# Mornington Crescent question **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [September 23, 2010, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mornington-crescent-question/554794 "2010-09-23T17:52:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mornington-crescent-question/554794/221 "2010-10-05T20:56:08Z")
> [@Wargamer](#): > > **Barons Court** , up to 6, and I’ll take a Green Oyster Card! Hold up, are we playing Oysters? I thought we were on one of the classic variations. If that’s the case, then **Cockfosters** and I pick up three tokens. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mornington-crescent-question/554794/222 "2010-10-05T22:39:32Z")
And from Cockfosters the almost mandatory: **Blackhorse Road** and block token use southbound. ---
**Author:** ![lynne-42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lynne-42/32/3138_2.png) [@lynne-42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lynne-42)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mornington-crescent-question/554794/223 "2010-10-06T00:15:48Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > > [@lynne-42](#): > > > > t I have MC in two by playing **Barons Court**. > > > > OK, I’m going to risk it and stay with the District Line:\*\* Barons Court\*\*. > > Which means you missed my purple flag, which I’m turning in for a move back to the Piccadilly line. > > **Arsenal** > > Let’s see you get MC in two now. Damn you, **Maus**. **Euston** , with purple tokens acquired on platform. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mornington-crescent-question/554794/224 "2010-10-06T01:13:15Z")
> [@lynne-42](#): > > **Euston** , with purple tokens acquired on platform. Decent set-up attempt, but I must foul it up, I’m afraid. **Clapham Common** , and one token revoked. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![lynne-42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lynne-42/32/3138_2.png) [@lynne-42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lynne-42)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mornington-crescent-question/554794/225 "2010-10-06T06:05:57Z")
Damn. Foiled again. Tokens Null! Ha!!! ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mornington-crescent-question/554794/226 "2010-10-06T12:09:41Z")
> [@lynne-42](#): > > Damn. Foiled again. > > Tokens Null! Ha!!! You can’t declare tokens null without a move to a qualified declaration destination. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mornington-crescent-question/554794/227 "2010-10-06T12:11:55Z")
**Canada Water**. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mornington-crescent-question/554794/228 "2010-10-06T12:17:02Z")
Nice move, **matt\_mcl**. That switch over to Jubilee is yet another foil for **lynn-42**. **Finchley Road** Full tokens. Double-Ha!! ---
**Author:** ![lynne-42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lynne-42/32/3138_2.png) [@lynne-42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lynne-42)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mornington-crescent-question/554794/229 "2010-10-06T12:35:37Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > > [@lynne-42](#): > > > > Tokens Null! Ha!!! > > You can’t declare tokens null without a move to a qualified declaration destination. Can so! I opened with **Paddington** and then full-handed it. See Parmington vs Parmington Jnr, Wiltshire Masters, 1947, as recorded in _Mornington Crescent Openings_ (2nd Ed.) p. 231. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mornington-crescent-question/554794/230 "2010-10-06T12:47:46Z")
**Caledonian Road**. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mornington-crescent-question/554794/231 "2010-10-06T13:21:15Z")
> [@lynne-42](#): > > > [@Bricker](#): > > > > You can’t declare tokens null without a move to a qualified declaration destination. > > Can so! I opened with **Paddington** and then full-handed it. See Parmington vs Parmington Jnr, Wiltshire Masters, 1947, as recorded in _Mornington Crescent Openings_ (2nd Ed.) p. 231. Yes, but in that sequence, Ravenscourt Park was played as a follow-on, a station that has unused platforms. (District Line station w/ Piccadilly Line platforms unused in normal service). Here, while **ianzin** mentions that same station, he does so as an aside, not as a play. So your comparison to the famous Parmington family dispute is simply not applicable. Tokens are not null. Yet. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mornington-crescent-question/554794/232 "2010-10-06T13:23:59Z")
> [@Dead\_Cat](#): > > **Caledonian Road**. Caledonian Road, and full tokens in play. I may be hoist by my own petard here. Rats. At least I can hold inter-zone fare changes with **Maida Vale**. ---
**Author:** ![Wargamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/df705f/32.png) [@Wargamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wargamer)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mornington-crescent-question/554794/233 "2010-10-06T14:12:58Z")
**Wembley Central** , switch to nonpeak riderships, green tokens voided. (For those of you following at home - see pp. 316-319 of _The Idiot’s Guide to Mornington Crescent_, 1998 version. It’s most enlightening.) ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mornington-crescent-question/554794/234 "2010-10-06T14:40:05Z")
> [@Wargamer](#): > > **Wembley Central** , switch to nonpeak riderships, green tokens voided. > > (For those of you following at home - see pp. 316-319 of _The Idiot’s Guide to Mornington Crescent_, 1998 version. It’s most enlightening.) Great play. So let’s see. Everything on the south of Maida Vale on the Bakerloo line is blocked to me. Everything north of Wembley Central is blocked thanks to you. And if I play any line other than Bakerloo I set up a Haskin’s Heartbreak-type situation. Clever clever. So it’s bad, worse, or worser for me. I think I’ll choose bad: **Willesden Junction**. Vulnerable. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mornington-crescent-question/554794/235 "2010-10-06T16:16:25Z")
**Oxford Circus** ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mornington-crescent-question/554794/236 "2010-10-06T17:03:19Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > **Oxford Circus** Ok. **Canary Wharf** , and Tramlink connection stations blocked. ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mornington-crescent-question/554794/237 "2010-10-06T19:45:51Z")
Oh, that was just COLD, **Bricker**. It took me two hours to run a sim of our current game state (using West London Unabridged ruleset, spring 2010) and so far there is NO sequence of moves under 4,000 that leads to a win. Off with your head! As to which, **Tower Hill**. Everybody pay one token. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mornington-crescent-question/554794/238 "2010-10-06T19:56:55Z")
And back to **Willesden Junction** to institute The Loop. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mornington-crescent-question/554794/239 "2010-10-06T20:25:53Z")
Well, not necessarily. By the Anticongruency Principle, which was ratified at the Henley-on-Thames Interzonal back in March 2008, it’s definitively established that one mandatory loop is voided by the commission of another. So off to **Dollis Hill** we go, and as if by a miracle… we’ve also dealt with **Scuba Ben** ’s little problem. (Did you miss the minutes, Scubey? They were in the _West Crunge Clarion & Dubious Advertiser_ - not exactly a mainstream publication, but their circulation figures do actually qualify; you have to watch those committee members though, if it hadn’t been for a late night fish supper I’d have missed that one myself and I shouldn’t be surprised if there was some jiggery-pokery going on there, slipping it into a provincial free-sheet on the quiet!) ---
**Author:** ![JMLVT68](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9a28c/32.png) [@JMLVT68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JMLVT68)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mornington-crescent-question/554794/240 "2010-10-06T20:38:43Z")
Late to this thread, had to do a LOT of reading up on MC strategy, but think I’ve finally got it. Brilliant plays here, folks. Thoroughly enjoying it! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mornington-crescent-question/554794.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mornington-crescent-question/554794.md?page=13)