House Rules (2018)

I love the call-out to Diplomacy as blood sport. It is one of my favorite games, but I rarely suggest it, due both to the length of a typical game and the depth of deceit.

We played a semester-long game in one of my game theory classes with a couple moves per day. I had an alliance with two others and we spent at least four hours a day in various hidey-holes (the alliance was secret to start, and later we just wanted private quiet) on campus to plan our moves.

If you've never played diplomacy, I highly recommend it.

My game group's version of the take-backsies rule is: you can change your decision, as long as no new information has been revealed (a card revealed, a dice roll, next players move, etc.)

We also play with "public information stays public" for most games.

This are good. The “public stays public” would level the playing field for some of my friends who have amazing recall. They may be disappointed, but the 6 other of us at the table would be much less frustrated and enjoy each other’s company more.

>> Games are fun because they’re an exercise in trust as much as exercise in formal systems.

Also, because they are a great opportunity to crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women!

Works well with your friends, too.

I'm surprised "turn timer" isn't broken out into its own rule. This is a big one for keeping games social and fun. I've got a friend who I really can't play strategy games with because he'll take so long determining the optimum move. It's just not fun. Unless there's money on the line (e.g. poker), most people are playing for fun (and even in poker you can "call the clock" on someone who's taking too long).

That article was excellent but also contained a trove of interesting links and footnotes. I particularly enjoyed "Introducing the Scrub" -- http://www.sirlin.net/ptw-book/introducingthe-scrub

Acquire (linked from article) is a favorite in my family. We've always played that your cash on hand is public... I can't find rules that suggest otherwise. Anyway, great article and check out Acquire.

PS CMU has a CS class built around the game... http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~lanthony/classes/SEng/Design/intro.ht...

No. I love the competitive aspect of games. The competition is the fun - I'll compete in anything and love it.

You make a mistake, you learn from it and play better next time. You don't get to take it back. Next time don't do it. If you could always take something back where is the urgency is making good decisions, playing better than your previous self or someone else.

And absolutely not, if you cannot remember what has already been played, well too bad. That's part of the game, especially cards. That's half the point of trick taking games. "are all the trumps out?" Besides the one in office, no way I'm telling you that, and if you are playing at my table, don't answer that for somebody else. You might as well keep track on paper at that point.

Competition is not a dirty word. It isn't anathema to enjoyment. You play to win. It is part of the fun. Competition makes me sharp, I concentrate more, I get that little adrenaline rus when I win. And when I lose... We don't talk and such improbable things.

All games are blood sports.