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Board Game Mechanics – Dutch Auction

The Dutch Auction mechanic in board games is a type of auction where the price starts high and decreases until a player accepts the price and takes the item being auctioned. In a Dutch auction, players bid on items by choosing to accept or reject the current price. If a player accepts the current price, they win the item and the auction ends. If no player accepts the current price, the price decreases until a player accepts it or until the minimum price is reached.

This mechanic creates an element of uncertainty and risk as players must decide whether to wait for a lower price or take the item at a higher price to prevent other players from getting it. The Dutch auction mechanic is commonly used in games where players bid on resources, items, or actions.

The difference between Dutch auction and Dutch priority auction lies in the way that items are auctioned and the order in which items are auctioned.

In a Dutch auction, all items are auctioned at the same time, and the price decreases for all items until a player accepts the price and takes an item. This creates a situation where players must make a decision based on their own needs and the needs of other players, as the price for all items will decrease until someone takes one.

In a Dutch priority auction, items are auctioned one at a time in a specific order. The price decreases for one item at a time until a player takes it. Once an item is taken, the price resets and the next item is auctioned. This creates a dynamic auction experience as players must constantly re-evaluate their strategy as the items and prices change.

In summary, Dutch auction is a simultaneous auction for all items, while Dutch priority auction is a sequential auction for items, one at a time. Both mechanics create a unique bidding experience and add an element of strategy and risk to the gameA

Here are 10 popular board games with the compensation auction mechanic and a brief description of each:

  1. Modern Art: In Modern Art, players take on the role of art dealers buying and selling paintings in a series of auctions. The Dutch auction mechanic is used to sell paintings, with players starting the bidding at a high price that gradually decreases until someone decides to buy the painting.
  2. For Sale: For Sale is a real estate-themed game that uses both a blind bidding and Dutch auction mechanic. During the first half of the game, players bid blindly on properties, and during the second half, they auction off those same properties using the Dutch auction mechanic.
  3. Power Grid: Power Grid is a strategy game where players compete to build power grids across multiple cities. In the game, players use a Dutch auction mechanic to purchase resources such as coal, oil, and uranium.
  4. The Estates: In The Estates, players act as real estate investors, bidding on and developing properties in a city. The Dutch auction mechanic is used to determine the order in which players take turns, with players bidding on a starting player marker.
  5. Chinatown: Chinatown is a game about wheeling and dealing in New York City’s Chinatown. Players use a Dutch auction mechanic to buy and sell properties, with each player having a set of tiles that they can use to negotiate trades with other players.
  6. Medici: Medici is a game about competing merchants in Renaissance Italy. Players use a Dutch auction mechanic to bid on goods such as spices, silks, and gems, which they then use to fill their ships for trade.
  7. High Society: High Society is a game about luxury living, with players bidding on items such as yachts, jewelry, and vacations using a Dutch auction mechanic. The player with the highest net worth at the end of the game wins.
  8. Dragon’s Gold: Dragon’s Gold is a game where players act as adventurers raiding a dragon’s hoard. Players use a Dutch auction mechanic to split the treasure they’ve acquired at the end of each round.
  9. Catan: Catan is a popular game where players compete to build settlements, cities, and roads on the island of Catan. The Dutch auction mechanic is used to determine which player gets to place their settlement on the board first.
  10. Amun-Re: Amun-Re is a game about building temples and farms in ancient Egypt. The Dutch auction mechanic is used to buy provinces, with players bidding on the right to build structures and gain victory points.

A specific example of the Dutch auction mechanic can be found in the game High Society. In High Society, players are wealthy individuals bidding on luxurious items such as yachts, diamonds, and art.

The game uses the Dutch auction mechanic, where the price for each item starts high and decreases until a player accepts the price and takes the item. Players must balance their desire to acquire desirable items with their desire to keep their wealth, as the more money they spend, the less they have to bid on future items.

The Dutch auction mechanic in High Society creates an exciting bidding experience as players jockey for position and try to get the best items at the lowest prices.