wyatt771•3d agoProlific Poster

Unpopular opinion: I used to think board game nights were about winning

For years, my goal at our weekly group in Columbus was to crush everyone. I'd pick the meanest strategies, hoard resources, and keep my plans secret. The turning point was a game of Root about six months ago. I was playing the Marquise de Cat and had a perfect engine built to steamroll the Woodland Alliance. My friend Dave, playing the Alliance, just looked defeated and said, 'Man, this isn't fun anymore.' I realized I'd turned a three-hour social event into a solo puzzle. Now, I focus on the table talk, the wild plays, and the shared story. I'll even point out a better move to a new player if it makes the game more interesting for everyone. Winning is fine, but the real point is the group having a good time together. Does anyone else have a story about shifting their focus from victory to the experience?

2 comments

2 Comments

river_bailey23d ago

Yeah, that's a huge shift to make. I started asking myself "will this be a fun story later?" before making a cutthroat move. It completely changed the vibe for our whole group.

jason_robinson3d ago

Love that mindset. Really changes how you play the game.