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[ConMan]

With the first spoiler of a Guild card, it looks like even people who won't be buying the set or playing on Goko can have some fun with puzzles. So here's the first one:

Using any cards that are currently known, construct a Kingdom or subset thereof, including Baker, in which the optimal openings are 4/4 and 2/6 (or 6/2). If not optimal, then at least let there be a strong argument for doing so.

A couple of thoughts I have already:
Squire, Altar, Sea Hag and one other good $4, maybe Caravan?
Chapel, Border Village, a terminal and a non-terminal $4? Probably borderline (although perhaps with Smithy as one of the $4s)?

[liopoil]

easy. embargo, goons, treasure map

[SirPeebles]

Is it really a spoiler when it's a portion of the designer's official preview?

[ConMan]

Is it really a spoiler when it's a portion of the designer's official preview?

I'm calling it a spoiler in the sense that it tells us something about the set before we can own it. Just like a TV show might release a little spoiler clip on its Facebook page. But preview works as well.

[ashersky]

I gotta think Border Village + any strong 5 is going to be an auto-$6 opening.

Like, Border Village + Wharf/Chapel for 6/2.

And why the spoiler tags?  There's no "right" answers, right?

[zporiri]

I gotta think Border Village + any strong 5 is going to be an auto-$6 opening.

I disagree. I'd pass on bordered village and save the token and just pick up a strong 5. You don't need a village then.

[Beyond Awesome]

I gotta think Border Village + any strong 5 is going to be an auto-$6 opening.

I disagree. I'd pass on bordered village and save the token and just pick up a strong 5. You don't need a village then.

or buy a silver instead. Money is usually pretty important to have.

[ConMan]

I gotta think Border Village + any strong 5 is going to be an auto-$6 opening.

Like, Border Village + Wharf/Chapel for 6/2.

In this case, I agree, but I also agree with other comments that generally you'll probably want to just get the $5 on its own without the village. The addition of chapel is what changes my feeling on the "generally" part - but it's a tough call.

And why the spoiler tags?  There's no "right" answers, right?

No, but I think it's nice to have them at least in the first couple of posts to make people think of their own ideas before looking at what everyone else has already come up with.

[Davio]

How about Harem/Nobles + Crossroads?

How about Hunting Grounds/BM?

[hyramgraff]

Any kingdom would be dominated by Scout + Gardens/Silk Road.

[jomini]

For six two I can see things like:

Goons/Embargo or Goons/Squire.
Squire/Altar is also likely to be a dominant opening.
Hoard/Chapel is also going to be very strong.

Tmap/Tmap is a very strong double 4 opening. Particularly if you have enablers on board.
Iw/Iw is likely to be quite dominant on Garden or Silk Road boards.
Scav/Scav may well be pretty strong and get stronger with a cheap village.
Scav/attack (like Marauder) is going to being very good with a cheap village.

[GeronimoRex]

I can't see anything topping Goons/Chapel for the 6/2...

For the 4/4, Ironworks/Ironworks, depending on what other cards are on the board.

Again, depending on the low-cost engine cards, Talisman/Talisman could be a good 4/4.

If you open with 4 coppers, I'd consider Nomad as a first card... second card would depend on how well Nomad hit, since your second hand would then be worth 4 or 5, depending on the card order, plus the token, of course... so you'd have decent likelihood of opening Nomad/Goons or a guaranteed Nomad/Witch, or with the extra buy, you'd be guaranteed Nomad/Silver/Chapel or Nomad/Potion/Chapel / Nomad/Potion/Cellar... some really cool potentials with Nomad.

With enough good Alchemy options, I'd also be tempted to open Potion/Smithy for the 4/4... should almost Guarantee a University/Scrying Pool or Familiar before your second shuffle, and has some chance of hitting an early Possession.

[Just a Rube]

What about sea hag/sea hag (or maybe Young Witch with a weak bane, although that's riskier)?

Yeah, you risk terminal collision and will have a hard time getting to 5, but if it pays off you win the curse split and make your opponent play 2 straight 4 card turns.

[GendoIkari]

I'm not sure I understand the puzzle. Is it just asking for Kingdoms where 5/3 will not be the best move? Easy... any Kingdom where there are no $5s, or not good $5s on the board. I disagree that TM+TM will be a good opening... 70% of the time you have may as well have just bought 2 Estates to open the game. Sure they may collide later; they may not. If there's good support for them, then open with that support. I'd think Warehouse/TM would be better than TM/TM with Warehouse later.

[Drab Emordnilap]

I'm not sure I understand the puzzle. Is it just asking for Kingdoms where 5/3 will not be the best move? Easy... any Kingdom where there are no $5s, or not good $5s on the board. I disagree that TM+TM will be a good opening... 70% of the time you have may as well have just bought 2 Estates to open the game. Sure they may collide later; they may not. If there's good support for them, then open with that support. I'd think Warehouse/TM would be better than TM/TM with Warehouse later.

He's looking specifically for kingdoms, with Baker, that you would either open 6/2 or 4/4, not 5/3, and not anything less (Double Ambassador, etc). Obviously this can't be a kingdom with no $5s, since Baker is on the board.

[GendoIkari]

I'm not sure I understand the puzzle. Is it just asking for Kingdoms where 5/3 will not be the best move? Easy... any Kingdom where there are no $5s, or not good $5s on the board. I disagree that TM+TM will be a good opening... 70% of the time you have may as well have just bought 2 Estates to open the game. Sure they may collide later; they may not. If there's good support for them, then open with that support. I'd think Warehouse/TM would be better than TM/TM with Warehouse later.

He's looking specifically for kingdoms, with Baker, that you would either open 6/2 or 4/4, not 5/3, and not anything less (Double Ambassador, etc). Obviously this can't be a kingdom with no $5s, since Baker is on the board.

Oh right, forgot that Baker was itself a $5. But we don't know yet whether it counts as a strong $5. It may very well be that when it's the only $5, you may almost never want to open with it.

[ConMan]

I'm not sure I understand the puzzle. Is it just asking for Kingdoms where 5/3 will not be the best move? Easy... any Kingdom where there are no $5s, or not good $5s on the board. I disagree that TM+TM will be a good opening... 70% of the time you have may as well have just bought 2 Estates to open the game. Sure they may collide later; they may not. If there's good support for them, then open with that support. I'd think Warehouse/TM would be better than TM/TM with Warehouse later.

He's looking specifically for kingdoms, with Baker, that you would either open 6/2 or 4/4, not 5/3, and not anything less (Double Ambassador, etc). Obviously this can't be a kingdom with no $5s, since Baker is on the board.

Pretty much this. In particular, you know that on a Baker board you can always open 5/3 with, for example, Baker/Silver. But I want to know what cards would have to be on the board such that if you have a 4/3 hand you'll spend it as 4/4, and if you have 5/2 you'll spend it as 6/2, without even considering taking the 5/3 option. Obviously no power $5s is a key factor, and if Baker turns out to be a power $5 then clearly the $6 and $4 options will have to be that much better to compensate. And, something which I don't think has been directly addressed, the 6/2 and 4/4 openings have to be such that they don't interfere with each other - so even if it were a good idea in other circumstances I probably wouldn't open Noble Brigand because it might give my opponent a chance to play their Goons on turn 2. Similarly, you probably wouldn't open Gold on 6/2 if your opponent is going for Brigand or Pirate Ship, I think.