The Art of Point Optimization - Winning Board Games Part 1
In my last blog post “5 Basic Tips for Winning Board Games” I outlined high level principles for winning board games. My goal here is to dig deeper into the first principle of that article: optimize the scoring system.
I mean it seems simple, right? You wanna win? Get the most points dumby! 99% of the time though it’s easier said than done. If the game is designed well, developing a concrete strategy to get more points faster than your opponent takes some thinking. With all of this in mind here are my basic tips for optimizing board game scoring systems.
Dissect the Game’s Mechanics
This is really just a fancy way of saying, “determine the most optimal way to score the most (or least) points.” Most games are played in turns. In games like these, it can be valuable to see the game as points per turn. Figure out the best way to get the most points (on average) per turn. Let’s look at 7 Wonders for example. The game is organized into 3 ages and each player can play 7 cards per age (assuming you’re not playing with expansions). As the ages increase, so does the potential amount of points per card. In this game, if you can develop a strategy that allows you to gain 7 or more points per card in the 3rd age, you’re usually in pretty good shape.
You should also consider going through multiple scenarios in your head. Take time to think things like, “If I go with option a, I’ll get around 4 points per card with relatively low risk. If I go with option b, I could get anywhere from 2 to 8 points per card due to the higher risk.” In this example, maybe option a is best because you’re far enough ahead that the secure 4 points are more valuable. Or maybe you’re lagging behind in points and need to take the riskier option b to increase your chances of catching up. Weigh your options before making a decision.
Sometimes games pose the question of specialization vs diversification. Some games (like Machi Koro) require specialization where you have to plan on stacking abilities to get the highest return. In Machi Koro, ranches and cheese factories work really well together (go figure) so you may want to specialize in cheese production. Others, like Settlers Of Catan, cater to a more diversified strategy where gaining multiple types of resources or diverse point sources are highly rewarded. Keep an eye out for whether you need to knuckle down on one specific strategy or if you need to spread your eggs across multiple baskets.
Finally, be sure to check the rule book for strategies. It’s crazy, sometimes the game creators just hand you good strategies. I know. Crazy.
See The Game As You vs The Table, Not You vs Individuals
Think of it this way. If you gain 1 point during a game with 4 players, that puts you 1 point above 3 other people. You can technically see this as 3 points against the table. If on the other hand, you prevent your neighbor from gaining 1 point, that only puts you 1 point ahead of 1 person; so 1 point against the table. I can’t count how many times I’ve seen a player hyper focus on taking someone down thinking it’s what they need to do to win. No! You can’t win that way! It’s a wild concept, but you have to get points yourself in order to win!
Now it’s important to note that sometimes there are exceptions to this rule. For example, suppose one of your opponents has 9 points and is about to win by getting that 10th point. You may want to prevent that 10th point from happening so you can prolong the game long enough for you to get enough points to win. Sometimes it’s okay to nerf the powerhouse, just be strategic about it. More often than not, you’re better off benefiting yourself than taking someone else down. Now of you can do both at the same time, more power to ya.
Manage Risk
Some games have tons of risk (like Risk lol) and can heavily punish or reward the risk-taker. Do your best to determine how great the reward is and whether or not it’s a risk worth taking. I’ve seen people bank really heavily on a high risk strategy and the point potential just isn’t high enough to make it worth it.
The value of taking risks is often highly influenced by what your opponents are doing. If multiple opponents are taking heavy risks for heavy rewards, it’s likely that at least one of them with reap that reward. Remember, it’s you against the table, not you vs individuals. If everyone’s taking high risks, you’ll need to as well to even stand a chance at keeping up with whoever is the lucky goose to get tons of points. If at the end of the day there’s no way to get an edge over your opponents, you might have to consider the fact that some games are mainly based on chance and you shouldn’t get too emotionally invested (**cough** Monopoly).
Be Flexible
In many of games, there’s not a lot you can do about the hand you’re dealt or the starting position on the board you get stuck with. Remember that your strategy is very dependent on what you’re given, so don’t get stuck on one strategy like taking the longest road in Settlers if you’re not getting resources to build roads. See what cards you do have and adjust your strategy to use those cards to the best of their potential.
And there you have it! All the secrets you’ll ever need to know to optimize board game scoring systems! Well, maybe not, but hopefully you’ve been able to gather some ideas you can use the next time you sit down to play games with your friends and family.