Debate: Does teaching new players the rules really help or just slow the game down?

I tried a new approach last gaming night in Austin where I skipped the full rulebook and just explained the basic goal of Everdell as we played. People picked up the game way faster and we finished in under 2 hours instead of the usual 3.5 hours. Is it better to dive in and learn by playing, or does that just lead to mistakes and frustration later on?

2 comments

2 Comments

jake_kelly2426d ago

You mentioned "finished in under 2 hours instead of the usual 3.5 hours" which honestly sounds like a win either way. But I gotta gently push back on that 3.5 hour Everdell claim. With four players and no expansions, a full game with new people usually clocks in around 90 minutes to 2 hours tops if everyone's paying attention. If it was taking you 3.5 hours before, something else was going on like players zoning out or way too much table talk.

charles_green26d ago

Wait, were you timing your Everdell games before with like a full group of new players or with people who already knew the game? Curious if that 3.5 hour thing was a one-off or a regular problem.