스플렌더 잘하는법 4가지! / 보드카페 사장이 말하는 보드게임 팁

Storyline (Context)

• Splendor doesn’t have a traditional storyline. Instead, it’s an economic/resource race.
• Players build an engine to reach 15 victory points by acquiring development cards and (optionally) earning Nobles.

Gameplay Highlights & Key Strategies

1) Commit early to a “tech tree” (win plan)

• The video frames two main directions:

  • Noble Tech (beginner-friendly general strategy)

    • Early: buy many cheap cards to snowball discounts while progressing toward Noble requirements.

  • High/Alternative (15-point) Tech (non-Noble style)

    • Early focus: reserve powerful 4–5 point cards to aim for 15 points mainly via cards, not Nobles.
    • Helpful companion: also buy/prepare for 3-point cards that support this plan.

• Because switching mid-game is difficult, the advice is:

  • Decide early based on what you see and what other players are doing.
  • If opponents likely aren’t pursuing the High-Bello-type line, you can shift toward a more high-value approach.

2) Buy cards based on cost-effectiveness (avoid “staple” mistakes)

• Core warning: don’t spend your efficiency/richness on bad-value early cards, especially ones that cost 8 gems for weak returns.

• The video highlights “generally cost-effective” targets (as evaluated by the narrator):

  • 4-point card for 7 coins (from the 3-point Nak-eul reference)
  • 7-point card for 10 coins (Samcheong)
  • 3-point card for 6 coins (from Level 2)
  • 2-point card for 5 coins (Chari)

• These are presented as typical “worth buying” targets early and mid-game.

3) Use the reservation system to control the race

• Reservation isn’t only for grabbing a card with gold/Joker (wild gems).

• It can also be used to:

  • Keep opponents in check by denying tempo or forcing reactions
  • Prepare future purchases so you’re less vulnerable if the market shifts

• Tempo tip: if you delay buying without reserving and the card gets taken, you can end up in a worse position.

• Reserve limit management:

  • The narrator references a conceptual cap (about 100 seals/cards), so the practical guidance is:
    • Reserve at most 2 cards as a rule of thumb
    • Keep at least one slot empty so you can reserve the most important card when it appears

4) Pick your main gem colors (2-color focus)

• There are 5 gem colors (excluding the wild/splendid Joker).

• Recommendation:

  • Choose about 2 main colors and commit to them for efficient discount-building.

• Noble interaction:

  • Check current Nobles and prioritize gem colors that overlap the most.

• Example logic for reserved cards:

  • If a reserved card is “labeled” with one color but requires a different cost mix, your focus should follow the actual colors you must pay.
  • If you reserve a specific color-heavy card, build around the resulting requirements (examples given):
    • Red + Black for one reserve profile
    • Blue + Black if the reserved card profile pushes blue requirements

• Variation note:

  • Single-color dominance can be punished by counterplay, but a two-color core offers consistency without becoming overly predictable.

Gamers / Sources Featured

• Chaek-sseu — board game café owner and speaker