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Board Games · by Miguel Santos · 2026-08-29

What I wish I knew before trying strategy in Lagos

I started this because my rainy evening felt a little stuck, and strategy seemed like a manageable place to experiment. The funny part is that the smallest change was the one I kept.

Would love to hear how other people handle this. I am especially curious about the version that works on a tired weekday, not just on an ideal Sunday.

A few notes from my attempt:
- keep the first step visible
- remove one annoying decision
- celebrate the boring repeat

559 sparks · 132 comments

Comments

Urban Rider · 76 likes

This made me smile more than expected. The 7-minute rule is underrated.

Sleepy Runner · 2 likes

I am curious what changed your mind.

Piotr Zieliński · 1 likes

This comment has main-character footnote energy.

Oliver Smith · 62 likes

That would annoy me more than it helped. I learned that one the expensive way. Co-op makes almost anything better.

Miguel Santos · 0 likes

That is a good boundary.

Ayesha Khan · 12 likes

Kind of wild how often good is the whole issue.

Finn Brown · 9 likes

This is the kind of disagreement I like.

Miguel Santos · 0 likes

@pk_baker59 Anecdote beats theory here.

Amelia Hughes · 1 likes

That is a good boundary.

Oliver Smith · 5 likes

I think both things can be true.

Valentina Ruiz · 18 likes

That is a much better way to say it.

Imogen Clarke · 1 likes

This is the kind of disagreement I like.

Laura Gómez · 4 likes

I had the same reaction to disagreement.

Ayesha Khan · 48 likes

I appreciate the honest middle stage, not just the polished ending. I care less about the perfect answer and more about repeatability.

Paolo Garcia · 38 likes

Agree completely. The simple version is underrated. It reminds me of a very specific conversation near the kitchen.

Curious Panda · 30 likes

I am saving this for the next time I overthink knew. I would love to see a follow-up after 10 weeks.

Valeria López · 29 likes

I think the bad version of this advice causes a lot of frustration. It reminds me of a very specific conversation near the train station.

Miguel Santos · 28 likes

I needed the reminder to start smaller.

Pixel Otter · 26 likes

That is a surprisingly elegant way to frame it. The useful constraint is probably the real story.

Miguel Santos · 3 likes

Appreciate the nuance.

Mina Chowdhury · 24 likes

Excellent timing; I was just thinking about knew. For me it came down to the setup.

Quiet Sparrow · 20 likes

I like this more than the top-level advice.

Curious Noodle · 24 likes

I would not call it wrong, just incomplete. The rainy evening version is even more interesting.

Cozy Runner · 23 likes

This made me smile more than expected. I would test it for 10 days before deciding.

Yui Tanaka · 23 likes

Good reminder that boring can be good.

Maya Putri · 22 likes

Beautifully put. I needed that reminder today. This is where I would ask one more question before choosing.

Finn Brown · 21 likes

The context helps. Without it I would have assumed the opposite. Honestly, the simplest version wins for me.

Amina Okafor · 20 likes

Useful intention, poor execution. I care less about the perfect answer and more about repeatability.

Theo Bennett · 20 likes

My version of this was messier, but the conclusion was similar. A little friction removed goes a long way.

Hana Choi · 20 likes

Glad you shared it; small wins count. That is the kind of detail beginners miss.

Tiny Marauder · 18 likes

Fair point, but I had the opposite experience. The Istanbul example makes it feel concrete.

Paper River · 17 likes

This made me smile more than expected. It reminds me of a very specific conversation near a family dinner.

Miguel Santos · 41 likes

I needed the reminder to start smaller.

Luca Bianchi · 16 likes

I appreciate the honest middle stage, not just the polished ending. The Warsaw example makes it feel concrete.

Amir Tan · 15 likes

Love the tiny experiment energy. I care less about the perfect answer and more about repeatability.

Maya Putri · 8 likes

Noted, and thank you.

Rohan Mehta · 15 likes

Agree completely. The simple version is underrated. A little friction removed goes a long way.

Narin Chai · 4 likes

This is the kind of disagreement I like.

Theo Bennett · 15 likes

I appreciate the honest middle stage, not just the polished ending. I keep a note about tabletop for exactly this reason.

Benjamín Rojas · 14 likes

Great point, especially the part about lagos. The 2-minute rule is underrated. I can already hear the menu music.

Sleepy Comet · 14 likes

That is a surprisingly elegant way to frame it. The a trailhead detail changes the whole answer. That final turn energy is unbeatable.

Rizky Pratama · 13 likes

This is useful for some cases, but terrible advice if the stakes are high.

Jonas Schneider · 13 likes

Wonderful detail. It makes the whole thing feel real. The a tiny balcony detail changes the whole answer. Backlog guilt is a shared cultural experience.

Ayesha Khan · 1 likes

Appreciate the nuance.

Cozy Fern · 13 likes

I would not call it wrong, just incomplete. This is more useful on a tired late summer than on a perfect day.

Rapid River · 12 likes

Anecdotally, this tracks with what I have seen. This would have saved me a lot of trial and error. That final turn energy is unbeatable.

Tiago Costa · 3 likes

Now I want a spreadsheet.

Valeria López · 3 likes

The Tuesday test is undefeated.

Miguel Santos · 3 likes

This is the kind of disagreement I like.

Maya Williams · 12 likes

I like the idea, but the setup probably matters a lot. That is where the boring checklist helps. Backlog guilt is a shared cultural experience.

Valeria López · 40 likes

This is the gentle version of my rant.

Benjamín Rojas · 8 likes

This comment has main-character footnote energy.

Maya Williams · 36 likes

I am stealing that phrase.

Mariam Al Mansoori · 23 likes

This is the kind of disagreement I like.

Valeria López · 7 likes

@cl_sparrow42 That is a much better way to say it.

Miguel Santos · 5 likes

Now I want a spreadsheet.

Maya Williams · 2 likes

Same here. It took me too long to learn.

Rizky Pratama · 1 likes

Helpful correction.

Elsa Andersson · 4 likes

This is the gentle version of my rant.

Omar Hassan · 1 likes

This is the gentle version of my rant.

Martina Fernández · 11 likes

I am saving this for the next time I overthink wish. That is where the boring checklist helps.

Laura Gómez · 10 likes

Agree completely. The simple version is underrated.

Faisal Al Saud · 10 likes

This is genuinely helpful, thanks for writing it out. I used to overcomplicate this constantly.

Budi Santoso · 10 likes

Maybe, but the tradeoff seems bigger than the post suggests. It reminds me of a very specific conversation near a neighborhood park.

Hugo Martin · 2 likes

That is fair, but I still worry about maintenance.

Avery Johnson · 10 likes

This is useful for some cases, but terrible advice if the stakes are high. I noticed the same thing in Lisbon. Backlog guilt is a shared cultural experience.

Mara Fischer · 9 likes

The vibe here is immaculate.

Maya Williams · 9 likes

I love this. It feels practical without pretending life is neat. The a family dinner detail changes the whole answer. Co-op makes almost anything better.

Léa Bernard · 8 likes

I wish more posts had this much context. For me it came down to the routine.

Maya Williams · 48 likes

I am stealing that phrase.

Miguel Santos · 12 likes

I am stealing that phrase.

Sophie Gagnon · 2 likes

Short answer: yes. Long answer: also yes.

Mango Mango · 8 likes

The conclusion is too broad, but the example is interesting. That is where the boring checklist helps.

Elsa Andersson · 2 likes

Yep, the boring details matter.

Brave Atlas · 8 likes

What happened after the first week? I am curious whether strategy stayed easy. The the corner shop detail changes the whole answer.

Mariam Said · 7 likes

I love this. It feels practical without pretending life is neat. That is the kind of detail beginners miss.

Camille Dubois · 6 likes

You just saved me a bad purchase.

Lukas Huber · 7 likes

I am cheering for this update. Honestly, the simplest version wins for me.

Miguel Santos · 5 likes

Could be regional too.

Cedar Coder · 7 likes

I think the bad version of this advice causes a lot of frustration. The first week version is even more interesting. The real boss fight is finding a night everyone is free.

Olena Shevchenko · 6 likes

Fair point, but I had the opposite experience.

Jisoo Park · 6 likes

That is a surprisingly elegant way to frame it. The 10-minute rule is underrated.

Piotr Zieliński · 6 likes

Can you share what you tried before this? My only addition is to make the first step visible.

Ngozi Bello · 6 likes

That would annoy me more than it helped. The useful part is easy to underestimate.

Maya Williams · 5 likes

Amazing how much difference one small change can make. That is the kind of detail beginners miss.

Quiet Lantern · 5 likes

This is the kind of useful internet I still show up for. My only addition is to make the first step visible. Backlog guilt is a shared cultural experience.

Mango Atlas · 5 likes

This feels like advice from a patient friend. I used to overcomplicate this constantly.

Sleepy Comet · 5 likes

You explained the tradeoff really clearly. That is the kind of detail beginners miss.

Mara Fischer · 5 likes

Agree completely. The simple version is underrated. My friend tried it in Warsaw and had the opposite result.

Kabir Khan · 4 likes

The boring logistics are always the hidden part. A little friction removed goes a long way. Co-op makes almost anything better.

Arif Hasan · 7 likes

Same here. It took me too long to learn.

Sophie Gagnon · 4 likes

That is a surprisingly elegant way to frame it. This is more useful on a tired late summer than on a perfect day.

Cozy Marauder · 4 likes

Wonderful detail. It makes the whole thing feel real. I care less about the perfect answer and more about repeatability.

Yui Tanaka · 3 likes

This is genuinely helpful, thanks for writing it out. I am curious whether reviews still feels good next month.

Rapid Comet · 3 likes

Useful intention, poor execution. The the train station detail changes the whole answer.

Ananya Rao · 24 likes

Helpful correction.

Miguel Santos · 3 likes

Beautifully concise.

Mariam Said · 18 likes

Thanks for making it less intimidating.

Martina Fernández · 7 likes

The Tuesday test is undefeated.

Miguel Santos · 6 likes

This comment has main-character footnote energy.