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Update: I saw a guy at the Gen Con 2023 open gaming hall play a 4-hour game of Root with zero rulebook checks.
That moment in Indianapolis made me throw out my own 'teach from the book' method and now I force myself to learn a game so well I can explain it in under 10 minutes, but does anyone else think this just leads to more mistakes later on?
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john_fisher11d agoMost Upvoted
logan658 hit on something important there. The thing is, when you spend all that time memorizing a game to teach it fast, you actually make it harder to look stuff up later. Your brain builds a shortcut for the big rules but then the little weird ones get buried. I did this with Twilight Imperium once, spent a week learning it, taught it in nine minutes flat, then someone asked about wormhole adjacency and I had a total blank because I never practiced that part. The real trick is to memorize the flow and structure, but keep the rulebook in your lap for the edge cases. That way you're confident but not pretending to be perfect.
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logan6582mo ago
Honestly, what's your plan for when someone asks a rule you forgot? I just keep the book nearby and admit I need a quick check sometimes.
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bennett.harper2mo ago
Oh for sure, that's the only way to do it. I keep a cheat sheet with the rules I always mix up right behind my screen. Saves so much time instead of flipping pages, and players don't mind waiting ten seconds. It actually makes them trust you more when you're honest about looking stuff up.
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