c/board-game-geeks

My game group in Denver kicked a guy out last month for never learning the rules

He showed up for Gloomhaven for the third time still asking what his initiative number meant. Has anyone else had to cut a friend loose over something like this?

Pro tip: I found a way to organize my game nights that actually gets people to show up

For months, my group in Columbus kept flaking, so I started sending a Doodle poll with three specific dates and a clear start time of 7 PM. Last week, all six people confirmed and we finally got to play through all of Root. Has anyone else found a simple trick that improved attendance for their regular game group?

I used to think being a board game geek meant owning every new release

For a long time, I felt pressure to buy the hot new game each month to stay 'in the know.' Then, at a game night in Portland, a friend pulled out a worn copy of a 10-year-old game I'd never played. We had the best time, and he said, 'You know, the real hobby is playing, not shopping.' That hit me hard. How many of us get caught in the collector's trap instead of just enjoying the games we already have?

My buddy in Chicago told me my game teach was too long and I lost people

He said 'dude, you spent 20 minutes on setup and lore before we even rolled a die.' Now I just do a 5 minute rules overview and jump right in. How do you keep new players from zoning out during the teach?

Hot take: I just found out board game cafes in Seattle charge $5 per person just to sit down

I was looking at the website for Mox Boarding House for my game group and saw the cover fee listed in the small print. That's on top of buying food or drinks, which feels like a sneaky way to price out casual players. How many of you would still go to a spot with a mandatory seat fee?

I finally got my non-gamer neighbor to play a full game with us

Three years ago, I moved in next to a guy who thought board games were just Monopoly. Last week, after a year of casual chats about my game nights, he agreed to try one. We played a full game of Ticket to Ride on my back porch, and he actually asked when we were playing again. What's a good next step for someone who liked the simple rules but got into the map planning?

At a game night in Portland, I saw a guy bring a full binder of custom player aids

We were playing a heavy euro at a cafe on Belmont Street, and one player pulled out a three ring binder with laminated reference sheets for about 15 different games. He said he made them after a bad teach of 'Brass Birmingham' last year. Now I keep a small plastic sleeve with my own quick guides for games I own. Does anyone else make custom player aids, or have a good system for them?

I finally told my game group we need to stop buying new stuff

Last month, I looked at my shelf and counted 47 unplayed board games. I bought three more at a con in Chicago last week. It hit me that we've become collectors, not players. Three years ago, we met every Friday to actually play, but now half the night is just opening boxes and reading rules for games we'll never finish. My friend Mark said, 'But the Kickstarter exclusives!' and I just snapped. I told him the thrill is in the playing, not the plastic. We're drowning in shrink wrap while our favorite games gather dust. Has anyone else had to put their foot down about the constant buying cycle?

Rant: I thought legacy board games were just a cash grab until I tried one

For years, I heard people at my local game store in Austin talk about legacy games like they were the best thing ever. I thought it was just a trick to get you to buy more stuff, like you pay for a game and then wreck it. Then my group played Pandemic Legacy Season 1 last month. We played it over six weeks. The way the game changed forever after our choices, and the new rules that came out of an envelope when we lost a city... it felt totally different. It wasn't just a board game anymore, it was our story. I was wrong. It's a legit new way to play. Has anyone else had a game type they hated until they actually gave it a real shot?

Had to pick between a 4 hour game of Twilight Imperium or a 2 hour game of Sushi Go for my birthday party. Guess which one I chose and how it ended?

My game group almost fell apart over a rules argument about 'Root'... it got pretty heated.

Can we talk about how I was teaching new players wrong for years

I always explained every rule up front, but a friend in Denver just said 'let's play a round and I'll ask questions' and it clicked. Now I start with a quick goal and jump in. How do you handle teaching a complex game like Terraforming Mars to new people?

A friend told me my game explanations were too long and it clicked

We were setting up a game of Terraforming Mars and I started going into every card detail. My buddy said 'Casey, you're giving a lecture, not teaching a game.' He was right. I was taking 20 minutes just to explain the basics. Now I stick to the core rules and let people learn as we play. It cut setup time in half and everyone has more fun. Has anyone else had to shorten their teaching style for new players?

Spent $40 on a board game insert and it's a total game changer

I got the Scythe Legendary Box and the Folded Space insert for it was about forty bucks. It used to take me 20 minutes to set up and pack away, but now it's maybe five. All the pieces have their own little spot, so no more digging through bags. Anyone have a favorite insert for a different big game?

My copy of Gloomhaven finally gave out after three years of heavy play

The box lid split clean down the middle last game night. We were setting up for a scenario, and I went to lift it and heard this awful crack. It's been through maybe 200 hours of play, moved to three different apartments, and survived a spilled drink once. The cardboard organizer for the map tiles is also completely warped now. I tried to fix the lid with some strong glue and clamps, but the seam is still really obvious and weak. It's a bummer because this game was our group's main thing for so long. Has anyone else had a big box game just wear out from use? What did you do, just buy a new copy or find a better storage fix?

I just figured out I've been teaching new players wrong for years

At a game night last month, I was trying to explain the rules for Terraforming Mars to a friend. I went through my usual 15 minute lecture on all the cards and actions. My friend looked totally lost and said, 'Can we just start playing and you tell me as we go?' We did that, and he picked it up in three rounds. I've been overloading people with info upfront instead of letting them learn by doing. Has anyone else found a better way to teach complex games without the info dump?

I used to think my game group was too slow until I watched us play

We were playing a new game, and I was getting annoyed at how long it was taking. Then my friend recorded a short clip on his phone. Watching it back, I saw that the real problem was me rushing people and making them second-guess their moves. I realized I was the one causing the slowdown by being impatient. Has anyone else had a moment where they were the problem at the table?

Found out the first board game convention was way older than I thought

I was reading an old article about game history and learned the first real board game convention happened in 1964. It was called the 'International Wargaming Convention' and took place in Malvern, Pennsylvania. That's a full 60 years ago. I always figured these big meetups were a more recent thing from the 90s or so. It's wild to think people were gathering to play complex games like that so long before the internet. Makes me appreciate how deep the hobby's roots go. Has anyone been to a convention that's been running for a really long time?

I thought the $40 price tag on that new worker placement game was too high, but my friend's copy proved me wrong

Shoutout to my friend in Seattle who called me out for hoarding unplayed games

I had 17 shrink-wrapped boxes on my shelf, and he asked if I was collecting games or actually playing them. Anyone else finally crack open their 'shelf of shame' this year?

Rant: The game cafe in my town has a 'no phones' rule for certain tables

I went to The Rook's Nest last Friday and saw they have three tables marked with a small sign that says 'analog zone'. They don't let you have your phone out at all if you sit there. I used to think that was a dumb rule, but watching a group play a full game of Root without anyone looking at a screen changed my mind. The whole table was just talking and laughing the whole time. Has any other place near you tried something like this?

I used to think teaching new games was about explaining every rule up front

For years, I'd spend like 20 minutes going through the whole rulebook before we even touched a piece, and people's eyes would just glaze over. Then, at a game night in Austin last month, my friend just said, 'Let's play a practice round, I'll explain as we go.' We were playing Azul, and after three turns, everyone got it. Now I just teach the absolute goal and the basic turn structure, maybe 5 minutes max, and we jump in. It's way less stressful for everyone. How do you guys handle teaching a complicated game without losing the group?

The whole 'gateway game' thing is getting used wrong at my local meetup

Honestly, I keep hearing people call Catan a gateway game for new players, but I've seen three groups in the last month get totally stuck on the trading rules. Tbh, I think a real gateway game should have zero hidden information on turn one, like Ticket to Ride. Has anyone else noticed this or am I just being picky?

Unpopular opinion: The guy at the game shop in Springfield who judges your whole collection by one box is the worst.

I was buying a copy of 'Wingspan' and he saw my bag, then said 'Oh, you're one of those light game people.' He based my whole taste on that single purchase. Does anyone else get this kind of snap judgment from other players?

A game night in Portland showed me how to fix a common setup problem

I was at a friend's place in Portland last month for a big game night. We spent 45 minutes trying to teach everyone the rules to a new game before we could even start. The host, Mark, pulled out a small whiteboard and drew a simple turn order chart. He said 'visuals beat talking every time for new players.' Now I bring a small notebook to every game night and draw quick reference sheets. It cuts teaching time in half. What other tricks do people use to get games going faster?