You can’t expect to be an expert from the first moment you play a new game. But equally, no one wants to spend longer than necessary in a confused stupor with little idea of what’s going on.
There’s a learning curve for all games, but how quickly you overcome that curve is, to an extent at least, within your hands. Let’s take a look at some tried and tested tips for quickly getting up to speed with the demands of a new game.
Read the Manual/Rules/Guidelines
Even people who “learn by doing” will find value in reading up on the basics of a game. The type of reading will depend on the type of game — board and video games will have manuals; classic games, such as blackjack, will have rules. While you’ll want to dive into your chosen game, taking some time to give yourself a thorough grounding in what to do will help you play more smoothly, since you won’t have to continually refer to the rules/instructions. Instead, you’ll be able to focus on figuring out your strategy for success.
Short, Regular Games Beats Long, Infrequent Games
There’s a direct correlation between playing time and playing competency. Simply put: the more you play, the better you’ll play. This is a well-documented piece of advice for improvement, but most blogs miss out a crucial detail: it’s better to play short but regular games, rather than long but infrequent games. You’ll progress more quickly if you play for one hour every day, rather than if you play for seven hours once a week.
Get Reading
Experience counts for a lot when playing games. In the early days of playing, it’s impossible to expect that newcomers will possess the kinds of insights that typically come from playing regularly.
Players do have one resource, however, that can provide need-to-know information: the internet. Rather than waiting for time and experience to reveal that valuable info, players can simply turn to the web and conduct their own research. There’s a wealth of information out there, especially for games that have been around for a long time, such as blackjack, which has been around for centuries. While it can take a while to become an expert at the game, by reading up on when to use smart bets, the correct table etiquette, and how to split pairs, they’ll be well on their way towards having a thorough understanding of how the game works, and it’ll show at the table. And it’s not just blackjack this will work for. This approach of conducting wider reading applies to all popular games. Whatever game you’re playing, look up useful tips and tricks — you might just learn something that makes a significant difference to your gameplay.
Follow YouTube Accounts
Some people are cagey about the tactics that bring them gaming success, but others are more than happy to shout it from the rooftops. So long as your game is in any way popular, there’ll be a host of YouTubers that offer handy insights for people of all levels, including beginners. Indeed, watching a single explanatory YouTube video can have an immediate impact on performance, ensuring that you cease making common errors that are holding you back.
Find a Mentor
Finally, consider turning to the thoughts, wisdom, and advice of a player who has been there, done that. It’s much easier to learn how to do anything when you have a kindly instructor by your side, and that includes figuring out how to play a game. A mentor doesn’t have to be anyone overly special — a friend or family member will do the trick if they have enough experience (though feel free to write to a professional to see if they’ll do it). Once you’ve identified the person who can deliver a helping hand, you’ll have a handy go-to resource for answering your questions, identifying your mistakes, and getting close-to-expert tips.