MtG is very much a "you had to be there" kind of game imo. I play weekly, and I love it, but the moment someone starts describing their build or whatever, my eyes glaze over.
It's actually not so bad if you just resign yourself to having to look to the really advanced stuff every time you need it. The basic stuff is just a matter of memorising like 5 types of symbols
As a table top enjoyer I generally prefer to explain the Big Idea to people up front. Then explain the specifics as we go. This works pretty well for most people
Yes, top down explanation of the game is the best: this is how you win, this is how you get there, this is what you do on your turn, etc. so many people try to explain a game starting with what you do on your turn and the player doesn’t even know what their goal is.
And honestly I forget a lot of rules and exceptions of many games or I don't get the chance to properly explain.
So my rule of thumb is to allow it this time only or provide some special restitution so that they know the rule for next time.
Example
Someone tried in Catan to put a settlement one road away from another settlement, before I could say specifically where settlements could be placed. I let them spend the cards and have a free settlement coupon to use once they had an appropriate place to settle if they wanted.
We bought a star wars board game for a decent amount of money. Kids wanted it (20+ year olds) and once we got it home the directions were literally 60+ pages.
I miss playing various card games, only because it took you forever to actually learn the stupid things, but of course by the time you were starting to feel some mastery, your friend group suddenly gets over its MtG or Texas Hold Em Poker era.
So now you know what a big blind is and you won't even use that knowledge again, with any luck, because it would mean throwing the retirement savings away on fuck all.
Shit man, I miss Apples to Apples, to say nothing of getting trashed and playing Cards Against Humanity, what a time that was.
Exploding Kittens. It's designed by the guy who drew The Oatmeal. There's black holes involved. About the time we all got sharky on the ruleset oh, we're not playing this anymore.
Fucking card games, man.
Card game doesn't even mean "played with little bits of cardboard" anymore.
No, it means "video games where cards are used as a play mechanic" now. Fuckin card games.
I extend this to most board games as well. And I find people "eager to teach me" often are "eager to play, you're slowing the fun down by not immediately picking up the fundamentals" and I get bored because I don't know what's going on and then players cop out with "just watch, you'll pick it up." No, Frank. I have six cards in category A in my hand, three face down in category B, six glass pebbles, one plastic pyramid, and staring at a large cloth with hexagons and two dice with Japanese Kanji on their faces. Two of the players are fighting about what sounds like K-pop album names, and using abstract nonsense like they are actually explaining.
"You know six knuts make one Orin, right? You have six knuts and one Orin in front of you, got that? Now the lead sanu, thats Jim, has the advantage of Doshuikk because he's on the golden path here. You got that? So you need to find another player to use THEIR Orin so you can pass Jim and bargain with knuts OR use your Orin to pass the time gate nearest to you, your partner, AND Jim. But if Jim passes the rainbow bridge, you'll have to start over. That's why--"
Oh, I'm sorry, I stopped caring hours ago. I see literally zero point in this last hour to give a fuck about any of this.
When I was a kid, my grandparents tried to teach my mother and I how to play bridge. We never figured out how to play bridge, but we laughed and laughed because it was just so confusing.
Bro I'm just trying to throw a breadcrumb to folks who may not realize they have ADHD yet. Struggling through life not knowing why you find things so difficult that most people find easy is a hellish experience. I've got a friend who wasn't diagnosed until her 30s and the diagnosis was a game changer since the diagnosis allow her to identify resources and services to help her live better that she never would've considered without a diagnosis
Yeah, I just can't. Board games/table top games are a huge no for me. I get frustrated and bored, and I am a whole lot of not fun when I'm either of those things. (So I just avoid them and everyone benefits)
EZ. If your hand is T̸̢̡̡̡̡̧̡̡̛͖̦͉̖̖̹͓͎̫͎̙͚̟̼͓̯̹̣̥̩̖̦͖̩͍̻̪̤̭̺͎̟͉͎̺͍͕͍̘̟̰̈́̇̀̇̓̎̄̀̋̏̾̾̋̓̿̑̐̇̆͌̒̀͒̇̌͗́̏̌͗͌́͐̒̅̌̅̈́̈́̌̔͒̾̾̃̓̂̈́͆̋̿̌̎͌̽͋͊́̈͑̈́͑̀͗̏́́̂̒̚̕͘͘̕̕̚͜͜͝͠͝͠͝͝h̸̢̡̢̢̢̢̫͙̼͈̗̻͚͍͎̩̘̣̩̯͙͉̟̝̓̒͒̌̔͌͆͑̏̂̀̑̔̑̍̃̒̒̀͐͊̇̀̀̀̎̃̅̋́̈́̅̈́̓̓̚̚͘͘ȩ̵̧̡̨̛̛̛̛̛̬̣̗͙͍͈͚̤̱̳͕̗͎̰̼͇̥͈̟̖̪͍̗̤͈̤̃͆̊̓̎̈̏̊͑͂́̆̋͑́̀̓́͂͑̉̐͆̑̊̉̋̌͆͊̋̈́͑̄̀̑̂̽̃̉̈́̄̀̓͋̉͊́͊̈̉̍̈̑͐̂̓͗̅̐̍͂͂̑̇̍̓͋͗̈̈́̄̔́̈́̆͊̅̓͗̾̊̀͊͂̎̔̉̀̈̈́̀̿̉́͘͘̚̚̕͘͠͝͝͝͠͝͝ ̷̛̛̙͓̯̣̥̦̦̰̬̞̱̤̱͚̪̥̣̮̥͇͓̠̝͖̖̺̾͋́͊̓̋̅̽̑̈́͛̐̾́̈́̿̒͗̓̍̎̊̅͐̾͋̃̇̍̍͑͐̃̋̊̿̈́̔̇͛̋̑̾̈̈́̍̑͊̉͋̉́̓̀̈́̈́̂̒͂͆̅͐̉̍͌͗̋̎̉͌̎̔͛̉̍͋͗̈̐͋̂̈́̔̾̉̅͋͑̾̇͗̍̾͌̑̊͌͊́̅̍̑̉̓͘͘̕̕̕͜͝͝͠͝͝͠͠͝͠͝b̸̨̛̛̛̛̛̛͚̜̟̥̙̪͓͙̥͉̠̠̮̓̐̂̃͑̋̀̐͛̎͛̀̿͒̎̑̊̊̔̏̈́̓̔̽̅͗͒͋̃̍̉̄̃̈́̓̇̈̎͂̀̓̇̃̏̔̌̈́̈́͊̉̒̒̆́͊̎̈́͌̓̉̒̔͌̀͂̑͛̇̓̇̍͛̎̐́͌̆̉͑̇͐̂̔͛̈́̍̏͌͋̑̀͊̕̕̕̚̕͜͝͝͠͝͠͝͠͠͝͠͝͠į̷̧̡̨̢̧͕̺̖͎̦̭͔̙̜̹͙̩͎̺̹͍͓̺̟̣͕̭̹͕̲̱̱͇͓̺̥̗̩̹̩̯̰̘͎̭̭̝͇̫̝̗̺̺̺͎̦̙̼͚͓̲̭͙̫͚̰̫͕̣͓̮̬̼̬̼̳̪̂̍͗̽͋̈́̏̄͌̑̈́͒̈́͛̽̅̉̀̍̕͜͝͝͠͝ģ̵̢̨̡̧̛̛̛̛̣̮̜̳̙̻̫̫͓̯͉͇̜͉͓̩̠̪̩͓̼̹͔͉̜͈̻̲̬̲͎̣̻̤̗̻̩̩̞̟̳̦͔͚̯͔̪̗̂̄͗͒̍͐̈́͊̑͌̈́̈́̉̈̍̇͗͂̋͑͑̂͐̀͗̂̈́̆̒̐̀͒̂͂̌̇̾̈́͆̃͗́͑̈́̀̇͊̓͘͘͘͘̕͜͜͝ͅg̴̨̧̨̨̗̹͎͖͙͚̤͖̭̳̼̹̥̻̤͍̰̤̫̰͖̙̰̤̹̣̳̻͉̞͍̟̬̗̺͚͉̼̘̗̱͔̠͙̳͙̪̲͍̜̣̺͇͖͇̺̫̮̙̭̝̭͇͎̻̱̗͇͔̲̜̖̪͎̱͐͆̽̿͌̾̑͋͐́͛̿̕͜͜͝ͅȩ̵̢̛̛̱̭̖͖̖̜͉̲̜̜͊̈́͑̈̉̋̄̓́̎̈́̈̎̋́̈̓̉̍s̴̡̨̢̢̧̢̢̛̛̝͙̻̬̰͙̙͈͍͓̘͇̳̥̮͈͖̲̖̼̜͓̙̳̜̜̙͚̰̣̹̭̞͇͉̩̲͓̣͍̯̟̰͉̖̖̣̖̟̱̫͕̫̫̜̞̝̰͙͙̳̟͕̗̣̥̗͙̼̒̇͛̏͑̎͌̈́̂̏̔̓̈̋̿̀̆̉̅͛̓̄̈̓̈́̅̐̒̎̇̊͂̽͋͋͆̓̓̐͌̇̑͆̆̀̾̆͐̌̿̍̊̍̌̉̓̋̍̓̀̉̐̽̑̈́̓́̊͂̂̂̉̅̒͆̈́̀̆̀̃̌́̀͛̄̾̈̀͐̓̀̆̇́̓̋̒̓̑̓̚̚̚͘͘͘̚͘̚̚͠͝͝͝͝͠ͅͅt̷̢̛̛̛̛̛̫͇̟̭̰͎̱̗̹̖͔͍̹̄̀̓͋̉͗͑͌̓̈́̈̂̉́̏͆̍̈́͌̂̇̾͗̈́̓̀̊̃̎̐͐̑̄͗͛͂̏̍̈́͌̇̈́̀̇̈́͗̾͒̒̑͑̏͋̂̍̉͗̎̈̿̎̂̉̈́̿͑̂̅̒͐̓̃̈́̍̎͗̇̀̎̎̏́͂̇̾̉̄́͌̆͗̚̚̕̚̚͜͝͠͝͠͠͝͠ͅͅ , you win the round.
Unless someone has a royal T̸̢̡̡̡̡̧̡̡̛͖̦͉̖̖̹͓͎̫͎̙͚̟̼͓̯̹̣̥̩̖̦͖̩͍̻̪̤̭̺͎̟͉͎̺͍͕͍̘̟̰̈́̇̀̇̓̎̄̀̋̏̾̾̋̓̿̑̐̇̆͌̒̀͒̇̌͗́̏̌͗͌́͐̒̅̌̅̈́̈́̌̔͒̾̾̃̓̂̈́͆̋̿̌̎͌̽͋͊́̈͑̈́͑̀͗̏́́̂̒̚̕͘͘̕̕̚͜͜͝͠͝͠͝͝h̸̢̡̢̢̢̢̫͙̼͈̗̻͚͍͎̩̘̣̩̯͙͉̟̝̓̒͒̌̔͌͆͑̏̂̀̑̔̑̍̃̒̒̀͐͊̇̀̀̀̎̃̅̋́̈́̅̈́̓̓̚̚͘͘ȩ̵̧̡̨̛̛̛̛̛̬̣̗͙͍͈͚̤̱̳͕̗͎̰̼͇̥͈̟̖̪͍̗̤͈̤̃͆̊̓̎̈̏̊͑͂́̆̋͑́̀̓́͂͑̉̐͆̑̊̉̋̌͆͊̋̈́͑̄̀̑̂̽̃̉̈́̄̀̓͋̉͊́͊̈̉̍̈̑͐̂̓͗̅̐̍͂͂̑̇̍̓͋͗̈̈́̄̔́̈́̆͊̅̓͗̾̊̀͊͂̎̔̉̀̈̈́̀̿̉́͘͘̚̚̕͘͠͝͝͝͠͝͝ ̷̛̛̙͓̯̣̥̦̦̰̬̞̱̤̱͚̪̥̣̮̥͇͓̠̝͖̖̺̾͋́͊̓̋̅̽̑̈́͛̐̾́̈́̿̒͗̓̍̎̊̅͐̾͋̃̇̍̍͑͐̃̋̊̿̈́̔̇͛̋̑̾̈̈́̍̑͊̉͋̉́̓̀̈́̈́̂̒͂͆̅͐̉̍͌͗̋̎̉͌̎̔͛̉̍͋͗̈̐͋̂̈́̔̾̉̅͋͑̾̇͗̍̾͌̑̊͌͊́̅̍̑̉̓͘͘̕̕̕͜͝͝͠͝͝͠͠͝͠͝b̸̨̛̛̛̛̛̛͚̜̟̥̙̪͓͙̥͉̠̠̮̓̐̂̃͑̋̀̐͛̎͛̀̿͒̎̑̊̊̔̏̈́̓̔̽̅͗͒͋̃̍̉̄̃̈́̓̇̈̎͂̀̓̇̃̏̔̌̈́̈́͊̉̒̒̆́͊̎̈́͌̓̉̒̔͌̀͂̑͛̇̓̇̍͛̎̐́͌̆̉͑̇͐̂̔͛̈́̍̏͌͋̑̀͊̕̕̕̚̕͜͝͝͠͝͠͝͠͠͝͠͝͠į̷̧̡̨̢̧͕̺̖͎̦̭͔̙̜̹͙̩͎̺̹͍͓̺̟̣͕̭̹͕̲̱̱͇͓̺̥̗̩̹̩̯̰̘͎̭̭̝͇̫̝̗̺̺̺͎̦̙̼͚͓̲̭͙̫͚̰̫͕̣͓̮̬̼̬̼̳̪̂̍͗̽͋̈́̏̄͌̑̈́͒̈́͛̽̅̉̀̍̕͜͝͝͠͝ģ̵̢̨̡̧̛̛̛̛̣̮̜̳̙̻̫̫͓̯͉͇̜͉͓̩̠̪̩͓̼̹͔͉̜͈̻̲̬̲͎̣̻̤̗̻̩̩̞̟̳̦͔͚̯͔̪̗̂̄͗͒̍͐̈́͊̑͌̈́̈́̉̈̍̇͗͂̋͑͑̂͐̀͗̂̈́̆̒̐̀͒̂͂̌̇̾̈́͆̃͗́͑̈́̀̇͊̓͘͘͘͘̕͜͜͝ͅg̴̨̧̨̨̗̹͎͖͙͚̤͖̭̳̼̹̥̻̤͍̰̤̫̰͖̙̰̤̹̣̳̻͉̞͍̟̬̗̺͚͉̼̘̗̱͔̠͙̳͙̪̲͍̜̣̺͇͖͇̺̫̮̙̭̝̭͇͎̻̱̗͇͔̲̜̖̪͎̱͐͆̽̿͌̾̑͋͐́͛̿̕͜͜͝ͅȩ̵̢̛̛̱̭̖͖̖̜͉̲̜̜͊̈́͑̈̉̋̄̓́̎̈́̈̎̋́̈̓̉̍s̴̡̨̢̢̧̢̢̛̛̝͙̻̬̰͙̙͈͍͓̘͇̳̥̮͈͖̲̖̼̜͓̙̳̜̜̙͚̰̣̹̭̞͇͉̩̲͓̣͍̯̟̰͉̖̖̣̖̟̱̫͕̫̫̜̞̝̰͙͙̳̟͕̗̣̥̗͙̼̒̇͛̏͑̎͌̈́̂̏̔̓̈̋̿̀̆̉̅͛̓̄̈̓̈́̅̐̒̎̇̊͂̽͋͋͆̓̓̐͌̇̑͆̆̀̾̆͐̌̿̍̊̍̌̉̓̋̍̓̀̉̐̽̑̈́̓́̊͂̂̂̉̅̒͆̈́̀̆̀̃̌́̀͛̄̾̈̀͐̓̀̆̇́̓̋̒̓̑̓̚̚̚͘͘͘̚͘̚̚͠͝͝͝͝͠ͅͅt̷̢̛̛̛̛̛̫͇̟̭̰͎̱̗̹̖͔͍̹̄̀̓͋̉͗͑͌̓̈́̈̂̉́̏͆̍̈́͌̂̇̾͗̈́̓̀̊̃̎̐͐̑̄͗͛͂̏̍̈́͌̇̈́̀̇̈́͗̾͒̒̑͑̏͋̂̍̉͗̎̈̿̎̂̉̈́̿͑̂̅̒͐̓̃̈́̍̎͗̇̀̎̎̏́͂̇̾̉̄́͌̆͗̚̚̕̚̚͜͝͠͝͠͠͝͠ͅͅ ,, of course
You dont learn to play card fames by sitting and listening to rules. Thats how you forget all the rules. You learn by playing a round with the safety on. You can ask everyone about cards you have if you dont understand them and play your turn. The only thing that needs explaining is how you win or the aim of the game. Thats how i learned munchkin, exploding kittens, bang etc.
Nobody knows how the first person learned the rules, in a very chicken or egg fashion, it is a mystery best left unsolved. All we know is who taught us the game. And we should know no more.
Well you see, one of the features of problem-solving card text is the use of commas and semicolons to separate different parts of an effect. Commas and semicolons have very specific meanings in context, and understanding them is important to resolving card effects properly.
Don't forget the unspoken rule of that if you can't resolve a seemingly optimal effect of a card, you can't use it at all. Which is different up the other card with an optional effect which can't be resolved.
This was one of my favorite parts of playing the card game Mao growing up. The only way to learn the rules is to play. And the only rule that you can be told ahead of time is that the goal is to get rid of your cards.