Village|card of the same name}}, it can refer to any card which gives +2 Actions; many (but not all) such cards have “Village” in their names.
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* Village Idiot: {{Card|Village}} seems like a great card to an inexperienced player, and it is good–but taking Villages without any [[terminal|terminals]] makes the Villages worthless. Hence, Village Idiot. More loosely, this refers to any poor strategy that buys too many [[Action card|Action cards]].
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* Virtual +Buy: Cards which allow you to gain an additional card on your turn along with your ordinary Buy, like {{Card|Ironworks}} and {{Card|Workshop}}.
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* [[Virtual coin]] or [[Virtual money]]: [[Action card|Action cards]] which produce [[coin|coins]] to spend during the [[Buy phase]] (not cards which gain [[Basic cards#Basic_Treasures|basic Treasure cards]]).
  
C, S, G, E, D, P:  Sometimes used in game analyses for the basic treasure cards and basic victory cards.
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== Abbreviations ==
  
* Amb: [[Ambassador]]
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* C, S, G, E, D, P: Sometimes used in game analyses for the [[Basic cards#Basic_Treasures|basic Treasure cards]] and [[Basic cards#Basic_Victory_cards|basic Victory cards]] in a Province game.
* [[BM]]: Big Money (rarely, [[Black Market]], in context)
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* Amb: {{Card|Ambassador}}.
* BMU: A particular algorithm for playing Big Money that intelligently purchases Duchies
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* BM: [[Big Money]] (rarely, {{Card|Black Market}}, in context).
* FV: [[Fishing Village]] (rarely, [[Farming Village]], in context)
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* BMU: A particular algorithm for playing [[Big Money]] that intelligently buys {{Card|Duchy|Duchies}}.
* GM: [[Grand Market]]
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* FV: {{Card|Fishing Village}} (rarely, {{Card|Farming Village}}, in context).
* Hag: [[Sea Hag]]
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* GM: {{Card|Grand Market}}.
* [[HoP]]: Horn of Plenty
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* Hag: {{Card|Sea Hag}} (rarely, {{Card|Swamp Hag}}, in context}.
* HP: [[Hunting Party]]
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* HoP: {{Card|Horn of Plenty}}.
* HT: [[Horse Traders]]
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* HP: {{Card|Hunting Party}}
* [[IGG]]: Ill-Gotten Gains
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* HT: {{Card|Horse Traders}}.
* JoAT: Jack of All Trades
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* IGG: {{Card|Ill-Gotten Gains}}.
* [[KC]]: King's Court
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* JoAT: {{Card|Jack of all Trades}}.
* Masq: Masquerade
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* KC: {{Card|King's Court}}.
* MV: Mining Village
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* Lab: {{Card|Laboratory}}.
* NV: Native Village
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* Masq: {{Card|Masquerade}}.
* Lab: Laboratory
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* MV: {{Card|Mining Village}}.
* PPR: Penultimate Province Rule
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* NV: {{Card|Native Village}}.
* TFB / T4B: Trash-for-benefit
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* Plat: {{Card|Platinum}}.
* TM: Treasure Map
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* PPR: [[Penultimate Province Rule]].
* TR: Throne Room (rarely, Trade Route, in context)
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* TFB / T4B: [[Trasher#Trash_for_benefit|Trash for benefit]].
* UAS: Unstoppable Alchemist Stack
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* TM: {{Card|Treasure Map}}.
* UCS: Unstoppable City Stack
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* TR: {{Card|Throne Room}} (rarely, {{Card|Trade Route}}, in context).
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* UAS: Unstoppable {{Card|Alchemist}} Stack.
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* UCS: Unstoppable {{Card|City}} Stack.

Revision as of 00:39, 22 April 2020

This page contains a list of common terms and abbreviations used in discussion of the game Dominion.

Contents

Common terms and phrases

B

  • Base: The original Dominion, with no expansions. For example, “In Base, ChapelChapel.jpg is the best early-game trasher.”
  • Big Money: Strictly speaking, a strategy where no Actions are bought at all, only Treasure and Victory cards. In practice, it is often used to refer to a strategy emphasizing Treasure and Victory cards that is merely supplemented with one or two Action cards. Compare with engine.
  • Board (or set, table, or tableau): The set of cards that make up the game of interest.

C

  • Cantrip: Any card that gives at least +1 Card, +1 Action; it costs no action to spend it and it replaces itself in the hand. Can technically refer to villages, but in practice usually refers to cards like SpySpy.jpg.
  • Chain: A deck in which the same card(s) are played either multiple times per turn or simply every turn for some powerful cards. For example, “LabLaboratory.jpg chain”.
  • City Trap: Purchasing multiple CitiesCity.jpg in a game in which no piles (other than ProvinceProvince.jpg or ColonyColony.jpg) are likely to be emptied; the Cities are very expensive villages in this case.
  • Clog (or bloat, gum up, etc.): Add cards to a deck (preferably an opponent’s) that interfere with the engine being used. Often happens voluntarily in the endgame.
  • Colony Game: Any game in which ColonyColony.jpg and PlatinumPlatinum.jpg (from Prosperity) are available for purchase.
  • Counter: A card that acts to neutralize another card (usually an Attack), whether directly (like MoatMoat.jpg) or indirectly (like LibraryLibrary.jpg vs. MilitiaMilitia.jpg/GoonsGoons.jpg).
  • Cycling: To move quickly through your deck. ChancellorChancellor.jpg provides an extreme example of cycling, but WarehouseWarehouse.jpg and LaboratoryLaboratory.jpg also cycle your deck effectively.

D

  • DoubleJack: A strategy involving buying only two copies of Jack of all TradesJack of All Trades.jpg, and otherwise exclusively Treasure and Victory cards.
  • Draw Dead: Generally refers to drawing an Action card when you have no more actions entitling you to play it. In context, it may refer to drawing an Action card that cannot be effectively used (like BaronBaron.jpg without EstateEstate.jpg or MoneylenderMoneylender.jpg without CopperCopper.jpg).
  • Duchy Dancing: A situation toward the end of a game when both players buy DuchiesDuchy.jpg and neither is willing or able to take the final ProvinceProvince.jpg(s).

E

  • Early Game: Most purchases are low-cost cards; players are defining their overall strategy.
  • Endgame (or Late Game): Players are purchasing almost exclusively Victory cards. Often accompanied by jockeying with lower-value Victory cards, like with PPR (below).
  • End on piles: Force the game to end by emptying three or more Supply piles (four or more with five or more players).
  • Engine: Loosely defined, the Action cards that “drive” one’s deck. An “engine-based” strategy refers to a strategy emphasizing Actions. Compare with Big Money.
  • Envoy/Big Money: Similar strategy to SmithySmithy.jpg/Big Money, but with EnvoyEnvoy.jpg in place of Smithy (see below)
  • Estate tennis: The first phase of an AmbassadorAmbassador.jpg game, in which players pass back and forth their starting EstatesEstate.jpg. This can be said to "sit on" the game, delaying its actual start by several turns.

G

I

L

  • Level X City: A shorthand for referencing the power level of a CityCity.jpg. Typically follows either a 1/2/3 or 0/1/2 (which references the number of empty piles) formatting.

M

  • Midgame: Most purchases are Action or Treasure cards of value $5 or higher, but rarely with hands above $6 (in ProvinceProvince.jpg games) or $9 (in ColonyColony.jpg games); players are refining their strategies and attempting to tune their engines.
  • Mirror Match: When both players pursue identical or near-identical strategies.

N

  • Non-Terminal (or Non-Terminal Action, sometimes NT): Any Action card that gives at least one additional action (+1 Action).

O

  • Opening: Purchases made on the first two turns. Usually clarified as a 4/3 or 5/2 opening.

P

  • Piles: see end on piles.
  • Province Game (rarely, Non-Colony Game): A standard game in which ColonyColony.jpg and PlatinumPlatinum.jpg are not available.
  • Pseudo-Trash: Remove cards from your deck without trashing them, for example with IslandIsland.jpg.

S

  • Sift: Filter through your cards by removing unwanted cards. Similar to cycling, but with more finesses. See, for example, WarehouseWarehouse.jpg.
  • Smithy / Big Money: A strategy involving one purchase of a SmithySmithy.jpg and otherwise exclusively Treasure and Victory cards. Reaches four ProvincesProvince.jpg in approximately 14 turns.
  • Split: Coin values of the first two hands (5/2 or 4/3). Tournament and league play often gives players the same split. Can also refer to the split in gaining a key card in the game, such as MinionMinion.jpg or Grand MarketGrand Market.jpg.

T

  • Terminal (or Terminal Action): Any Action card that does not provide actions when played.
  • Terminal collision: Drawing multiple terminal cards together, such that you can only play one of them.
  • Terminal Silver: Any terminal action that produces $2.
  • Top-Deck: Place a card on top of your deck that would normally go elsewhere (like with AlchemistAlchemist.jpg or Royal SealRoyal Seal.jpg).
  • Trasher (or Deck-thinner): Any card that allows one to remove cards from one’s deck.
  • Trash for Benefit: Any card that gives a benefit at the cost of trashing a card. For example, ApprenticeApprentice.jpg draws additional cards and SalvagerSalvager.jpg produces coins.

V

Abbreviations

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