1st Game, 1st Game, 1st Game

Just Play Your 1st Game

We have a rule, and by that rule you must play.

But first, a little background.

Sometimes, when playing an addictive video game (like Snood, for example), in order to break out of the trance induced by playing it multiple times in succession, we often call out, “Last game, last game, last game!” – meaning this really is the last game I’m going to play for now before returning to real life and doing something more significant, like eating.

When playing a board game for the first time, which can involve information overload due to the new set of rules, new board, new bits, etc., Analysis Paralysis (AP) can set in. Since this is the first play however, there’s really no excuse for giving in to AP, because we really don’t have a handle on any strategies, barely understand the tactics, and may even be struggling with the mechanics.

To break free from first-play AP, we remind ourselves of our situation by calling out, “1st game, 1st game, 1st game” – a twist on the triple “last game” break-away phrase explained above.

If you join us in such a first-game experience, we have a rule, and by that rule you must play: It’s only your first game, so just try it. There’s no AP allowed. Cry out, “1st game, 1st game, 1st game,” if you must, but don’t sit there staring at the board and bits with that deer-in-the-headlights glaze. Take your turn quickly – even if it turns out to be the silliest move you’ve ever made. (We may tell you that it was later, but that’s beside the point.) That’s half (well, maybe only a fourth) of the fun of trying a brand new board game.

If you had fun playing with such reckless abandon the first time, imagine how much funner (seriously…more on this later) it will be the second time around!