This is the 71st episode of the Tabletop Bellhop Gaming Podcast, an edited version of our live show recorded on December 11th, 2019. Join us as we stream live every week on Wednesdays at 9:00 PM Eastern on Twitch. If you like some video with your audio, you can also watch/listen to individual segments from this show on YouTube.
A Focus on Teaching – Board Game Teacher Tips. Dead Man’s Cabal review in The Game Room. Carpe Diem and Imhotep A New Dynasty first thoughts in The Bellhop’s Tabletop.
Disclosure: Some links below are affiliate links. Using these links costs you nothing extra and helps us offset the cost of producing this show. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Some games mentioned in this podcast were provided by publishers as review copies.
This episode includes:
—Suggestion Box—
We read off and respond to listener feedback.
Send feedback to moe@tabletopbellhop.com or sean@tabletopbellhop.com.
Imhotep
Machi Koro
Space Base
Horrified
Sushi Go
Sagrada
Kingdomino
Legendary Forests
Cinque Terre
Sword & Sorcery
Pandemic
Star Realms
Hero Realms
Forbidden Island
Forbidden Desert
Gloomhaven Music Note Solo Playthrough
—Ask The Bellhop—
This week we’ve got a question from S Darkwell who writes:
“A few months ago, I began a bi-weekly(ish) gaming night. My friends provide the location, and my girlfriend and I provide the games and teach them to play.
I’ve come to realize that I’m atrocious at describing how to play board games. I’m relatively new to these games myself, but if I were to simply sit down and play, I could do so without issue. The moment it comes time to teach others, however, my mind becomes scattered and I begin forgetting even fundamental rules. I regularly spend hours watching board game review/how-to-play videos, but they don’t seem to have improved my teaching skills in any meaningful way.
I suspect the issue is that in any given situation, my focus snaps to the social aspects of the environment. When I should be describing the board game, I’m instead noticing whenever anyone shifts their weight, glances elsewhere, or moves a component.
The irony is that in the past, I’ve been hired to give informative presentations on stage in front of hundreds of people and never had an issue. Something about the smaller more-personal environment makes teaching board games a far greater challenge.
Firstly, do you have any recommendations on how to better teach board games in general?
Secondly, do you have any suggestions on how to maintain focus on teaching the game instead of the people in the room?
Thank you in advance for the advice, and be well!”
Links:
Ep. 5 – Back to School
Ep. 23 – Second Semester
Related Article: Tips for maintaining focus while teaching board games.
—Announcements—
Newsletter:
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No December AMA
Since the last Wednesday of December is Christmas day we will be cancelling our December AMA.
A Call for Questions
We say it multiple times throughout the show. If you’ve got a question send it to questions@tabletopbellhop.com etc. But we really mean it this time. We are actually nearing the end of our list of questions.
We’re here to answer your questions, this show only works if we’ve got questions to answer….
—The Game Room – Dead Man’s Cabal—
A review of Dead Man’s Cabal from Pandasaurus.
Buy Dead Man’s Cabal
Written Review on our Blog: Dead Man’s Cabal. One of the most uniquely themed board games I’ve ever played.
—The Bellhop’s Tabletop—
A look at what games hit our tabletops over the last week.
—Support our efforts—
If you enjoy the content we are producing please consider “tipping The Bellhop” at:
https://www.patreon.com/tabletopbellhop
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