If a loop contains one or more optional actions and one player controls them all, that player chooses a number. The loop is treated as repeating that number of times, or until another player intervenes with his own action, whichever comes first.
A player wishes to repeatedly use the ability of Sam, Faithful Companion (“Fellowship: Play Bill the Pony from your draw deck.”). He chooses a number of times this action will take place. The action is treated as repeating that number of times unless another player intervenes with a different action.
If a loop contains one or more optional actions each controlled by different players and actions by both are needed to continue the loop, the Free Peoples player chooses a number. The Shadow player then has two choices:
• He or she can choose a lower number, in which case the loop continues that number of times, with a final action in that loop by the Free Peoples player.
• He or she can agree to the number chosen by the active player, in which case the loop continues that number of times, with a final action in that loop by the Shadow player.
The Free Peoples player has Sméagol, Slinker (“Skirmish: Add a burden to make Sméagol strength +2...”) skirmishing a minion at Anduin Banks (“Skirmish: Spot your minion and remove a burden to make that minion strength +2.”). The repeated adding and removing of a burden for strength bonuses creates a loop, so the Free Peoples player names a number of iterations for these actions. The Shadow player then has two choices:
• He may name a lower number of iterations. The loop would continue for that many iterations, with the Free Peoples player taking the final action (adding one final action at the end of the loop, if necessary for the Free Peoples player to have the final action).
• He may agree with the Free Peoples player’s choice of iterations. The loop would continue for that number of iterations, with the Shadow player taking the final action (adding one final action at the end of the loop, if necessary for the Shadow player to have the final action).

If a loop contains one or more optional actions and one player controls them all, that player chooses a number. The loop is treated as repeating that number of times, or until another player intervenes with his own action, whichever comes first.