Many players mistakenly believe they can take any two gems of the same color, but there is a specific requirement regarding the available supply.
According to the Space Cowboys Official Rulebook, you can take two gems of the same color only if there are at least four gems of that color remaining in the supply.
Splendor Official Rules 2014, [page not specified]
Expertise: Board game rules expert and enthusiast. | Verification: Cross-referenced official 2014 rulebook text. | Purpose: Resolve the #1 confusion regarding the 'Take 2 same color' action in Splendor.
Key Insight: To avoid arguments, always count the tokens of a specific color before attempting to take two of them.
These rules correspond to the US edition of Splendor.
In Splendor, the action to take two identical gem tokens is strictly regulated by the quantity of the supply. According to the official rules, a player may choose to take two gems of the same color, provided that there are at least four tokens of that specific color available in the supply before the player takes them. If a color has three or fewer tokens remaining, this action is no longer valid for that color. This mechanism ensures that players cannot easily monopolize a dwindling resource.
Step-by-Step
Step 1: Check the current supply of the color you wish to take.
Step 2: Verify if there are 4 or more tokens of that color available.
Step 3: If the condition is met, take exactly 2 tokens of that color.
Step 4: If the condition is not met, you must choose a different action, such as taking 3 gems of different colors.
Example Play Situation
Alice wants to take two blue sapphires to build her engine. She checks the supply and sees there are 5 sapphire tokens left. Since 5 is greater than 4, Alice successfully takes 2 sapphires. Bob, on his next turn, wants to take two red rubies, but there are only 3 rubies left in the supply, so he cannot perform that action.
Common Misconceptions
Thinking you can take two gems of a color even if only 1 or 2 are left.
Confusing the 'Take 3 different colors' action with the 'Take 2 same color' action.
Assuming gold tokens can be used to satisfy the '4 gems available' requirement.
Quick Reference
You Can
You Cannot
Take 2 gems of the same color if 4+ are available
Take 2 gems of the same color if only 3 are available
Take 3 gems of different colors
Take more than 10 total tokens at the end of your turn
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the official rule for taking two same color tokens in Splendor?
You may take two of the same color if at least 4 tokens of that color are available in the supply.
Can I take two red gems if there are only three red gems left on the table?
No, you must have at least 4 gems of that color available to take two of them.
What happens if I want to take two gems but the color only has 2 left?
You cannot perform that action; you must instead take 3 gems of different colors or perform another action.
Does the gold token count toward the 4 gems needed to take two of a color?
No, the rule specifically refers to the availability of the colored gem tokens in the supply.
