5 Basic Tips For Winning Board Games

Not all of us are radically competitive gamers (and that's totally fine!), but some of us legitimately are. Even worse, maybe we've got a competitive personality but kinda just suck at winning board games. Then there are folks like me who are unbearably humble and happen to wins games all the time anyway ;) In all seriousness though, here are some tips I've found to be universal in increasing your chances of winning board games and impressing your friends with how nerdy and annoying you can be.

1) Optimize The Scoring System

Every game has some sort of scoring system used for determining the winner, whether that be direct victory points, last man standing, first to complete a task etc. Too often people get so caught up in the details of just completing each turn that they forget the end goal: points.

So start by dissecting the game's mechanics and determining the best way to score the most points you can. Most games are played in turns and winning can be as simple as finding the best way to get the most points per turn while adequately managing your risk. For example, in the board game 7 Wonders, I've found that in the 3rd age, you generally want to be gaining over 6 points per card you play. Anything lower than that and you'll likely lose.

Next, see the game as you vs the table not you vs individuals. Think of it this way: 1 point for you with 4 other opponents is technically 4 points against the table as a whole (1 point against each player). 1 point less for your neighbor is really only netting you one point against the table instead (1 point against only one player), so you're almost always better off making decisions that give you points instead of decisions that take points from others. The only exception to that rule is when a specific opponent is close to winning or radically in the lead. At that point, nerfing that powerhouse player can sometimes be in your best interest.

Finally, be flexible in games with diverse possibilities. Let's look at Settlers of Catan for example. It's always better to react to what you have instead of clinging to one specific strategy. I've seen too many people get bent out of shape saying, "Man if I can just get a brick I'll finally be able to build that road!" when they have the resources for a development card or even a city if they traded right. Don't get so attached to a specific strategy that you lose sight of a better one if the opportunity arises. With this in mind, some games require a very cohesive strategy from the very beginning, so it is admittedly a case by case strategy.

2) Blend In

If the game permits, hide your points! The less people know how far ahead your are, the less likely you are to be picked on. Try as hard as you can to avoid people saying, "woah look how many points they have!"

Don't brag about great strategies you have until the game is over. If a strategy is working well for you and people are aware of it, they'll be fighting against it. If you have any intention of using that strategy again, you might just have to bite your tongue and never tell anyone about it. 

Feel free to point out the success of others. It's always nice to play with someone who compliments their opponents and if you're smooth enough, it'll divert attention away from your successes.

3) Don't Be Predictable

It might be hard to give up your favorite strategy, but sometimes the best approach is the unexpected one. Using Settlers as an example again, if you have a history of building cities, people will begin to pick up on that and react accordingly. Nothing sucks more than getting a robber on the 6 you've spammed a couple cities on. Try gaining points through roads, development cards, etc.

4) Play The Mind Games

Table talk has a much heavier influence on the game than most people give it credit. Let's take Hearts for example. In the beginning of each hand, players pass three cards that they don't want to their neighbor. This pass is used to both attempt to stack their own hand while sabotaging their opponent's. If there's a card you don't particularly mind getting, pretend like it's one you don't want. Once the hand is done, complain about getting the darn 2 of clubs yet again, even if it works well with your strategy.

Taking it a step further, just like the Sicilian in the Princess Bride, reverse and reverse-reverse psychology can become a fun and effective way to keep yourself unpredictable. If you have a group of friends you commonly play games with, sometimes pretending like you're pretending works well. State the exact strategy you're going for as if you're trying to trick them into thinking that's your strategy. Keep 'em on their toes. It can get ridiculous thinking about pretending to pretend to pretend to pretend to whatever, so usually only 2-3 levels deep will do.

5) Stay Happy & Don't Tilt

Sometimes it's hard to hear it, but at the end of the day, it really is just a game. Most board games have an element of luck, regardless of your skill. You could be optimizing every turn and till end up in dead last. Sometimes losing is just a matter of chance; especially games that are heavily influenced by dice (*cough* monopoly).

Even when you're losing horribly, getting upset won't make it better. There have been many great comebacks from the player staying optimistic and having a good time, regardless of where they stand.

And let's be honest, even if you have no hope of winning, nobody likes playing games with someone who's pissed to be there.

So there you have it: 5 tips for winning board games. Figure out how to get points, do so sneakily, and enjoy yourself.