How Do You Improve Your Board Game Skills?

[nervous-chicken387]

Hi,

What methods do you guys use to improve your skills in games that you enjoy playing? Is there a particular website that people use? Do people focus more on YouTube videos? Do you use strategy guides?

I am not including any specific games in my question because it is more general. I enjoy playing most games that I've played on BGA. But I am competitive and I want to improve. Even if that improvement is slight and does not make me an immediate master (which I doubt anything would immediately do lol, but the point is that slight improvement is still improvement).

When you want to improve at a game, besides playing more of that game yourself, which does help, what other methods do you use to improve your skills at a board game? Because I only know about playing more of the game so far.

[BartholomewBart]

Continuously playing the game, with no specific goal in mind. After a while you notice which combos work well, or you learn the contents of the deck better.

[Ceaseless]

Hi,

What methods do you guys use to improve your skills in games that you enjoy playing? Is there a particular website that people use? Do people focus more on YouTube videos? Do you use strategy guides?

I am not including any specific games in my question because it is more general. I enjoy playing most games that I've played on BGA. But I am competitive and I want to improve. Even if that improvement is slight and does not make me an immediate master (which I doubt anything would immediately do lol, but the point is that slight improvement is still improvement).

When you want to improve at a game, besides playing more of that game yourself, which does help, what other methods do you use to improve your skills at a board game? Because I only know about playing more of the game so far.

The general case is just the stepping stone to look at the specifics. Details matter. You can general case all you want, but one solid detail can turn everything on its head. You'd want to look and see what specific resources exist for a game, a well-known guide for a given game can end up completely reshaping what you do in that game compared to others.

Another thing you can do is review games. For one thing, your own games. You can start by looking for the really bad moves. It is incredible how often there are game breaking mistakes made by players, even when they think they're playing well. I have looked at my own games and found absurd errors, and I've seen this with other players. Like Chess, it doesn't matter how advanced your opening theory is if you end up hanging your queen. So a lot of players end up plateauing at a low level because they don't realize they've been playing a battle of the blunders. To be able to fully take advantage of new material, a player needs to make sure they have the stuff they know locked down. Not just in their head, they have to make sure they have it ingrained into their habits as well. A lot of games are just given away, and if you sort out your own major mistakes and have your eye out for those from your opponent you will find games that are just handed over to you.

You can review other player's games as well, which can be handy, though you want to make sure you are in a position to at least understand what's going on. Talking with people who play the game can help, ideas can be exchanged, general familiarity with the game can be increased.

[4everblessed]

Know the components. This has been the biggest aid. For example, El Grande: Know all the action cards AND how many there are. Or Alhambra: Know how many there are of each shape, so you're not waiting for something that will never come. The more you know the components, the better: how many of each, shape/color pairings (green pieces are always THIS shape and THIS shape), what all the special abilities are, etc.

Also....do the math. Count the points. For example, Cartographers: how many points OVER THE COURSE OF THE GAME will a play bring you. Compare that with the number of points your other options will yield.

It sounds like work,, but it doesn't feel like it when it's a favorite game. Of course, some games are mostly luck. In that case, you can learn to play the odds and/or develop your risk tolerance.

So, different strategies for different games, since there are many types. Personally, I don't read the strategy forums for specific games. I like to figure things out for myself. Keeps it interesting.

[Jeromie]

- Watch replays of top 10 players. Try predicting their moves and never assume they're lucky or playing randomly.
- Try to predict the winners and the score difference if applicable of any game/replay.
- If you struggle to counter a strategy or power, play it repeatedly until you get countered so you can learn its weaknesses.
- Never quit, invest yourself in every game until the very end.

[Daggerheart]

Well, I have won arena in several games... So I am skilled enough to give working advice:

1) BGA lets you watch other players replays. So you can look at the ranking lists... then watch, analyze and learn from the best.
2) Watch Youtube videos made by really skilled players. One example is "Alexey's Carcassonne Channel", check it out on Youtube. He is one of the best Carcassonne and Azul players in the world. Another is the channel "Papa Boris".
3) Patience and consistency. You maybe lose 100 times in row, but try to learn at least one thing each time... and you will get better and better.
4) Maybe just ask a very good player for some advice directly here at bga, I have done that some times, and gotten nice answers, also from Alexey.
5) Search up the forum for the spesific game at boardgamegeek.com. Most popular games got some useful strategy advice there.
6) What I do is to create a set of "rules" for how I play and a priority order for the "rules" I use. One rule can be: I will always try this first, but if the conditions are not present I go alternative 2 or 3. The better I get in a game the more detailed the "rules" for my actions get, and the priority list is more advanced/optimal. It is "refined" logic that leads me to victory.