In teaching a game, you want to make clear this is a “learning game", just learn the rules in this run through, don't worry too much about much about strategy or winning in the first game. Tell new players, "Make the first move you find that looks good to you." New players often don't know what to look for in evaluating a move and they may make bad choices no matter what--it is better to keep the game moving for everyone than to have a player go into analysis/paralysis mode when the player doesn't have the experience yet to analyze their choices. Seeing players cogitate sucks the fun out of many games. As for teaching Puerto Rico, it is complicated game for two reasons: The multitude of buildings The fact that it has no fixed turn order. Any of the phases can occur at any time during the turn. I spend some detail on "The player whose turn it is selects the action everyone will perform, takes the card for it, and starts first doing both the action and the bonus privilege. Then each other player does that action around the table. The next player selects an action from those that are left. Once everyone has picked an action, there'll be 3 choices left, these each get a buck and the next player to take that action gets all money on the card." Etc. Then I go into each action in detail. Last, I explain the buildings very quickly (don't get bogged down by detail) and the scoring last (The most important information should described last.) If the game has a separate starting phase (Puerto Rico doesn't, but games like Settlers, etc. do), I explain that after everything else and jump into the game at that point. During the game, if someone has a strategy question, of course try not to give advice that clearly helps you to the detriment of the other players. Let people see the effects of their moves and occasionally point out areas they should be looking for. For example, moves that help you and don't help any other players are very good. As for Traders of Genoa, I don't have the game and play it rarely, so I don't have any specific methods for it. Back to Table of Contents -- Game! # 7 To Game! List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2004 by George Phillies. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com