RULE FAQ'S
Here are a few questions that we get asked frequently:
SETUP
Q: Is the deck shuffled?
A: Yes! Think of Lacorsa as a card game.
Q: Can an extra suit of cards be used in the 2 player game?
A: Yes. If you are playing with card counters, add an extra suit to ensure unpredictability. Still deal 13 cards per race car.
Q: What is the order of play?
A: Order of play is determined by track position after a simultaneous reveal in qualifying. Therefore, the order of play is from the last car to the first place car and is constantly changing based on track position each lap.
CHALLENGING
Q: What is recommended when two players, each managing two cars on the same team, are challenging each other? Can they discard?
A: When two cars on the same team challenge each other, each must play a card. You can’t discard with a car in front. The challenge determines if there is a pass or not. Essentially, it is a discard. You can play the lowest card you have to ensure the correct car remains in front. This is done because interesting situations can arise when you don’t have the right low card. Sometimes, you may need to play a higher card to get your preferred car in front.
Q: What happens when one car only has an Extend and a Redline card left, and there is a car in front of them? What are my options?
A: First, you have to challenge. You can play both cards 2+R (for a total of 4). Or play the 2 to continue with one more lap (assuming you don’t win the challenge with a 2!). It is important to note that Extend cards are often used to challenge at the end of the race. This is why they have a value of 1, 2, and 3.
Q: Are the Extend cards playable as challenge cards?
A: They can be used to attack and defend with the value on the card (1,2,3). Even the Redline card can be used by itself in a challenge but it has a value of 0.
Q: On a player's turn, if there is a car ahead, is the player required to challenge or can he or she skip the challenge (and perhaps discard)?
A: You are required to challenge, although you are not forced to play a good card. Playing a low card would have the same effect as discarding, plus you force your opponent to play a more meaningful card.
EXTENDING
Q: After passing two cars, it wasn't clear if you could then use an Extend Card afterwards. The rule book suggests that if you pass two cars and have space in front of you, you can use an Extend Card before ending your turn.
A: The simple answer is that passing two cars ends your turn. This overrides any other choice. So, even if there's an open space ahead, your turn is finished. This adds more strategy options and sometimes lets the car in front play fewer than their best cards.
Q: Are Extend cards played faced up? Are discards played facedown?
A: You must show the card you are playing. All cards in the discard pile are played face up, including Extends. Only during a challenge are cards played face down for a simultaneous reveal.
Q: If a player overtakes two cars, can they then extend? Or if you pass 2 cars, is that the end of their turn?
A: After passing 2 cars, it is the end of their turn. The play moves on to the next car.
Q: Does the 2 Extend card move a car two spaces forward?
A: No. A racecar is moved one space forward regardless of the number on the card. The numbers are used for challenges.
Q: What’s the difference between the Extend and Drafting Extend card? Is it just that the leader cannot play the Drafting Extend? Or, can it be played as a counter if the leader extends, but the second-place car plays the Drafting Extend to “keep up”?
A: The Drafting Extend cannot be used by the leader to extend. That is the only difference, other than it has a value of 3 when used in a challenge. In this scenario, the turn is over for the second-placed car if they lose the challenge. The second-placed car must wait until the next lap to play their 3 Drafting Extends.
Q: If a racer only has Extend cards left in their hand, can those cards be used to defend or attack? Or must they be discarded, or is the player considered out of cards?
A: They can be used to attack and defend with the value on the card (1,2,3). Even the Redline card can be used by itself in a challenge, but it has a value of 0.
Q: What designates “Drafting Extend”? Do you have to be directly behind a car or can you be one space apart? If you are directly behind, does it allow you to pass?
A: The 3 Drafting Extend card can be used by any car except the leader to extend. As with any Extend card, it can be used to extend only when there is an empty space ahead to move into.
Q: I had a question about the rules. What happens when the card reaches the end of the wooden track before someone exhausts their deck? Do they start wrapping around at the beginning, or can the leader no longer extend?
A: Generally, we extend the cars off the board and shift all the cars back when possible after a lap or two. We will be offering a standalone game board in Fall 2025, which can be purchased separately to add more spaces if needed.
EXPANSION
Q: How do you accommodate more than six players if the track itself only holds 12 spots? Is there a rules explanation for how this is handled that I missed, or would another track need to be purchased separately to create 24 spots?
A: We find that even with 10 cars, you rarely need to find solutions to show forward progress. Generally, we extend the cars off the board and shift all the cars back when possible after a lap or two. We will be offering a standalone game board in Fall 2025, which can be purchased separately to add more spaces if needed.
Q: When the attacker uses 'flat out' and ends up with a tie, or if you tie regardless of the 'flat out,' what happens? Some cards specify which chart to roll on, but others don't. If the attacking car uses 'flat out' and ties with a car that isn't using 'flat out,' what is the result?
A: An incident occurs if either the attacker, defender, or both go "flat out," and the result is a tie. The default chart used is the Driver Incident Chart. If either the car or the track card indicates a Car Incident, both drivers will then roll on the Car Incident Chart. Each player will roll a die using the same chart, which may result in different outcomes for each car.
Q: When is a driver allowed to pit? The rulebook states the driver must first “win any defending challenge.” Does that mean that before a driver can pit, the driver must first: 1. Be challenged by another driver, 2. Win the challenge and hold off the other driver? We had an issue with a car that had a poor hand in a particular race and was stuck at the back, and was never able to meet the criteria for taking a pit stop
A: Yes, you need to defend against any challenge (if there is a car behind you) before pitting. A car could lose positions to last place before being able to do so. Once in last place, you are guaranteed a pit stop without having to defend first. It is unlikely, however, that you will be disqualified for running out of cards before pitting.
Q: The rulebook states that when declaring for “flat out” advantage, the challenger declares first.” Can the defending driver use the flat out advantage if the challenger chooses not to? Or can the defender only use the advantage in response to the challenger’s aggressive driving?
A: Yes, the challenger must declare first. Following this, the defending car can respond by declaring “flat out” or choose not to do so. Each declaration is independent of the other, but this rule establishes the order in which declarations are made. This assumes that both cars are striped.
Q: Tied challenges at a dangerous track cause incidents, as does a driver going flat out to pass. Does this mean that incidents only occur at dangerous tracks?
A: This means that all ties at the Belgian GP, regardless of any “flat-out” declarations, are Incidents. It allows for crashes in the game even if you are not playing with the Lead Driver Advantages.
Q: Can the leader “Go Wide”?
A: The leader of the race cannot “Go Wide”. This is an interesting variation, but it is not always necessary to balance play. Once you understand the stakes of being left behind, you play differently. You employ a blocking strategy.