Board Games (Vol. 2)

How to “Win” board games

Hello chaps and chappesses! Today we will go over the basics of board game etiquette. Mainly, how to win! Now there are a variety of different ways to go about competitively playing board games. Obviously for skill games, practice is the best way to become an expert. However, what if it is a new game you haven’t tried before? Or one you don’t own and only play when someone else brings it to a game night? Here are a few methods to do better with games you aren’t an expert at. J Enjoy:

Method 1:

Copycat – Pick out the best player in the room. Hint, it’s usually the person who brought the game. Watch carefully the way they play, and as best as you can, copy their moves and playing style. You may not beat them, but you have a pretty good shot at getting 2nd place, which is close enough. J

Method 2:

Stick to your guns – If playing board games has taught me anything, it’s that some strategies are better than others. But, any strategy is better than no strategy, or worse, switching strategies halfway through the game. Adjusting your strategy can be helpful, but don’t turn the whole boat around in the middle of the game. You are much better off sticking to your strategy through the game. And who knows? Your plan may pay off near the end of the game!

Method 3:

Pick the winner – In a lot of board games, by the 4^th quarter, it can be pretty clear who is in the lead and who is trailing behind. If you are trailing, and are confidant you won’t be in first, you still have the option of “road blocking” the leader, or helping someone go from 2^nd place to 1^st. If you opt for this method, be sneaky about it. If done right, you can have the fun of knowing you had a hand in the outcome, and no one will be the wiser.

Method 4:

Play for the evening – You may not get 1^st place every game, but if you consistently get 2^nd or 3^rd place each game, you may very well be seen as the best player of the night overall! Especially when playing a wide variety of games, no one will always be 1^st place, but it’s possible to be always in 2^nd place!

Remember, at the end of the night, it’s all about the fun. Keep a smile on your face, even if you were thrown into a few games you have no idea how to play. No one will remember who won and who lost, just that they had a fun night playing games with their friends.

Lastly, here are some additional tips for specific (popular) board games in the bunny’s circles:

Dominion:

Dominion is a deck-building game where you buy cards that you use over and over. In this game, there is always one strategy that prevails; the gold rush.

Gold Rush:

Turn 1: buy a silver

Turn 2: buy a silver

Turn 3- buy cards that work well together.

Turn ???: as soon as you can afford it, buy a Gold. This allows you to begin buying more expensive cards as you build your deck.

Ticket to Ride:

Ticket to Ride is a train game where your goal is to connect different cities across the board to complete “route” cards to score points. Strategies differ, but in general, go for long routes that score 10 or more points each. Then, try to find short routes in between your long routes that will be easy for you to complete.

Settlers of Catan:

Settlers of Catan is a city building game where your goal is to be the first to collect 10 points total. Each settlement is worth 1 point, and each city is worth 2. There are other ways to collect points, but the best overall strategy is to upgrade all settlements to cities. This way, you collect more resources quicker (as cities double your resources).

Any Dice Game:

10,000, Lowman, Zombie Dice, Liars Dice, Yahtzee… Most (if not all) dice games are pretty much just chance or luck. Here’s what you do. Pick an item either on your person, or a random item in the room. Claim this is your good luck charm. If you start winning, compliment yourself on your good taste for finding a good luck charm. If you begin losing, try to pawn off your “charm” onto another player. Maybe it will make them lose!

Have a charming Wednesday!

-woof-