How to Explain the Rules Faster than the Rulebook

Let’s face it, sometimes you don’t have time to let every player do their own perusal of the rulebook, especially if you’re playing with kids! You’d rather spend your limited time playing the game and enjoying yourselves.

And those rulebooks can get pretty dense, especially if you like complex strategy games. But is it really faster to explain the rules yourself? You still have to cover the same amount of information. Surely the rulebook does it best.

Not necessarily. Sometimes the rulebooks aren’t very clear or they aren’t giving information in a way that makes sense to the players or maybe they just have several examples for each bit of easily understood information and it takes three times as long to read.

So if you want to explain the rules faster than the rulebook, try these tips.

5 Tricks for Explaining the Rules Quickly and Clearly

1. Start with how to win.

State what you need to win, plain and simple. Do you need the most points? Do you need to get rid of all your cards the fastest? And don’t let anyone ask any questions just yet, since you’ll answer most of them in the following explanation.

2. Run through a turn.

This will be the bulk of your explanation as you explain the different actions or steps that make up the gameplay. Try to keep it in order, if possible, so other players understand the order in which they need to take certain steps. In some games it matters a lot, in others it barely matters at all, so make sure you clarify that to the others. Hopefully by the end of this explanation you’ve answered most questions the other players might have, but you can choose to take clarifying questions to make sure everyone understands.

3. Go over any leftover actions or special rules.

Sometimes explaining the win conditions and a whole turn doesn’t quite cover everything. This is where you’ll add any leftover actions, special rules, or phases that don’t count as part of player turns.

4. Answer questions.

Now’s the time to take any final questions that players have. Make sure everyone knows what’s happening, or make an educated decision on whether you can move into the game because it’s easier to understand during gameplay. Some games are just like that. Once all the questions are answered, take the final step.

5. Repeat how to win.

Remember how you started with how to win the game? Repeat yourself here. It should be a lot clearer now that players have an idea of how the game works. Plus, it’ll be fresh in everyone’s mind moving into the game. That, of course, is what you’ll do now.

Helpful Resources

If you’re looking for a game to test this process on, try it with Carcassonne. The game is simple enough that if the players aren’t getting it, you’ll know your explanation needs some refining.
Perfected your Carcassonne explanation or need a game you already own? Try explaining the rules for the Best Board Games for 3-4 Players. The games vary in complexity, so you’ll practice these tips extensively. If you can explain every game on the list so the other players understand, then you’ve mastered the process of explaining the rules faster than the rulebook!