Why the last stone loses
Why overflow in Sunmeld costs the player who placed the last stone.
A round of Sunmeld ends when the tub overflows, and the player who placed the last stone loses. This note is about why we chose that rule for the game, which is still in development for iOS and Android.
Every stone has a cost
If overflow simply ended the round with no loser, nobody would mind crowding the tub. Making the last placer lose means every stone you drop carries a small risk, and the risk grows as the tub fills.
It turns waiting into a move
When the tub is nearly full, a safe stone is valuable. You can leave a hard spot for your opponent, or you can clear room with a merge. Both are real choices, and both are visible to the player on the other side.
Fair for both sides
The rule is the same for you and for the AI. Nobody gets a hidden advantage, and a round can turn on one careful placement.
What is next
We will keep testing how this rule feels over a whole round. There is no release date yet. When there is news, it will show up here and in the release notes.