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[dysprog]

Here is a one-hand reaction puzzle. It involves the interaction of 5 cards. I realized this was interesting when I messed it up several times in one game, even after I thought I knew what I was doing.

In your hand you have:

Ghost Ship,
Secret Chamber,
Shanty Town,
House Traders,
Gold


Your opponent plays a Ghost Ship. What is the optimal sequence of reactions to stack the deck for the most cards in hand/played next turn? Assume that the next 2 cards on your deck are not action cards. What Sequence of play on your next turn?

Round #2:
Same questions, but instead of a Ghost Ship, you have a second shanty town.

 

[yudantaiteki]

House Traders,

House Traders (in current US economy)
+1 buy
-$3

Discard 2 Cards.

When another player plays an Attack card, set this aside from your hand. At the start of your next turn, discard down to 3 cards and trash this card.

[Grujah]

React with SC, Put back Horse Traders and another card. Than put back SC and Ghost Ship (Ghost ship on top). Leaving you Shanty Town and 2 non-actions in hand. Play ST, Play GS, you have Gold + HT + SC + 2 cards and 1 action.

[BadAssMutha]

Reveal the Horse Traders and set it aside. Reveal the Secret Chamber, draw 2 non-actions, and put the Ghost Ship and Secret Chamber on your deck. Now put the Gold on top of the deck because of your opponent's Ghost Ship. You have Shanty Town and two non-actions in your hand, with Gold, Ghost Ship, and Secret Chamber on your deck. On your turn, draw the Gold from the Horse Trader, play the Shanty Town for 2 cards and 2 actions, and then Ghost Ship for another 2 cards.

If using another Shanty Town instead of the Ghost Ship, it may be worth it to use Secret Chamber to discard the Horse Traders so the second Shanty Town draws 2 cards as well.

[Galzria]

Reveal the Horse Traders and set it aside. Reveal the Secret Chamber, draw 2 non-actions, and put the Ghost Ship and Secret Chamber on your deck. Now put the Gold on top of the deck because of your opponent's Ghost Ship. You have Shanty Town and two non-actions in your hand, with Gold, Ghost Ship, and Secret Chamber on your deck. On your turn, draw the Gold from the Horse Trader, play the Shanty Town for 2 cards and 2 actions, and then Ghost Ship for another 2 cards.

If using another Shanty Town instead of the Ghost Ship, it may be worth it to use Secret Chamber to discard the Horse Traders so the second Shanty Town draws 2 cards as well.

The Horse Trader returns to your hand with the Gold that it draws, preventing your Shanty Town from activating

[eHalcyon]

I think yudantaiteki's solution is optimal if you react with SC.  But note that you can react with HT and have the same result in the end (ST and GS played, with a hand of SC, HT, Gold and whatever the two top cards were at the start of the puzzle), without the potential of screwing up what cards to put back.  Of course, if you have no clue what the next cards are, you should check with SC reaction first.  Maybe there are two more HT and you can react with all three of them...


With two ST in hand, first react with SC.  Put back SC and HT.  Due to GS, put back back Gold and one ST.  Your hand is now ST,X,X.  Play ST, draw ST and Gold.  Play ST, draw SC and HT.  As in round 1, this results in you having played your two non-reaction actions and having a 5 card hand remaining (consisting of HT, SC, Gold and top two cards).