Board Game Arena

Hello,
We are 3 friends—A, B, C—who regularly play two friendly games (Azul, but it could be any other game). We’d like to switch the playing order. I mean ABC in one game and ACB in the other (regardless who plays first) . How can we do this?
We tried to start a game and join it in the order we wanted... but it only works half the time!
Why can't we choose the playing order (as long as all 3 players agree)?
Also, it would be nice if the playing order were displayed on the active games page. I actually made a suggestion along those lines : https://boardgamearena.com/bug?id=208005
but given the low number of votes, I doubt it will ever be seen (and therefore changed).

I can't speak to how 3-player games work, but when I play 2-player games with friends, we use the "invite opponent to a rematch" feature, which then switches up the player order. It might work the same way with 3+ player games.

FrankJones wrote: ↑20 March 2026, 21:29 I can't speak to how 3-player games work, but when I play 2-player games with friends, we use the "invite opponent to a rematch" feature, which then switches up the player order. It might work the same way with 3+ player games.

I'm not 100% sure, but from what I've noticed it seems to keep the order of the players but cycle through who goes first. So not quite what is wanted here, unless you can get two games going with the different (cyclic) orderings and keep hiitting rematch.

Emerson_Matt wrote: ↑20 March 2026, 22:04

FrankJones wrote: ↑20 March 2026, 21:29 I can't speak to how 3-player games work, but when I play 2-player games with friends, we use the "invite opponent to a rematch" feature, which then switches up the player order. It might work the same way with 3+ player games.

I'm not 100% sure, but from what I've noticed it seems to keep the order of the players but cycle through who goes first. So not quite what is wanted here, unless you can get two games going with the different (cyclic) orderings and keep hiitting rematch.

Oh, true. Rotating who goes first helps make sure that every 3 games (in a 3-player game), the advantages and disadvantages of each starting position are balanced out, but, yeah, it would mean the same player always follows the same player, and that might not be desirable.

I'm guessing that could be implemented on a game-by game basis by the individual game developers for specific games: A setting for friendly mode that says, "Allow game host to select player order".

Spades, For example, allows the table host to select this option. (Even in rated games.)

If you want to play the same game several times with different player order, maybe you can try to create a private 3-player tournament. That should allow for more structured seat rotation, though it is more complex to set up for a single session. But I have no experience with tournament creation, it is just an idea you may try.

FrankJones wrote: ↑20 March 2026, 21:29 I can't speak to how 3-player games work, but when I play 2-player games with friends, we use the "invite opponent to a rematch" feature, which then switches up the player order. It might work the same way with 3+ player games.

Hmm... For me, the turn order in a two-player game is always the same: ABABABAB... only the first player changes. As for "invite opponent to a rematch," I can confirm that in that case, the turn order remains the same. But what we want is to change it every time. In fact, we've worked around the problem by creating two games: one in ABC order... and the other in the ACB order... and by using a "rematch" on each one every time. The problem is that sometimes it’s too late to a "rematch," so we have to start a new game, and in that case the order is random!...

Thomas wrote: ↑20 March 2026, 23:49 If you want to play the same game several times with different player order, maybe you can try to create a private 3-player tournament. That should allow for more structured seat rotation, though it is more complex to set up for a single session. But I have no experience with tournament creation, it is just an idea you may try.

Maybe that's a good idea I'll give it a try

Actually, it doesn't seem possible to create a private tournament...
En fait il ne semble pas possible de créer un tournoi privé...

JiPaul wrote: ↑21 March 2026, 14:41

FrankJones wrote: ↑20 March 2026, 21:29 I can't speak to how 3-player games work, but when I play 2-player games with friends, we use the "invite opponent to a rematch" feature, which then switches up the player order. It might work the same way with 3+ player games.

Hmm... For me, the turn order in a two-player game is always the same: ABABABAB... only the first player changes. As for "invite opponent to a rematch," I can confirm that in that case, the turn order remains the same. But what we want is to change it every time. In fact, we've worked around the problem by creating two games: one in ABC order... and the other in the ACB order... and by using a "rematch" on each one every time. The problem is that sometimes it’s too late to a "rematch," so we have to start a new game, and in that case the order is random!...

I don't mean to sound dense here but either I'm confused or you are, and I didn't sleep well so I'm not sure which.

In a 2-player game, the turn order will always be the same. The player who goes first will change, but you do realize in a 2-player game, ABABABABAB etc. is the same as BABABABABA, right? I mean aside from changing who goes first. One player will take a turn, then the other player will take a turn, and so on.

What does it possibly mean to say "For me, the turn order in a two-player game is always the same: ABABABAB... only the first player changes." ??

FrankJones wrote: ↑21 March 2026, 16:17

JiPaul wrote: ↑21 March 2026, 14:41

FrankJones wrote: ↑20 March 2026, 21:29 I can't speak to how 3-player games work, but when I play 2-player games with friends, we use the "invite opponent to a rematch" feature, which then switches up the player order. It might work the same way with 3+ player games.

Hmm... For me, the turn order in a two-player game is always the same: ABABABAB... only the first player changes.

In a 2-player game, the turn order will always be the same. The player who goes first will change, but you do realize in a 2-player game, ABABABABAB etc. is the same as BABABABABA, right?

What does it possibly mean to say "For me, the turn order in a two-player game is always the same: ABABABAB... only the first player changes." ??

I think they were confused by your statement that rematching “switches up the player order”…